Maya Ellison
Starbucks has been trying to find a greener alternative to its single-use coffee cups for 30 years. The cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic, which means that they are not recyclable in most places. Starbucks has been testing greener technologies for paper cup liners and has committed to the NextGen Cup Challenge, teaming up with other food companies for help.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic lining | Polyethylene |
| Recyclability | Technically recyclable but not in most places |
| Environmental impact | Often end up in landfills or the environment, where the plastic lining can break down into microplastics that may harm marine life or enter the human food chain |
| Company response | Aiming to double the recycled content in the cup by 2022, testing greener technologies for paper cup liners, and making ceramic mugs available for in-store dining |
| Customer response | Calls for the company to reduce single-use plastic and provide more sustainable alternatives |
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What You'll Learn
Starbucks cups are not easily recycled
The issue of non-recyclability is not unique to Starbucks, and most paper cups with plastic lining face the same problem. However, Starbucks' scale means that this issue is magnified, with the company using 3.85 billion paper cups for hot beverages in 2017 alone. The cups often end up in landfills or the environment, where the plastic lining can break down into microplastics, potentially harming marine life and entering the human food chain.
Starbucks has not been idle in the face of this issue. The company has committed to the NextGen Cup Challenge, partnering with other food companies and recycling-focused investor groups to crowdsource solutions. They are also testing greener technologies for paper cup liners, with a goal to double the recycled content in the cup by 2022. Additionally, Starbucks has introduced incentives for customers who bring their own reusable cups and is making ceramic mugs available for in-store dining.
Despite these efforts, Starbucks' cups continue to pose a challenge for recycling facilities. The company's own sustainability efforts hinge on the idea that the cups fall under the recyclable category, but in practice, this often does not occur. The onus falls not only on Starbucks but also on consumers, who can play a significant role in reducing waste by choosing reusable cups over single-use ones.
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Starbucks' sustainability goals
Starbucks has been trying to find a greener alternative to its single-use coffee cups for 30 years. Starbucks used 3.85 billion paper cups for hot beverages in 2017 alone. These cups are lined with polyethylene, a thin layer of plastic, to prevent liquid from soaking the cup and leaking out. However, these plastic linings are not recyclable in most places, causing the cups to end up in landfills or the environment, where they break down into microplastics that may harm marine life or enter the human food chain.
Starbucks has committed to several sustainability goals to address this issue. Firstly, they aim to double the recycled content in their cups by 2022 and are testing over 12 greener technologies for paper cup liners. They have also launched a new hot cup in the US that includes 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, reducing the amount of paper and plastic used. Additionally, they have joined the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to support the development of a United Nations Global Plastics Treaty.
Furthermore, Starbucks has set an ambitious goal for their customer-facing packaging to be 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030. They are also working towards making every Starbucks store more sustainable by addressing their climate, water, and waste footprints. For example, in 2022, 3,500 stores (around 10%) reduced carbon emissions, water usage, and landfill use. Starbucks is also a founding member of Transform to Net Zero, an initiative working to accelerate the transition to a net-zero global economy by 2050.
In addition to their efforts with cups, Starbucks is also focusing on reducing their carbon footprint and conserving water at "the first ten feet" on coffee farms. They do this by providing farmers with precision agronomy tools to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions and promoting climate-resistant coffee tree varietals. Starbucks is also investing in renewable energy, with plans to install high-power electric vehicle chargers at locations along a 1,400-mile route.
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Starbucks' plastic cups may be phased out
Starbucks has been trying to find a greener alternative to its single-use coffee cups for 30 years. The company has been testing more than 12 technologies for paper cup liners as part of its broader sustainability goals. In 2024, Starbucks rolled out a more sustainable and accessible cold cup made with 10-20% less plastic in the US and Canada. The company also redesigned its straws to be made with compostable materials or paper and moved away from lid stoppers in favour of recyclable lid stickers.
In February 2025, Starbucks quietly phased out plastic cups at 580 stores. The company's polypropylene cups are "recyclable in many locations where there is local infrastructure", according to a spokesperson. However, it is unclear where such infrastructure exists. Lisa Ramsden, a senior oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, said that Starbucks may be trying to get ahead of anti-plastic regulations in California, which are expected to ban certain types of plastic in the coming years.
