Is this the last straw? All US Starbucks locations are switching to strawless lids
You may not get a straw with your favorite Starbucks beverage anymore.
The restaurant announced Thursday all of its United States stores will offer strawless lids for iced coffee, tea, espresso and Starbucks Refreshers.
First rolled out in 2019, the lids are modeled after those used for hot drinks. They use 9% less plastic than the previous lid and straw, Starbucks said.
The company said in January it plans to reduce waste sent to landfills from stores and manufacturing sites by 50% by 2030.
“A recyclable, strawless lid becoming the standard for iced drinks is one small way we can give more than we take from the planet,” Andy Corlett, director of global packaging solutions and innovations, said in Starbucks’ announcement Thursday. “This is a significant moment for Starbucks as we work to reduce waste and safeguard the environment.”
Straws aren’t totally going away. They will be available upon request and will be given to customers who order Frappuccino beverages and other drinks with whipped cream, the company said.
Half a billion straws are used every day in the U.S., and 8.3 million plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches, according to National Geographic. There has been a push in recent years to eliminate plastic straws to prevent added waste.
“(Single use plastic) straws have been described as a ‘gateway plastic,’ which if curbed, can help change the behavior of consumers and retailers to reduce other SUP items,” Dr. Tony Walker, assistant professor of environmental science at Dalhousie University in Canada, told USA Today last summer.
Some restaurants now offer paper straws as an alternative.
But the shift from plastic straws is met with skepticism from the Center for Disability Rights.
“For many individuals with mobility and strength issues, they cannot lift cups high enough to drink from them,” the organization says. “Some individuals with poor motor coordination cannot safely hold a drink steady without spilling it. Certain medicines must also be taken via straw. Bendable plastic straws allow individuals to nourish themselves and avoid spilling things on themselves, and others.”
Starbucks Korea eliminated plastic straws in 2018, and paper straws have been used across Europe since last year, according to the company.
“Strawless lids and straws made from alternative materials will continue to be tested and rolled out to more markets in the coming year,” Starbucks said in its announcement.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Is this the last straw? All US Starbucks locations are switching to strawless lids."