Starbucks & Huhtamaki’s Compostable Cold Drink Cups Trial
Globally, 141 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste is produced a year, totalling around 40% of all plastic waste.
Plastic production, use and disposal contribute about 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions annually. In 2022, the global plastic packaging market was valued at more than US$265bn.
We’ve got a massive industry on our hands that is churning out some of the most harmful pollution in the world, not to mention the emissions and biodiversity impact.
In better news, the global sustainable plastic packaging market is expected to grow to almost US$143.7bn by 2030 thanks partly to some of the world’s largest companies looking to reduce their plastic pollution output.
DS Smith is reducing one billion pieces of plastic, SAP, EA Earth Action, Systemiq, Delterra and CDP have created a data-driven platform to reduce plastic waste and Acer has partnered with Plastic Bank to collect the equivalent of 2.5 million plastic bottles in Southeast Asia, to name a few.
The latest to release an innovative way to combat plastic waste? Coffee chain giant Starbucks.
Starbucks’ sustainable packaging
Alongside its recent reusable cup trial, Starbucks is bringing compostable cold cups to select stores in California and Minnesota.
“This move by Starbucks, along with their ongoing efforts to reduce plastic use and promote reusability, highlights the growing importance of sustainability in the food service industry,” says Robert Little, Sustainability Strategy Lead at Google.
“As more companies like Starbucks embrace more sustainable practices, we can hope to see an ‘up and to the right’ reduction in waste and a shift towards a more circular economy. While the sustainability road is long, winding and has many cul de sacs, these steps are certainly encouraging”
This supports Starbucks’ aims to make all consumer-facing packaging 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2030, as well as reducing the company’s plastic waste. This comes at the just right time, considering that only 49% of Starbucks' packaging was reusable, recyclable or compostable in FY22.
The lids have been created in partnership with sustainable packaging specialist Huhtamaki.
“It might just look like a simple moulded fibre lids for a cold drink, but it is not as easy as it looks and, not to be dramatic, but it is our destiny to be the partner of choice on sustainable packaging of this type,” says Ann O’Hara, President North America at Huhtamaki.
Moulded Fibre packaging was invented by Huhtamaki's Martin Keyes in 1903 and the company continues to honour this invention with one of the original machines in its Huhtamaki Waterville, Maine site.
Ann continues: “Since that time, the demand has grown and Huhtamaki is now the world's largest moulded fibre manufacturer including plates, foodservice bowls, school/stadium trays, egg packaging and drink carriers.
"These applications are fantastic given their compostability, but they are primarily lower tech applications."
In recent years, Huhtamaki has pioneered and developed a network of partners to deliver precision applications, notably, applications like lids which required a solid fit with the cup. These developments which started in Europe have now hit the US and other markets.
“We're one step closer to being everyone's first choice in sustainable packaging solutions," she adds.
Meet Huhtamaki
Founded in Finland in 1920, Huhtamaki operates in 37 countries and 103 locations around the world. Its expansion is part of its goal to become the first choice in sustainable packaging solutions.
The business is organised into three key areas:
- Fibre and Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania: Paperboard and moulded fibre packaging solutions for fresh food and drinks
- North America: Packaging catering for foodservice, consumer goods and single-use tableware
- Flexible Packaging: Flexible packaging for food, beverages, pet care and more.
As a core pillar of the company’s 2030 strategy, Huhtamaki embeds sustainability into every part of its operations and innovations.
The company says: “For us, sustainability means considering our impact — both positive and negative — throughout our entire value chain and pro-actively working on becoming a leader in all three ESG pillars by minimising the negative impacts of our operations and products on the environment while maximising the positive impacts on our stakeholders, consumers, and society.”
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