MIlwaukee Coffee Cup Recycling

Milwaukee Starbuck’s cafes may be providing in store recycling for consumers by 2015. Starbuck’s is collaborating with waste collectors, recyclers and paper manufacturers to work out complex infrastructural and design details.   
 

Georgia Pacific, a Wisconsin based paper manufacturer has been an important partner for Starbucks. Not only has Georgia Pacific been participating in various pilot projects, they have already successfully converted collected coffee cups into Starbucks napkins.  

The challenge of converting cups into cups is a bigger challenge according to John Mulcahy, Georgia Pacific’s VP of Strategy. Mr. Mulcahy noted that the three focuses ought to be consumer engagement (making it easy and clear for Starbucks patrons to recycle their cups), collection, (making it financially feasible for sorting facilities), and processing, (ensuring facilities are equipped to recycle the cups).