What did Beyond Plastics' tracker study reveal about the actual recycling fate of Starbucks' 'widely recyclable' plastic cups?

Beyond Plastics tracked 53 polypropylene Starbucks cold-drink cups placed in in-store recycling bins across nine states and Washington DC; none reached a recycling facility—16 ended in landfills, 9 in incinerators, 8 at waste-transfer stations, and 3 at a materials recovery facility that bales but does not recycle plastics—and all 36 trackers that reached a final destination intact were confirmed *not* to have gone to a recycling plant.

How did Starbucks respond to the findings of the Beyond Plastics tracker study?

Starbucks disputed the study’s methodology, stating that placing electronic trackers inside cups ‘does not reflect how recycling systems operate in practice,’ that such materials are ‘not accepted in recycling streams’ and may cause contamination, and emphasized that recycling outcomes depend on broader systemic factors including local infrastructure, contamination levels, and consumer participation—while reaffirming their focus on improving access, investing in recovery systems, and advancing reusable and alternative packaging.

ChemBrief

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Beyond Plastics tracked 53 Starbucks polypropylene cups labeled as widely recyclable, finding none reached recycling facilities. While critics deem the labeling deceptive, Starbucks disputes the methodology and cites infrastructure limitations.

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