Starbucks has quietly started to test a new eco-conscious cup in several major markets. The coffee chain giant on Monday began testing a cup with a compostable liner around its paper material, as opposed to the plastic one on the cups in use around the world. The hope is that customers will not be able to tell that they are using a new design.

“Customers will not see any noticeable difference from the current cup,” the company said in a statement.

Trials for the eco-friendly new containers now underway in London, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver. The cups being tested were reportedly chosen out of 12 potential designs. It will be tested for things like leak prevention and heat retention based on consumer and employee feedback.

While recyclable in theory, the plastic-lined cups Starbucks currently uses present a logistical nightmare for recyclers. If the plastic liners are not separated from the paper in the cups, they potentially jam the machinery used to process paper.

The recycling plants in the areas where the new cups are being tested are known to be able to separate the liner from the rest of the cup, making the venture less risky should it fail. While the new liners are compostable, they still have to be separated from the cup, which many regional recycling facilities lack the capability to handle.

Despite increasing consumer mindfulness around waste and the environment, the market for recyclable cups like the ones being tested by Starbucks is not yet considered broad enough for the cost to be cost-effective.

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A Starbucks coffee cup and beans are seen in this photo taken in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 12, 2009. Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
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