Starbucks offers $10M to develop fully eco-friendly coffee cup

SEATTLE — Starbucks is making a $10 million commitment to develop a greener coffee cup that is fully recyclable and compostable.

The company on Tuesday announced the NextGen Cup Challenge initiative in partnership with Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. The goal is to give cups a second life and keep them from landfills.

Inventors will receive grants.

Starbucks says its paper cups are currently manufactured with 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber. The inside is coated with a thin liner designed to meet quality and safety standards.

The company’s research and development team is testing a new bio-liner, made partially from plant-based material.

Starbucks annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday features a coffee tasting featuring small sample cups that are fully recyclable in Seattle.