Investigation Finds Starbucks' 'Recyclable' Plastic Cups End Up in Landfills, Not Recycling Facilities

Summary

A three-month national investigation by Beyond Plastics tracked Starbucks' cold-beverage cups using electronic Bluetooth trackers placed in in-store recycling bins. The investigation found that not a single tracked cup ended up at a recycling facility. Instead, the polypropylene cups were followed to landfills and incinerators, directly contradicting Starbucks' public claims that its single-use cups are "widely recyclable." The report, titled "Tracking Starbucks' Deceptive Recyclability Claims," exposes the gap between corporate recycling promises and actual waste disposal outcomes.