WM Now Accepts To-Go Cups in Curbside Recycling

Rhea-AI Summary

WM (NYSE: WM) announced on November 12, 2025 that it now accepts polypropylene plastic cups and paper to-go cups in curbside recycling at more local programs across the U.S. The move supports two recycling designations: polypropylene is approaching a Widely Recyclable threshold that would mean >60% of U.S. residents can recycle plastic beverage cups curbside, while paper to-go cups are trending toward a Check Locally designation meaning at least 20% community acceptance.

WM said it is investing $1.4 billion in new recycling infrastructure and is collaborating with Starbucks, How2Recycle, The Recycling Partnership, NextGen Consortium and municipalities to expand acceptance, bale cups at facilities, and send materials to end markets for remanufacturing.

Positive

• Announced curbside acceptance of polypropylene and paper to-go cups
• Investment of $1.4 billion in new recycling infrastructure
• Polypropylene nearing Widely Recyclable threshold (>60% U.S. residents)

Negative

• Polypropylene recycling rate ≈ one-third of HDPE, indicating current recovery gap
• Designations not finalized—acceptance and impact depend on municipal updates

Insights

Sustainability operations analyst

WM's curbside acceptance of polypropylene and paper to-go cups and a $1.4 billion recycling investment materially expands recycling feedstock and processing capacity.

WM adds plastic polypropylene cups and paper to-go cups to its universal accepted list, enabling more curbside programs to accept these materials and moving polypropylene toward a Widely Recyclable How2Recycle designation and paper cups toward a Check Locally designation.

Operationally, the change increases the volume and grade of recyclable commodities baled at WM facilities and creates clearer routing to end markets that remanufacture recycled content. The disclosed $1.4 billion investment in recycling infrastructure supports scaling processing capacity and sorting capabilities needed to handle higher cup volumes.

Risks and dependencies include municipal adoption of updated accepted‑materials lists and end‑market demand for processed polypropylene and paper fiber; both are explicitly cited partners in adoption and market development. Progress toward How2Recycle designations depends on meeting the published acceptance thresholds (60% for Widely Recyclable for polypropylene and 20% for Check Locally for paper cups) across communities.

Concrete near‑term items to watch are municipal updates to curbside acceptance lists and any announcements confirming the How2Recycle designation outcomes; these changes could materialize across municipal schedules over the next 6–24 months and will determine how much additional cup volume enters WM's system and into end markets.

Plastic and Paper Cups from Companies Nationwide Now Accepted in More Local Recycling Programs

HOUSTON, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WM (NYSE: WM), North America's leading environmental solutions provider and largest recycler, has added plastic cups made of polypropylene and paper to-go cups to its universal list of accepted recyclable materials. This means residents can recycle to-go cups curbside in more local recycling programs across the U.S.

WM is encouraging municipalities and customers to help make this progress impactful by adding paper and plastic cups to accepted materials lists to help reach two new recycling designations. Both designations communicate to consumers about the recycling progress that will help more materials to be recycled and used again in a new product or package.

Polypropylene cups are approaching a qualification for a Widely Recyclable designation from How2Recycle^®, North America's most recognizable on-pack disposal label, which would mean more than 60 percent of U.S. residents can recycle plastic beverage cups curbside. The Recycling Partnership's State of Recycling Report indicates households generate on average about the same amount of polypropylene as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) used for items such as laundry detergent, milk or shampoo bottles, yet the recycling rate for polypropylene is one-third of what it is for HDPE. 

Paper beverage to-go cups are trending toward meeting the criteria for the Check Locally designation from How2Recycle, which would mean at least 20 percent of communities accept paper cups in curbside recycling collection.

"Plastic and paper to-go cups are showing up in greater volumes at our facilities," said Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer, WM. "We are executing on our plans to invest $1.4 billion in new recycling infrastructure across North America to unlock recycling capabilities and solutions so that more material can be turned into new products. Recycling works best when it's accessible—and when industry leaders like WM, local communities, consumers and companies who purchase recycled material for new products and packaging all work together."

WM's investment is helping make recycling easier for everyday plastic and paper cups made for hot and cold drinks so more recycled materials are produced in North America. These cups are valuable recyclable materials that are baled at WM's recycling facilities along with other commodities, then sold to end markets that remanufacture products out of the recycled materials.

WM is also collaborating with industry leaders like Starbucks, The Recycling Partnership, How2Recycle^® and the NextGen Consortium managed by Closed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy, as well as municipalities and the National League of Cities to drive awareness and update recycling guidelines of what materials can be accepted in communities through curbside or drop-off programs. 

"We know that real progress is possible when communities, industry leaders and customers come together to make recycling more effective and accessible," said Marika McCauley Sine, chief sustainability officer, Starbucks. "WM's expanded curbside acceptance of our to-go cups is a meaningful step toward a more circular economy—where packaging is recycled more often and more easily."

Visit WM's Recycle Right^® page or the How2Recycle site for more tips on how to recycle and look at local municipality recycling acceptance lists for what can be recycled in specific communities.

ABOUT WM
WM (WM.com) is North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. In North America, WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet, is the largest recycler and is a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants, as well as the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry. WM Healthcare Solutions provides collection and disposal services of regulated medical waste and secure information destruction services in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including all statements regarding future events, future investment plans and all outcomes or benefits of such investments. Such statements are based on the facts and circumstances as of the date the statements are made and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different. Please see Part I, Item 1A of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, and subsequent Forms 10-Q, available at investors.wm.com for information regarding such risks and uncertainties. WM assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

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SOURCE WM

FAQ

What did WM announce on November 12, 2025 about curbside recycling of to-go cups?

WM said it now accepts polypropylene plastic cups and paper to-go cups in more local curbside recycling programs nationwide.

How much is WM investing to expand recycling capacity for cups in 2025?

WM is investing $1.4 billion in new recycling infrastructure across North America.

What does a Widely Recyclable designation mean for WM and polypropylene cups (WM)?

A Widely Recyclable designation would indicate >60% of U.S. residents can recycle polypropylene beverage cups curbside.

Will paper to-go cups be accepted curbside after WM's November 12, 2025 announcement?

WM expanded acceptance in more local programs and said paper cups are trending toward a How2Recycle Check Locally designation, requiring municipal acceptance checks.

How does WM handle recycled cups after collection (WM)?

WM bales collected cups at recycling facilities and sells commodities to end markets that remanufacture products and packaging.

How can investors or residents confirm if their community accepts to-go cups after WM's change?

Check local municipality recycling acceptance lists or WM's Recycle Right page and the How2Recycle site for community-specific guidance.