Envirothink

Seven Starbucks stores in New York City will begin collecting and recycling used coffee cups.

This test program - announced by Global Green USA´s Coalition for Resource Recovery - is part of a project that includes recycling old corrugated containers (the consistenly most recycled material in the U.S.).  Starbucks cups were tested and certified by Western Michigan University as having “equivalent recyclability and repulpability as old corrugated containers.” 

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer said “efforts like this will be crucial to making our city a leader in urban sustainability. I applaud Starbucks and Global Green’s Coalition for Resource Recovery for their work, and am delighted that Manhattan has been chosen as the home site for this pilot program.”

Annie White, coalition director, said  “the lessons learned from the cup recycling pilot can be applied to the recycling of hamburger, pizza, and French fry containers, and other paper food packaging. If the initial pilot is successful, CoRR will expand the pilot to encompass more packaging types and restaurants.”

And the list of recyclables keeps growing. You go, Starbucks!