Starbucks faces challenges in recycling effortsStarbucks faces challenges in recycling efforts

Lisa Jennings

SEATTLE Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

In its ninth annual Global Responsibility Report for fiscal 2009, Starbucks said it has made meaningful progress in reaching certain goals, such as increasing its purchase of ethically sourced coffee, energy and water conservation, and green building practices.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

However, the reduction of cup waste is an area that encountered several barriers in 2009, the report said, including variances in local recycling capabilities. The company has pledged to have 100 percent of its cups either reusable or recyclable by 2015. Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

“As proud as we are of our accomplishments in 2009, we recognize we have a long way to go,” said Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president of global responsibility. “We urge our global partners, customers and other stakeholders to join forces with us as we enter the next phase of this journey.”Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Starbucks' report follows an unsuccessful move made recently by a group of shareholders to initiate a more aggressive stance on recycling at the more than 16,000-unit chain. In a March proxy vote, shareholders did not approve the proposal. Company officials reportedly argued at the time that they already had a plan for recycling.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Starbucks has come under pressure by environmental groups that point to the estimated 3 billion paper coffee cups sold in the United States alone every year.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

While the cups use 10 percent recycled fiber content -- which helps reduce reliance on virgin materials -- they are difficult to recycle because of the thin plastic coating used to make the cups impermeable, according to the As You Sow Foundation, a San Francisco-based environmental group.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

As You Sow is the Starbucks shareholder that filed the failed proposal to encourage the company to be more aggressive with its recycling policy -- a move that foundation officials reportedly said would focus the company’s attention on the problem.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

The proposal, which won only 11 percent approval by shareholders, called for the company to set recovery goals for plastic, glass, paper and metal containers, such as Starbucks’ Ethos brand water bottles.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

As You Sow maintains that Starbucks lags behind companies such as Nestle, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in terms of efforts to use recycled plastic in its bottles, as well as recycled content in glass bottles and aluminum cans. Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Starbucks said its most significant challenge has been the attempt to develop in-store beverage packaging that is universally recyclable.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

“One of the significant challenges we’re facing is a wide variance in municipal recycling capabilities,” the report said. “This inconsistency makes it difficult for a company like ours, with more than 16,000 retail locations around the globe, to efficiently and effectively implement a recycling strategy.”Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

In 2009 about 70 percent, or 2,163 of company-owned stores in North America that control waste collection, recycled items made from one or more materials, according to the report. But most of those were typical back-of-the-store items like cardboard boxes that are widely accepted for recycling, not to-go cups. Only 5 percent of all company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada, or 399 locations, had front-of-the-store recycling bins, according to the report.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

The company is also testing whether its cups can be recycled with corrugated cardboard, a widely recycled product, but the report did not say whether that test is proving effective.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Last week, the coffeehouse chain launched a global marketing drive to encourage customers to use reusable tumblers rather than paper cups. Customers have long been offered a 10-cent discount on beverages they purchase in a reusable cup.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

The company served roughly 4.4 million more beverages in reusable cups in 2009 than it did the previous year, according to the report. Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

In 2009, 26 million beverages were served in reusable cups in company-owned stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, or about 1.5 percent of beverages served in those stores. The company estimated the use of reusable cups last year kept nearly 1.2 million pounds of paper from ending up in landfills.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

However, the company’s goal is to serve 25 percent of beverages in reusable cups by 2015.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

On April 22-23, Starbucks will bring together stakeholders in the recycling movement for the company’s second “cup summit” in Boston. The meeting is expected to include representatives of municipalities, raw material suppliers, cup manufacturers, retail and beverage businesses, recyclers, non-government organizations and academics to discuss strategies for the future, Starbucks said.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

The first ever “cup summit” was held last year and led to efforts such as the test of recycling cups with cardboard, which is being conducted in seven Starbucks locations in Manhattan.Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.

Under fire to reduce the number of trashed cups that end up in landfills, Starbucks Corp. said its efforts to reduce waste from single-use cups and other packaging have been hampered by variances in recycling laws.