Are Starbucks cups compostable?

You have probably used at least fifty Starbucks cups since you started ordering your favorite drinks from them. Have you ever asked, “Are Starbucks cups compostable?” Read on to find out more about these famous cups.

Only a few Starbucks cups are compostable. As a frequent visitor to Starbucks shops, I have personally used over fifty of their coffee cups, as I am always given a single new cup each time I place my coffee order. This got me wondering if their cups are compostable because I always dispose of them at a composite. I will discuss in detail the materials used to make Starbucks cups and if they are indeed compostable.

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What is Starbucks doing to improve sustainability?

Being among the world’s most prominent coffee and food companies, the public is still doubting whether Starbucks will ever be a sustainable company, considering it makes billions of dollars a year. Known for the best coffee and other drinks, Starbucks’ main issue is with the cups they are serving. If you are a frequent visitor to Starbucks, they must have served you from their beautiful cups on different occasions. A few of its customers keep these cups at home, as most dispose of them in recycle bins or composites.

The major problem with these Starbucks cups is that they cannot be recycled or decomposed, as they are made with plastic lining, making it impossible for these two processes to happen. To prevent their drinks from leaking, Starbucks cups are made with a thin lining of plastic that perfectly holds the glass together, whether hot or cold. These cups then end up in landfills, where they become a negative influence on the environment and its surrounding.

To help solve this menacing problem of single-use, decomposable and recyclable cups, Starbucks released their new trial cups back in 2020. These cups were released in a few cities to test whether they would serve as perfect as these old cups. The trial is still ongoing for these compostable cups, and we hope they will soon replace the old ones in all stores.

Starbucks also released their reusable cups to end the single-use cup. These reusable cups work so that after being served in one of them, you can drink from anywhere you want and then return the cup to one of the kiosks near the Starbucks shop. These cups will then be washed and sanitized professionally, making them fit for the next customer. This move is set to reduce the number of cups in a landfill.

Can Starbucks switch to compostable cups?

Yes, Starbucks can switch to compostable cups. Using the proper measures and finances, Starbucks can replace their current cups with compostable ones to contribute to creating a greener and cleaner environment. This is because Starbucks has already successfully run their compostable trial cups, as no single customer has raised an issue about their coffee cup leaking.

Final thoughts

Starbucks is headed towards being a sustainable company with a few measures. To support their goal, you can carry your reusable cup when you visit any Starbucks shop or purchase their reusable cup. Also, ensure that you dispose of the cups according to how they will be recycled or composed.