US: Starbucks to phase out plastic straws by 2020

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - International coffee giant Starbucks announced Monday it will eliminate plastic drinking straws from its stores due to environmental concerns.

Starbucks said the move will affect its more than 28,000 company-operated and licensed stores worldwide. Strawless lids will replace the sipping utensils for its iced beverages while paper and compostable plastic straws will stand-in for plastic for the company's Frappuccino drinks, or be given to customers upon request.

“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,” Starbucks President Kevin Johnson said in a statement announcing the policy shift.

The new policy will initially be rolled out in Starbucks' Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, Canada stores beginning this fall with a complete rollout in the U.S. and Canada by late 2019. A global implementation will follow, beginning in Europe.

“Starbucks’ decision to phase out single-use plastic straws is a shining example of the important role that companies can play in stemming the tide of ocean plastic,” Nicholas Mallos, the director of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas program said in a statement distributed by Starbucks.

“With eight million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year, we cannot afford to let industry sit on the sidelines,” he added.