More recycling. Less waste.
Starbucks is committed to significantly reducing the waste our stores generate – especially when it comes to recycling. We know this is important to our customers, to us and to our planet. That's why we've set a goal of having recycling available in 100 percent of our stores where we control waste pick-up by 2015.
Last year, 70 percent of our stores recycled at least one type of waste where commercial recycling is available – but it's often happening behind the counter, out of sight to customers. Recycling is dependent on the availability of commercial recycling services where our stores are located. Unfortunately, some local communities that offer comprehensive residential recycling may provide minimal or no commercial recycling.
Our customers are also concerned with the waste generated from our paper and plastic cups, which are not currently recyclable in many communities. We're concerned too, and we're committed to coming up with innovative solutions that will make our cups universally recyclable or compostable.
In 2008, Starbucks (and not the landlord) was responsible for providing waste removal services at 3,194 stores in North America. Of these stores, 70 percent (or 2,222 stores) are recycling at least one commodity, mainly cardboard. This is a three percent decrease from fiscal 2007.
Of the 972 stores that do not recycle, 57 percent do not have the interior/exterior space needed for bins and dumpsters, and eight percent do not have commercial recycling available in their area. Other reasons include the lack of landlord permission and service termination by the recycler due to continual contamination (most likely done by unauthorized users). In a few instances services were cancelled by store partners (employees).
What we've been doing.
One way we reduce the amount of waste our stores add to landfills is by composting used coffee grounds. At a typical Starbucks store, coffee grounds make up more than one-third of the waste stream by weight (see Starbucks Waste Audit table below).
We introduced Grounds for Your Garden in 1995, which offers customers complimentary five-pound (2.27-kilogram) bags of used coffee grounds to enrich garden soil. And where commercial composting is available, many stores are able to divert other food waste and coffee grounds from the landfill as well.
Starbucks 2005 Waste Audit – take a closer look at what makes up a typical Starbucks store's waste.
| BY VOLUME | BY WEIGHT |
| 30% cardboard | 34% coffee grounds |
| 14% milk jugs & syrup bottles | 12% cardboard |
| 14% paper waste | 12% food waste |
| 8% paper cups | 7% paper waste |
| 5% other dairy containers | 6% newspaper |
| 29% other waste | 29% other waste |
Hurdles.
The world of garbage and recycling is complicated. We'd like the solution to be as simple as putting recycling bins in all of our stores. Unfortunately, residential garbage collection and recycling is usually controlled by city or county governments who either manage it directly or contract it out to private haulers. These local authorities can provide subsidies and sometimes mandate whether or not the haulers have to collect paper, glass, plastics or compostable waste.
For commercial recycling (such as at a Starbucks store), the items that get collected are almost always driven by the open market. This means that if the haulers can get a good price for recyclable materials (cardboard, glass, plastic, food-contaminated paper products), they'll collect it from local businesses. But if they can't get a good price – or when there's not a critical mass of materials to collect – they may not collect them because there's no financial benefit for them.
One other significant challenge is the fact that half of our stores are located in leased spaces where we don't control waste collection and recycling. Our landlords often determine whether tenants can recycle based on space availability and commercial recycling services.
What we're working on.
We're committed to finding innovative solutions to overcome these challenges. In fact, by 2015 we'll have recycling available in all of our stores where we control waste collection. As a first step, we are testing front-of-house recycling in several markets in 2009.
In the meantime, here are a few things you can do to help.
- Learn more. Ask your store manager if their store recycles – you may be able to recycle through a back-of-house recycling program.
- Hold your local government accountable. If commercial recycling services are not available in your community, encourage local government officials to address the issue. Often the same haulers who pick up residential recycling can provide commercial services too – if the right incentives are provided.
- Bring your own mug. Bring your reusable commuter mug to Starbucks to get 10 cents off the price of your drink at our company-operated stores in the U.S. and Canada. Or if you are planning to enjoy your beverage in our store, ask for your drink in a "for-here" mug.
