As Tim Hortons tests plastic-free lids, how eco-friendly are alternatives?

Tim Hortons has announced a pilot to shift away from single-use plastics. This isn’t their first action to eliminate single-use goods. In 2020, they stopped double-cupping drinks. Tim Hortons piloted compostable lids before, but customers had functionality complaints.

Now, they’re trying again after making some manufacturing tweaks. For six weeks, Tim Hortons will test plant-based fibre lids in 19 Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec locations.

Global News asked Dr. Wren Montgomery to comment on the change. Wren supports any moves toward less plastic but notes that product transparency is necessary alongside it. Consumers need to know how to dispose of the new lid and Tim Hortons should disclose any potential environmental impacts of the product.

Whenever I’m not seeing a company being really transparent about those sort of things, I start to wonder,” says Wren.

Wren also believes that the best change brands make is a shift in Canadians’ consumption mindsets, “whether that’s disposable coffee cups or yoga pants or fast fashion.”

Watch and read the full feature in Global News. 

Photo by Gustav Kjellin