Tracking Starbucks' 'widely recyclable' cups: none ended up at recycling

# Summary A three-month investigation by Beyond Plastics tracked 53 Starbucks plastic cups placed in store recycling bins using Bluetooth trackers and found that none ended up at recycling facilities—instead, they went to landfills, incinerators, and waste-transfer stations. The findings directly contradict Starbucks' claims that its single-use polypropylene cups are "widely recyclable," and Starbucks subsequently deleted its recycling promotion page following the report's release. The investigation highlights that accepting plastic items for recycling does not guarantee they will actually be recycled, and advocates urge Starbucks to prioritize reusable alternatives over misleading recycling claims.