Following the announcement yesterday that a new initiative in New York would effectively ban the use of extruded polystyrene – commonly referred to as styrofoam – containers by this summer, one of the cities largest users of the receptacles, Dunkin’ Donuts, says it will ditch its iconic cups in more than 500 stores.
The New York Daily News reports that Dunkin’ will stop use of its trademark cups in all of its 536 stores throughout the five boroughs.
So how will Dunkin’ keep beverages hot and hands from being scalded? Officials with the coffee chain say they are currently testing new types of cups as a replacement, including a “double-walled paper cup.”
Still, the New York Daily News reports that some Dunkin’ employees aren’t exactly thrilled with the idea of losing their much-loved cups.
A manager at a Midtown West branch tells the Daily News that the current cups are the best option because coffee stays warm for hours and customers simply prefer them.
“Sometimes, every five or three days a customer wants a paper cup,” the manager tells the Daily News. “But people like this cup.”
The ban on styrofoam containers at restaurants, other food businesses and retailers that sell packing peanuts started with former mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2013 and will be carried out by current Mayor Bill de Blasio this year.
Starting July 1, New York City will become the largest city in the country to ban the environmentally controversial containers.
At the time of the ban’s announcement on Thursday, de Blasio said the products cause real environmental harm and have no place in New York City.
“We have better options, better alternatives, and if more cities across the country follow our lead and institute similar bans, those alternatives will soon become more plentiful and will cost less,” he said.
Dunkin’ Donuts removing styrofoam cups from all city locations in response to ban [New York Daily News]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist