Starbucks to scrap plastic straws globally by 2020

Zlati Meyer | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption How little plastic straws are wrecking our oceans Alaska Airlines is the latest big company to ditch plastic straws. Here's why we all should, too.

Starbucks plans to eliminate plastic straws globally by 2020.

The coffee-shop giant announced Monday that it will use recyclable strawless lids and an alternative-material straw option in its more than 28,000 stores around the world. The move will eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws per year from Starbucks stores, the company said.

"For our partners and customers, this is a significant milestone to achieve our global aspiration of sustainable coffee, served to our customers in more sustainable ways," Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, said in a statement.

The chain joins a growing number of companies making similar pledges, including Alaska Airlines, hotel chains Hilton and AccorHotels, cruise lines Royal Caribbean and Cunard, and food-service giant Bon Appetit Management, whose 1,000-plus locations in 33 states include universities and museums.

Last month, McDonald's announced that it would start testing plastic-straw alternatives at certain U.S. locations this year.

Americans use an estimated 500 million single-use straws daily, according to Eco-Cycle.

Starbucks to ditch plastic straws by 2020 Starbucks, citing the environment threat to oceans, will ban plastic straws from all of its stores globally in less than two years.

Starbucks' newly designed strawless lid will be used for all iced coffee, tea and espresso beverages. The environmentally friendly lid is now available in more than 8,000 of its stores in the U.S. and Canada for select beverages, including Draft Nitro and Cold Foam. Cold beverages now account for more than 50 percent of Starbucks' beverage mix in the U.S., up from 37 percent five years ago, the company said.

The coffee retailer will also begin offering straws made from alternative materials — including paper or compostable plastic — for Frappuccino beverages. These new straws will also be made available upon request to customers who prefer or need a straw, the company said.

Starting this fall, Starbucks customers in Seattle and Vancouver will be the first to receive the strawless lids, with phased roll-outs in the U.S. and Canada coming in fiscal year 2019. A global roll-out will follow, starting in Europe where the strawless lids will arrive in select stores in France, the Netherlands and the U.K.

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A plastic-straw ban in Seattle, Starbucks' hometown, took effect July 1, making it the first major city to take action. Malibu, California; Miami Beach, Florida; and Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, also prohibit single-use sippers.

Other municipalities mulling over the same kind of measure include Portland and New York City; California is considering a statewide ban.

Fueling the movement is increased consumer environmentalism and concern about the many straws that end up polluting oceans and waterways.

Anti-straw activists often suggest using straws made of paper, metal or glass — or simply drinking without one. Among the big names advocating for straw bans are actor Adrian Grenier, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and actor Kendrick Sampson.

Grenier, best known for his role in the TV show Entourage, urged Starbucks at its March shareholders meeting in Seattle to take action.

"Starbucks taught the world how to drink coffee, and I firmly believe that Starbucks can teach the world how to make the environment its ultimate business partner," Grenier said. "The siren is calling. I hope all of you will listen to her."

An online petition calling on Starbucks to say goodbye to plastic straws has close to 150,000 signatures.

This isn't the first time Starbucks has considered the environmental effect its customers' waste has. In March, for example, the company announced a $10 million challenge to design a disposable coffee cup that is compostable.

Starting July 10, Starbucks will also add two new permanent additions to its cold coffee menu in the U.S. and Canada: Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew, featuring a strawless lid; and Iced Vanilla Bean Coconutmilk Latte, which consists of vanilla bean and coconut milk shaken with ice, with shots of Starbucks' signature espresso poured on top.

Under a proposed bill, plastic straws may soon be illegal in California A bill proposed in California would make it illegal for restaurant servers to give guests plastic straws unless requested — with the threat of a $1,000 fine or jail time attached.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer