As many of you have seen, we switched our coffee provider to Starbucks Coffee, and subsequently have new hot drink cups. Standard Starbucks cups are not compostable (please remember, no outside beverage containers in our compost!). However, if you look on the slightly different Starbucks cup we have, it says:
"This cup is compostable where commercial composting programs exist."
Here is where the answer gets tricky. In SCU's case, we are indeed fortunate enough to have a commercial composting program, so feel free to toss that cup into our compost bins on campus. However, there is a big difference between small-scale home composting and large-scale commercial composting. Commercial facilities have the size and resources to effectively break down this cup into productive soil. However, the cup would not break down as well if we put it in our backyard compost bin. This logic also applies to items such as meat, bones, dairy products, and fatty foods; commercial facilities can handle them, but it is generally not advisable to compost those at your home as they can often attract insects and animals.
Interested in learning more about the benefits of composting? Keep an eye out for upcoming events and workshops on our campus!
Posted by Recycling Intern
I'm confused about our new Starbucks cups. Are they compostable?
