Chain to ditch foam cups
CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Foam cups at Dunkin’ Donuts will soon be history, removing what the company estimates will be a billion of them each year from the waste stream.
Dunkin’ said on Wednesday that the polystyrene foam cups would be completely phased out from its stores globally by 2020.
The chain said it would replace foam cups with double-walled paper cups at its US locations, beginning this spring with all New York and California restaurants.
Most of Dunkin’s international restaurants already use paper cups, and the company said it would work with franchisees to phase out foam cups in the international markets where they’re still used.
“The new paper cups will retain heat as well as the foam cups they’re replacing,’’ the company said.
Because foam packaging decomposes slowly, ends up in oceans and can harm marine life and other animals that ingest it, there has been push to ban its use.
Dunkin’ Brands Group joins other chain restaurants trying to diminish its footprint.
Oak Brook-based McDonald’s Corp announced last month that it would stop using plastic foam beverage cups by the end of this year.
The burger giant also said that it would use only recycled or other environmentally friendly materials Happy Meal boxes and all other packaging by 2025.