Starbucks and partners including WM and recycling groups announced in February that the company's cold to-go cups are now widely recyclable, with over 60 percent of U.S. households able to place them in curbside bins. The cups qualify for a special label featuring chasing arrows and the phrase 'widely recyclable.' Experts warn that access does not guarantee recycling, as actual rates for polypropylene cups remain around 1 or 2 percent.
In a joint press release, Starbucks, waste hauler WM, The Recycling Partnership, GreenBlue, and Closed Loop Partners stated that more than 60 percent of U.S. households can recycle the polypropylene cold to-go cups curbside. The announcement qualifies the cups for GreenBlue's 'widely recyclable' label. 'To-go cups are entering a new era of recyclability,' the release said. This effort builds on initiatives since 2020 by The Recycling Partnership, funded by companies like Exxon Mobil and Coca-Cola, following China's halt on U.S. plastic waste imports. Polypropylene recycling rates were then just 0.6 percent for most items and 2.7 percent for containers and packaging. The group has granted funds to material recovery facilities for better sorting technology and resident education to reach the 60 percent access threshold required for the label sold by How2Recycle, a GreenBlue subsidiary. Experts question the label's implications. Alex Jordan, a plastics researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, said statistics can mislead, as even collected cups are likely landfilled or incinerated due to contamination, sorting difficulties, and lack of buyers for polypropylene. An anonymous California recycling center manager noted few mills accept it, calling the announcement a publicity win without real market demand. Jan Dell of The Last Beach Cleanup cited a Greenpeace analysis showing only 6 percent access based on municipal programs. Kate Davenport, chief impact officer at The Recycling Partnership, acknowledged access is insufficient and emphasized education and investment. WM cited a $1.4 billion infrastructure investment, but details on end markets remain unclear. Some states restrict polypropylene cups. Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality excluded them from its uniform recyclable list through 2027 due to weak markets, per Peter Chism-Winfield of Portland. California deemed them recyclable but bars chasing-arrows labels without proof of 60 percent sorting success. Critics like chemical engineer Howie Hirsch warn the label could violate FTC Green Guides and invite lawsuits. Starbucks, committed to recyclable packaging by 2030, tested paper cups in 580 stores last year but endorsed the label without California-specific plans.