Starbucks has also made ceramic mugs available for in-store dining and allowed more customers to order drinks in their own reusable cups. The company is also testing reusable cups in more than 30 markets worldwide. In addition, Starbucks has committed to doubling the recycled content in its cups by 2022.
Starbucks' cups can technically be recycled, but they usually are not due to the difficulty of separating the cup's plastic lining from the paper. Many recycling facilities find that the process is not worth the trouble, and the cups often end up in landfills or the environment, where the plastic lining can break down into microplastics.
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Starbucks' packaging situation
Starbucks has been facing criticism for its packaging situation, specifically regarding the recyclability of its single-use coffee cups. While the company has shown a commitment to sustainability and reducing plastic waste, the ineffectiveness of its current packaging in the recycling system has sparked concerns.
The Starbucks paper cups used for hot beverages are lined with a thin layer of plastic, typically polyethylene, to prevent liquid from soaking through and leaking. This plastic lining, however, poses a challenge for recycling. Most recycling facilities are ill-equipped to separate the plastic from the paper, leading to the cups often ending up in landfills or the environment. The plastic lining can then break down into microplastics, potentially harming marine life and entering the human food chain.
In response to these issues, Starbucks has been exploring more sustainable alternatives. The company has set a goal to make all its packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030. They are testing greener technologies for cup liners and aiming to increase the recycled content in their cups. Additionally, Starbucks is making ceramic mugs available for in-store dining and encouraging customers to use reusable cups by offering discounts.
However, despite these efforts, some critics argue that Starbucks could do more. They point to the company's continued use of plastic lids, which can contain more plastic than the previous versions with straws, and the lack of phasing out plastic cups from all locations. The effectiveness of Starbucks' initiatives is yet to be seen, and the company faces the challenge of balancing sustainability with the demands of its customers.
Furthermore, Starbucks' packaging situation extends beyond coffee cups. The refresher/alt milk boxes, used for milk alternatives and other products, are lined with foil and plastic, contributing to the waste problem. Individually wrapped pastries and sandwiches also add to the company's overall packaging waste. While Starbucks has not addressed this specific concern, it remains a part of the broader discussion surrounding the company's environmental impact.
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Starbucks' single-use plastic concerns
Starbucks has been trying to find a greener alternative to its single-use coffee cups for over 30 years. The cups are lined with plastic, which means that they are not recyclable in most places. This is because most facilities do not recycle paper cups as they would have to separate the cup's plastic lining from the paper, which many recyclers find to be more trouble than it is worth.
In 2019, Starbucks committed to the NextGen Cup Challenge, teaming up with other food companies for help. McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Wendy's, Nestlé, and Yum! Brands (which owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut) all came on board. Together, the companies crowdsourced solutions from the public. Starbucks is also aiming to double the recycled content in the cup by 2022 and is testing greener technologies for paper cup liners.
In 2025, Starbucks switched from plastic to paper cups in about 580 of its stores for cold drinks. The new cups are lined with a thin layer of bioplastic for liquid resistance. The company spokesperson said that Starbucks wants to comply with the growing number of local ordinances restricting the distribution of single-use plastics. However, some advocacy groups have suggested that the transition is more connected to Starbucks' own sustainability targets. Specifically, a goal set by the company in 2024 to make all of its packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030.
Starbucks has also made ceramic mugs available for in-store dining and is allowing more customers to order drinks in their own reusable cups. The company has also provided incentives in the form of discounts for patrons who bring their own reusable cups.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Starbucks paper cups are lined with plastic. The plastic lining prevents liquids from soaking through the paper cups and leaking. However, this makes the cups hard to recycle, and they often end up in landfills.
Starbucks paper cups can be recycled, but only under the right circumstances. Most recycling facilities are not equipped to separate the plastic lining from the paper, so they do not recycle these cups. Starbucks has been trying to find a greener alternative to its single-use cups for 30 years.
Starbucks is testing greener technologies for paper cup liners and aiming to double the recycled content in the cups by 2022. The company has also committed to the NextGen Cup Challenge, working with other food companies to find solutions. Additionally, Starbucks offers incentives like discounts for customers who bring their own reusable cups.
Customers can bring their own reusable cups when purchasing drinks at Starbucks. This small change can help reduce waste and encourage Starbucks to prioritize sustainability and eco-friendly alternatives.
