Your Starbucks Cup Cannot Be Recycled
In response to growing concerns about Starbucks’ waste problems this year, the coffee chain announced trial launches of its latest recyclable and compostable cup designs in cities such as San Francisco and Seattle. Back in 2018, Starbucks also began rolling out its clear recyclable sippy cups across the country, which will be used for some of its cold drinks.
But wait – what’s so bad about the familiar Starbucks paper cup? First, it’s not just paper. Most paper cups have a plastic polyethylene lining inside to prevent leakage. This liner creates problems for recycling businesses who then have to separate the liner from the paper in order to properly recycle the materials.
And, as CNN writes , unfortunately, many converters find more problems for them than they are worth and outright refuse to accept them. In other words, Starbucks cups are technically recyclable, but not many businesses are ready to recycle them.
Untreated glasses are sent to landfills, where they deteriorate for future generations and pose environmental problems in the form of microplastic pollution. ( CNN estimates the coffee chain made 3.85 billion cups in 2017, which means there are many cups in our landfills right now.)
Here’s some good news: some cities do accept cups, plastic and everything else, and they have the technology to separate the components. According to the annual Social Impact report this year, Starbucks said that “10+” cities around the world accept cups as they are (which is admittedly a negligible number). New York is one example.
If you have a Starbucks cup in hand and are not sure if it can be recycled, search the Internet for the rules for your coffee cup recycling program. And if you don’t understand something, send them an email indicating that you have questions, in particular regarding plastic cups. Of course, if in doubt, throw it away. And if you find you can recycle your cup, be sure to empty all of its contents down the sink to avoid contaminating the rest of the recyclable materials.