Waste at Starbucks-Coating on coffee cups puts lid on recycling

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/09/17/starbucks.ART_ART_09-17-07_A1_IF7U38O.html?sid=101

Monday, September 17, 2007 3:22 AM
By David Conrad
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Starbucks goes through roughly 2.3 billion paper cups a year and touts its national award for using cups made of 10 percent recycled material.

The sleeves on the cups even plead, "Help us help the planet."

But don't be confused. Starbucks promotes recycling on its cups, but the cups themselves aren't recyclable here or in most other cities nationwide.



"Well, they tricked me," said Nicole Mejias, 22, a self-described Starbucks freak. "I immediately associate recycling with Starbucks because of their cups. That's so hypocritical. I would have never guessed" that the cups weren't easily recyclable.

The reason: The plastic coating that keeps the cup from leaking also prevents it from being recycled with other paper products. That could be overcome, but it would cost more.

Anything can be recycled, but "The system is not designed to take the individual Starbucks cups," said Steve Sargent, director of recycling for Rumpke Recycling, Columbus' largest recycler.

FULL story at link.

[BrklynLib at work]

1. Why am I not surprised that the Yuppie's favorite coffee co is a hypocrite????

I can get EXCELLENT coffee from the guy on the corner for .75 and HE puts the milk in it for me...
and the cups are usually recylced from some place that has gone out of business.