The program saw customized multi-receptacle recycling bins appear in stores in advance of Earth Day. The bins, which have simple signage for customers to indicate which recyclables go where, are located within all company owned stores across the province where Starbucks controls waste collection and recycling is available at the community level. The bins allow for the cup, the lid, and the sleeve of Starbucks beverages to be recycled, and will also accept iced coffee plastic cups and lids.
"Our target is that by 2015 we have recycling available for our customers in all of our stores worldwide where we control waste collection and to serve 25% of beverages in reusable cups," said Jim Hanna, director of environmental impact. "We also aim towards 100% of our cups being recyclable, so we are excited to be closer to realizing those goals with this program being implemented across British Columbia."
Starbucks sells approximately 4 billion cups globally per year. The single serve cup industry sells more than 500 billion cups worldwide in the same period. As one of many businesses operating in the industry, Starbucks is working to lead the way in communities like Vancouver to move the entire industry towards cup recycling.
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