Starbucks pledges $10M for greener coffee cup

SEATTLE — Starbucks is making a $10 million commitment to develop a greener coffee cup that is fully recyclable and compostable. The company announced the Next Gen Cup Challenge initiative in partnership with Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. The goal is to give cups a second life and keep them from landfills. Starbucks says its paper cups are currently manufactured with 10 per cent post-consumer recycled fibre. The inside is coated with a thin liner designed to meet quality and safety standards. The company’s research and development team is testing a new bio-liner, made partially from plant-based material.