Starbucks Recycling Claims Challenged by Investigation
WBZ has spent the last five weeks looking into Starbucks’ recycling practices as part of a national CBS project. Starbucks sells millions of cold cups every day, and in one year, this adds up to over 2.2 billion cups. In April 2024, the company announced that their “sustainable” cups could prevent 13 million pounds of plastic from ending up in landfills each year. However, CBS News found that there’s only one facility in the U.S. that actually recycles these cups.
Tracking Starbucks Cups
To see if these cups were really being recycled, WBZ put Apple AirTags inside several Starbucks cups to track their journey. Seven cups were disposed of in recycling bins at Starbucks stores in Boston, Marlboro, Franklin, Cohasset, Foxboro, Plainville, and Acton. But instead of being recycled, the cups often ended up in the trash. In several cases, the recycling bags were found in dumpsters behind the stores.
Starbucks Responds
Amelia Landers, Starbucks’ Vice President of Product Innovation, expressed disappointment in the findings, calling it “unacceptable.” She explained that once the cups leave the store, there are many factors that can affect whether they end up in the right place.
Plastic Waste Crisis
Plastic waste is a huge environmental issue, with single-use plastics making up a large part of the problem. Unfortunately, only about 10% of plastic is actually recycled, despite years of promises from plastic producers.
Where Did the Cups End Up?
Of the seven cups WBZ tracked, five were incinerated in Massachusetts and Connecticut. One cup was last tracked in Pennsylvania, heading to an unknown location, and another cup from Plainville, Massachusetts, ended up in a landfill 1,100 miles away in Alabama.
The Environmental Impact
Anti-plastic activist Jan Dell pointed out the huge carbon emissions involved in transporting the cups so far, only for them to be dumped in a landfill. She criticized Starbucks for misleading customers by saying the cups are recyclable when, in reality, they are not being properly recycled.
Starbucks Responds to Criticism
When asked if Starbucks was misleading its customers, Landers defended the company’s efforts, stating that they are doing their best to guide customers on proper recycling. However, she acknowledged that there’s no guarantee the cups will end up in the right bin.
Recycling System Challenges
At Casella Waste Systems in Charlestown, Jeff Ward, a VP at the company, explained that recycling is doing well overall, but the problem lies in the improper disposal of recycling. He said they would never advise sending entire bags of recyclables to the trash.
Massachusetts Investigates
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has said that any false claims about recycling could violate the state’s consumer protection laws.
Starbucks Promises Change
In response to the findings, a Starbucks spokesperson stated that some stores may not be following proper recycling practices. The company is taking immediate steps to ensure that staff receives better guidance on how to dispose of materials correctly.