A new report from the environmental watchdog group Beyond Plastics reveals that Starbucks' plastic cups, marketed as 'widely recyclable,' are not being recycled in practice. The investigation, conducted between January and March 2026, used Bluetooth-enabled trackers glued inside 53 polypropylene cups placed in recycling bins at Starbucks locations across nine states and Washington DC. None of the cups ended up at a recycling facility.
Investigation Details
Lead researcher Susan Keefe explained the methodology: 'I used Bluetooth-enabled trackers and glued them into the cups using Gorilla Glue, then dropped them into the custom-labeled recycling bins in Starbucks stores. You can follow them on your phone.' Of the 36 trackers that reached a final destination intact, 16 pinged from landfills, nine from incinerators, eight from waste-transfer stations, and three from materials recovery facilities that bale but do not recycle plastics. One cup traveled from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to a landfill in Amsterdam, Ohio.
Starbucks Response
A Starbucks spokesperson stated: 'Our cups are designed to be recyclable, and the “widely accepted for recycling” designation reflects that. Recycling in practice also requires local community infrastructure. We work closely with recycling companies to help expand access and improve the system.' The company later criticized the study's methodology, arguing that placing electronic trackers inside cups does not reflect how recycling systems operate and can introduce contamination.
Polypropylene, used for single-use cups at Starbucks and other fast-food chains, is theoretically recyclable, but few facilities can process it. A Greenpeace report from late 2025 found only two commercially operating facilities in the US, one in Alabama and one in Missouri.
Criticism and Recommendations
Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a former EPA regional administrator, emphasized: 'Accepting a plastic item for recycling is not the same as actually recycling it, and the company knows the difference. It's time for Starbucks to stop making misleading recycling claims and start prioritizing plastic-free, preferably reusable, alternatives.'
Beyond Plastics recommends that Starbucks switch all plastic cups nationwide to fiber-based to-go cups and lids and encourage reusable cup use, at minimum removing misleading labeling from in-store recycling bins. Keefe added: 'We need to stop talking about plastic recyclability and focus on moving away from single-use plastic, especially for food and beverage packaging, given the health risks from plastic chemicals.' Peer-reviewed studies have linked plastic waste to respiratory illnesses, endocrine disruption, and cancer.
'Companies should be held accountable for their sustainability claims,' Keefe said. 'Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world, so what they say matters.'
