Tim Hortons plastic-free lids: How eco-friendly are the alternatives?

Tim horton’s Guests visiting some Ottawa or Gatineau stores may notice their cup of Joe has a new look in the next few weeks. The company is testing out a plastic free fiber lid made from plant based materials for its hot drinks. We’ve been making a number of changes to packaging over the last number of years and we’ve been transitioning all of our packaging towards reusable, recycled, recyclable and compostable options. It’s not the first time Tim horton’s has made changes. They stopped double cupping drinks in 2020 to reduce waste and tested out fiber type lids in Vancouver and Prince Edward Island in the past year. Paul Yang says the latest lid is an improved version of both trials tweaked based on feedback. Get better functionality out of that lid and address some of the concerns that guests had on maybe absorption of liquid into the lid and so on. But some sustainability experts say there’s more that can be done. Ren Montgomery says the lid changes are a good step, as using fewer plastics is helpful, though she encourages companies like Tim horton’s to be more transparent on sustainability, including how the products are made and disposed of, such as through composting and any environmental impacts the new products may cause. Whenever I’m not seeing a company being really transparent about those sort of things, I I start to wonder, Montgomery says. Consumption is a big problem at all levels, noting individuals buy and throw away too many things. From yoga pants to disposable cups, when it comes to sustainability and the environment, Montgomery urges companies to be bold. Stop sort of hesitating. Just dive in. Make some big changes. Be more sustainable. Help us reduce that that crazy over consumption. Global News did ask Tim horton’s whether Canada could see these fiber lids rolled out nationwide. Yang says the company is still learning what works before it makes a final decision. He also says the company will continue to push for sustainable options across all packaging, but it may not be plastic free in every scenario. Sean Prevel, Global News.