![]() Single-use cardboard coffee cups are lined with plastic. In that case, is a fully compostable cup the way to go? Why Are Current Single-Use Coffee Cups Not Sustainable? Although the rise of reusables is likely to continue, there may always be a market for at least some proportion of disposable coffee cups. A panel of experts has since discredited the notion that reusables are less safe, saying that if basic hygiene principles are observed, they shouldn’t be a risk to health. This has left consumers with the only option to use single-use takeaway cups. Reusable Versus Single-Use Coffee CupsĪlthough reusable cups are also on the agenda, many coffee chains decided to suspend the use of reusable coffee cups during the coronavirus pandemic. The key difference in the Starbucks pilot is that the new plastic bio-PBS is said to be “home compostable” that is, it can be composted in your home compost heap, in much milder conditions than an industrial composting facility. They are used by a variety of smaller retailers, although have yet to see wide scale adoption. There are also other options for compostable coffee cups, such as those offered by Vegware but they tend to be lined with a similar bio-based, but less compostable plastic PLA. A key test of the pilot in these cities will be to see if the cups prevent leaks, and keep the drinks hot. The initial locations for this pilot are Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London. It’s said to be both recyclable and home compostable. One of the options selected was a paper cup coated with a compostable plastic lining called bioPBS (bio-based polybutylene succinate). A number of solutions were selected as winners, including reusable cup solutions. ![]() The aim was to find a solution for single-use coffee cups. The idea originated from the NextGen Cup Challenge – a competition launched in 2018 by a consortium including Starbucks, McDonalds, funding organisation Closed Loop Partners, and design-thinking leaders IDEO. But what are they made of, how are they different from other compostable coffee cups, and are they really sustainable? ![]() In March, coffee giant Starbucks announced the pilot of a range of compostable coffee cups in its stores in selected locations. ![]()
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