Dunkin' Donuts Tossing Foam Cups By 2020

CANTON, MA – The days of trudging through a foot of snow and weathering single-digit temperatures for a Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee may be numbered for folks who just need their "double cups." The company announced Wednesday it will trash its polystyrene foam cups worldwide by 2020 in lieu of more eco-friendly, double-walled paper cups.

The current cups have become a staple of many Bay Staters' morning rituals - the "double cup" method of placing an iced coffee inside the wider styrofoam cups allows customers to enjoy an iced coffee year-round while insulating their hands from accelerated frostbite. And while Massachusetts is typically at the front of efforts to save the planet, we've never been tested quite like having our Dunks' messed with.

There is good news for double cuppers: communities like Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville, where foam containers are prohibited, have been using paper cups for awhile now, according to the Boston Globe. The lack of outrage seemingly means fans haven't noticed the change.

The double-walled cup is made with paperboard certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard and will come in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes. Dunkin' promises it will retain heat similarly to the foam cup.

The company will begin implementing the paper cups in all U.S. locations this spring; many of its international stores are already using the paper alternative. The company estimates the shift could save nearly 1 billion foam cups from being thrown out annually.

"With more than 9,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the U.S. alone, our decision to eliminate foam cups is significant for both our brand and our industry," Karen Raskopf, chief communications and sustainability officer of Dunkin’ Brands, said in a statement. "We have a responsibility to improve our packaging, making it better for the planet while still meeting the needs of our guests. Transitioning away from foam has been a critical goal for Dunkin’ Donuts U.S., and with the double-walled cup, we will be able to offer a replacement that meets the needs and expectations of both our customers and the communities we serve."

FILE- In this Feb. 14, 2013, file photo, a Dunkin' Donuts' foam cup is discarded in a trash bin in New York. Dunkin’ Donuts said Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, that the polystyrene foam cups will be completely phased out from all its stores globally by 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)