Starbucks Community Service

I recently began a recycling effort in our store in Salisbury, MD. Currently Salisbury does not offer commercial recycling. We have begun to recycle plastics and newspapers. We seem to face the same issue as you Amy, with trying to find space to store the recycling. We have been making stacks of the bags behind our dumpster untill the end of the day when I will load it into my car and take it to the recycling center. I drive a versitale enough vehicle that allows me to transport the recycling easliy, however on my days off our recycling effort comes to a halt and the plastics are again tossed into the trash. Did you know that it is estimated that plastic won’t even BEGIN to decompose in a landfill for at least 1,000 years?

I'm very proud of you as well.  Our store rocks!!!  (Now that you're with us it rocks even more!!)

Thanks Amey, the cardboard recycling is going really well and we have started saving the cartridges to recycle now. All we needed was someone as dedicated as you and your helper, Jackson. Maybe we can work on plastics next.

Hi Everyone,

I echo everything my colleague Sue Long stated!

• If your waste removal is provided by your landlord, ideally we want them to set up recycling, as well.  This is important because if landlord provides it then ALL tenants can use it, providing even greater good in the long run.  It also helps us to better manage costs.  If you have a relationship with your landlord, go ahead and have the discussion.  If you need help, reach out to your facilities team for assistance by calling the FCC at 877-728-9349 (877-SBUX-FIX).   If the landlord is not willing to add recycling, it doesn't mean you can't recycle, it just means you need to take the bull by the horn and follow the correct procedures so it becomes a Starbucks service.  Read the next bullet for more info on how to do that.  Just let them know that your landlord provides your trash and you want to add recycling (and/or composting, if it’s available).
• If Starbucks provides your waste removal, contact our waste consultant, Smurfit-Stone Recycling and Waste Reduction Services and they can research recycling opportunities for your store.  It will be helpful for them to know how much outside space is available for dumpsters or toters.

E-mail Smurfit at swrscustomerservice@smurfit.com.  Please put your store number in the subject line (i.e., SBux #1234).

By the way, regardless of who provides your trash, stores should never contact a local recycler directly or sign any agreements.  Working with our consultants allows us to get better rates and helps alleviate issues down the road.

Thanks everyone and happy recycling!

Message was edited by: Stacey Long Collins 3/15/2012:

Hi everyone.  Its fabulous how you're looking to beef up your behind the counter recycling.  Processes have changed since my original message above.  Store partners should no longer call or e-mail Smurfit (now RockTenn), but rather call the Facility Contact Center (FCC) at 877-SBUX-FIX for anything trash or recycling.  Please do not be offended if you call RockTenn and they redirect you back to the FCC...we've asked them to do this. 

Once you've contacted the FCC to set up BOH recycling, they will create a work order and assign it either to the landlord or RockTenn.  If you've had recycling for a while and are looking to beef it up, you can also call the FCC for that.  Tell them you’re calling about recycling and want to ensure you are maximizing your diversion efforts and want confirm all of the items that can be recycled.   Once you get the list of items, you'll know where you can beef up efforts.  (Please remember to empty all bottles and containers of food & liquids, otherwise you will contaminate the entire pickup!)

Regarding FOH recycling, currently stores are not authorized to set up customer recycling.  The FOH program team is launching programs according to a strategic roadmap and we really need stores to wait until their scheduled time.  What can be accepted for recycling is different from store to store and home to store.  There is a lot of research and alignment that must occur before a bin can be ever be placed.   We really appreciate you honoring this as it will allow us to develop the most uniform program possible across all our stores, which will hopefully make it less confusing for our customers.  Thanks for being patient while we do this. 

Hi Partners!  My name is Stacey and I'm on the team that manages waste removal for all of our company owned North American Stores. 

I love the enthusiasm behind this string of recycling messages and am happy to see these conversations occurring!  Starbucks policy is where there is space outside for dumpsters and where commercial recycling services are available, our stores are expected to recycle behind the counter. 

We have a publicly stated goal to provide customer recycling in all of our stores by the end of 2015 and we have a very aggressive launch calendar to ensure we meet that commitment.   We are asking store partners to hold off on placing customer recycling bins until it is their calendared launch time.  This is to allow for the necessary due diligence to be completed and to ensure we have a uniform and consistent program across the board. 

As far as adding back of house service, I wanted to ensure we’re all on the same page as far as to what the correct and company approved process to set up recycling really is.  Simply call the Starbucks Facility Contact Center at 877-SBUX-FIX (877-728-9349) and ask that recycling be set up at their store.  A work order will be created and assigned to the appropriate party for resolution:

·         To the landlord if they provide your trash service,

·         To RockTenn Waste Services if Starbucks provides your trash service (RockTenn is formerly Smurfit Stone), or

·         To the facilities team if FCC isn't quite sure who to assign it to.

If your trash is provided by your landlord, ideally we want them to set up recycling.  This is for a few reasons:

1.     It has a greater environmental impact because then other tenants can also recycle.

2.     Waste is moving out of trash and into a recycling dumpster, which means the LL can reduce the trash pickup frequency which reduces costs, which in turn helps to offset (or even neutralize) the recycling fees.

3.     If we just added our own recycling, we can’t reduce our trash costs so we’re adding pure expense to the store P&L. 

If the landlord is unwilling to set up recycling, then the work order can be reassigned to RockTenn for them to investigate options.  Of course the landlord will still need to provide us space outside for the recycling dumpster. 

If I can change the discussion for a quick moment…I’m hearing of trash and recycling companies coming into stores to try to gain our business or set up new contracts.  Some are even using scare tactics.    If you experience this, tell them that you are not authorized to negotiate or sign any service agreement and refer them to the FCC, your facility services manager or your DM, and then end the discussion.   All waste services are arranged at the corporate level and are managed by RockTenn, who has greater buying power and can ensure terms favorable to us, not the hauler. 

Now a question for you, our wonderful store partners….what are some of your best practices for collecting recyclables behind the counter.  What do you do in order to capture as much as possible?  I’ve gone into some store lately that are experiencing challenges in this area.  Would be great if you could offer advice!  Thanks!