Starbucks to dump plastic straws by 2020
Starbucks, which doles out more than 1 billion straws a year, says it will phase out single-use plastic straws from its stores by 2020.
The coffee giant said Monday that it will replace the ubiquitous plastic straw with recyclable “strawless lids,” as well as straws made from biodegradable materials, as part of a no-plasticstraws movement that has gained momentum in recent years.
Starbucks — which has more than 28,000 stores and generated $22.4 billion in annual revenue last year — is the largest retailer to commit to eliminating single-use plastic straws. The company said that more than half of its beverage sales come from cold drinks, which typically come with a plastic straw.
The no-straw movement gained mainstream traction three years ago after a video showing a sea turtle with a plastic straw wedged in its nose went viral. Plastic straws never completely decompose and can be harmful, even fatal, to animals that ingest them.
A number of local governments have recently passed legislation restricting the use and distribution of plastic straws. Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle, for example, banned plastic straws and utensils beginning this month, while the California cities of Davis and San Luis Obispo prohibit restaurants from handing out plastic straws unless a customer requests one.
A number of restaurants and private establishments also have taken measures to curb their use of plastic straws. Some offer more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as straws made of paper, bamboo, steel, even Twizzlers.
At Starbucks, executives said the efforts are part of a $10 million plan to develop cups and lids that are fully recyclable and compostable.