Global professional service firm KPMG is planning to eliminate plastic cups from all its UK offices in order to reduce environmental pollution.

The move comes following pressures from the staff to undertake new measures to tackle pollution, the Financial Times reports.

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As part of the plan, the firm has reportedly removed all plastic cups from the spaces around the water coolers in its Manchester office, where the initiative was first tested.

Around 900 employees have so far accepted to use the company’s reusable bottles as an alternative to plastic cups.

Following the success of the trial in Manchester, KPMG is now planning to expand the scheme across its UK locations by September this year.

Based on the company’s estimates, approximately three million plastic cups are used per year, at a cost of £60,000.

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“Around 900 employees accepted to use the company’s reusable bottles.”

Employees who chose not to use the new water bottles will have to ‘rent’ a recyclable paper cup for 50p.

Plans to remove an additional three million plastic cups per year from KPMG’s hot drinks machines are also on the company’s agenda.

KPMG staff questioned the company’s use of plastic after BBC’s documentary series Blue Planet II stirred public opinion on the impact of plastic waste on oceans.

The company also intends to tackle pollution by removing plastic cutlery from its regional offices.

KPMG has so far removed 260,000 plastic items from its supply chain this year.

Based on the success of the initiative, the company is planning to extend this measure to larger offices.

KPMG environment manager Sarah Lindsay attributed the decision to China’s proposed ban on the import of plastic waste from overseas.