A common question we get asked at the Campus Sustainability Office is: can take-away coffee cups be composted or recycled at UBC? The short answer is… bring your own reusable coffee mug whenever you purchase a hot beverage to go, and encourage your peers to do the same! The long answer is:

UBC Food Services Outlets: all coffee cups are compostable; lids are not recyclable; java jackets can be placed in paper recycling.

AMS Food and Beverage Outlets (at the SUB): all coffee cups are compostable; plastic lids are not recyclable; java jackets can be put in paper recycling.

Starbucks: coffee cups have recycled paper content but are not compostable nor recyclable; lids are not recyclable; java jackets can be put in paper recycling.

Tim Hortons: coffee cups are not compostable nor recyclable; lids are not recyclable.

Help reduce the number of coffee cups entering the landfill by promoting the use of reusable takeout mugs and containers to your peers.