Can You Recycle Starbucks Cups – Green Guide

Most people have busy schedules and rely on convenience.

If you’re one of those people, then chances are that you’ve had a Starbucks iced tea or coffee in your hand at some point.

Starbucks serves its delicious beverages in to-go cups, and many people assume that they can recycle them.

But can you really recycle Starbucks cups or are they stacking up somewhere in a landfill?

Well, let’s find out.

Can you recycle Starbucks cups?

Starbucks is a global coffee chain with millions of customers flocking the business daily.

How many times have you met people on the street carrying Starbucks cups in their hands?

To-go coffee is more of a trend that’s sweeping the nation.

So, if you’ve purchased to-go beverages from Starbucks, then you might be wondering if these cups can be recycled.

Where do all these cups go?

Are they just being thrown in the trash or is there a better way to deal with them?

Well, we can’t deny that Starbucks is an environmentally mindful company that has been doing quite a bit to lower its carbon footprint.

Starbucks is known for providing many healthy options that have become popular among consumers.

It also strives to be green by employing eco-friendly practices and products (such as reusable cups) and promoting a recycling program for its customers.

As such, some people may wonder if the company is truly following a green practice with its to-go beverage cups.

In a sense, yes, Starbucks has been trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

That said, the Starbucks cups are not easily recyclable.

The cups are made of a polyethylene coating that prevents liquid from leaking out.

This also means you can’t put the cups in the recycling bin.

Starbucks cups can only be recycled at specific recycling centers in a few cities.

This has made it difficult for customers to be able to recycle their used cups.

What is a Starbucks cup made of?

In order to understand why it’s difficult to recycle Starbucks cups, it is important to understand the cup material.

Starbucks is known for its environmentally responsible practices, but it’s yet to implement sustainable and recyclable to-go cups.

The paper cups that you get with your beverage are made of a combination of paper and a polyethylene coating.

The purpose of the polyethylene material is to make the cups water-resistant, allowing liquid to drip of the cup instead of soaking in.

While this is a good idea, it makes recycling the cups a daunting process.

The recyclers have to separate the thin plastic lining from the paper before it can be recycled.

This process can be costly, and that’s the reason many recycling facilities won’t take them.

It’s a complicated operation that many recycling centers are unable to perform.

There are very few options when it comes to recycling Starbucks cups.

Only a handful of recycling facilities in the United States can take polycoated paper cups for recycling.

This is bad news for most Starbucks lovers, especially those who live in rural areas.

Some of the places where you’ll find recycling centers that take these cups include New York, Washington D.C, Seattle, San Francisco and Wisconsin.

You can check with other local facilities to see if they will take them.

What can you do with Starbucks coffee cups?

If you’re not near a local recycling center and can’t bring your Starbucks cups to the one you know, then what are your options?

The polyethylene lining makes it difficult to recycle and toss in the trash.

And while it’s tempting to just toss it in the trash can, you’ll be contributing to a much bigger problem.

The plastic lining in Starbucks cups is a type of plastic that contaminates other materials and is hard to remove.

This makes recycling more difficult, and also makes it harder for the government to keep plastic materials out of landfills.

Just think about it, if you throw away your used Starbucks cup in the trash, then it will end up in a landfill somewhere with other trash materials.

The polyethylene lining is basically plastic and if it’s not recycled, it will stay in the landfills for years to come.

Recycling is a great way to not only save the environment, but also help improve our society.

By recycling coffee cups, you can actually cut down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

You can also conserve energy and natural resources by using recycled materials.

And while Starbucks may not have an official program to recycle its coffee cups, there are third parties that can help you do it yourself.

Search online for recycling services near you noting that the best place to turn to is with a local government office or a recycling center that accepts polyethylene-lined paper.

Save the cups and recycle them when you have time.

Check with a local government office or a recycling center to see what they have available.

Final Thoughts

While Starbucks is environmentally conscious, they still have not come with a good solution to address their polyethylene-lined paper cups.

It is unfortunate that most recycling centers cannot recycle them, or else you could help the environment and save money by recycling your own cups.

If you’re not sure what to do with your used Starbucks cups, then try saving them in a box or bag until you’re able to bring it to a recycling center near you.

This will help reduce waste and also prevent polyethylene contamination.

FAQs

Can you recycle Starbucks cups 2024?

No, you can’t recycle Starbucks cups.

They are made of a polyethylene lining and cannot be recycled in most places.

You’ll find to find a recycling center that can take them in New York, Washington D.C, Seattle, San Francisco and Wisconsin.

You can try searching for recycling centers on the internet to see if there are any close by.

Where do you throw Starbucks cups?

Unless you have a recycling center near you that accepts polyethylene-lined coffee cups, then you should hold onto it and rather than throw it out in the trash.

If you do have a local recycling center, then take your Starbucks cups there to recycle it.