The beverage chain ’s decision to stop using plastic cups globally by 2020 and replace them with " sippy - cup " tops could result in the company using more plastic , according to new research . Plastic straws are an accessible way for people with certain disabilities to consume food and drinks, and it seems the blanket bans are not taking into account that they need straws and also that plastic straw replacements are not accessible to people,” Katherine Carroll, a policy analyst at the Center for Disability Rights, told Time magazine. The analysis indicates that whereas cold drinks use 3.23 - 3.55 g of plastic in cups and straws combined , the new nitro straw will contain between 3.55 g and 4.11 g of plastic . Disability rights campaigners have also claimed that straws are the only ways for some individuals to consume food and drink . The campaigners argue that Starbucks should have chosen to replace plastic straws with alternatives made from biodegradable plastic or reusable metal .
The beverage chain ’s decision to stop using plastic cups globally by 2020 and replace them with " sippy - cup " tops could result in the company using more plastic , according to new research . The analysis indicates that whereas cold drinks use 3.23 - 3.55 g of plastic in cups and straws combined , the new nitro straw will contain between 3.55 g and 4.11 g of plastic . Disability rights campaigners have also claimed that straws are the only ways for some individuals to consume food and drink . The campaigners argue that Starbucks should have chosen to replace plastic straws with alternatives made from biodegradable plastic or reusable metal .