In reaction to Tim Hortons’ announcement of a new plastic coffee cup lid that reduces spills and is “100% recyclable”, Sarah King, Greenpeace Canada’s Head of Oceans & Plastics Campaign said:
“Tim Hortons’ new no-spill lid does nothing to address the problem of plastic waste spilling into our natural environments. Instead of focusing for two years on product development and research to create yet another single-use plastic lid, Tim Hortons should have prioritized the development of products that don’t contribute to overflowing landfills and pollute shorelines and communities with plastic.
Introducing low-cost reusable mugs is a step in the right direction, but if Tim Hortons wants to really show its commitment to tackling the plastic waste and pollution associated with its business, it needs to do more than sell reusable cups alongside the throwaway ones. Plastic-free July is just around the corner. Why not start a mug-share program at key locations and eliminate its single-use products altogether? Mug-share programs already exist amongst independent coffee shops in cities like Montreal, so if Tim Hortons wants to lead in this changing context, it needs to step up its sustainability game. Another new single-use plastic lid that is technically considered 100% recyclable is not a solution, as we know that only around 9% of plastic that is recyclable is actually diverted for recycling in Canada. These new lids just ensure that Tim Hortons will likely continue to be one of Canada’s top polluters.”
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Note to Editor:
- The Canadian Plastic Polluters Brand Audits found the top 5 polluting corporations to be Nestlé, Tim Hortons, PepsiCo., The Coca-Cola Company and McDonald’s. See Greenpeace Canada’s media briefing on the audits here.
For more information please contact:
Philippa Duchastel de Montrouge, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Canada, [email protected]; +1 (514) 929-8227
