![]() Coffee and other hot liquids can cause styrene to leach from cups the chemical has been linked to a host of health problems from impaired concentration and nervous system effects to cancer. “When people erroneously place the coffee cups into their recycling bins, it contaminates the higher value plastic that can be recycled.”Īlthough a report by Clean Water Action found that manufacturing conventional polystyrene products used less energy and water than paper or cornstarch alternatives, the single-use plastic is ubiquitous in landfills where it takes thousands of years to decompose, contaminates soil and water and pose hazards to wildlife. “The process is both complex and expensive the cups are routed to landfills or incinerators for final disposal,” Meidl says. ![]() Meidl PhD, a fellow in Energy and Environment in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University. The lining must be separated from the cup before the paper portion can be recycled, explains Rachel A. Paper cups might seem like a better option but, on its own, paper cannot hold liquid so baristas pour coffee into cups lined with polyethylene, a plastic that functions as a moisture barrier. Stumptown also uses cups made from recyclable materials in all of its locations. Starbucks has been using paper cups made with 10 percent recycled content since 2006 and plans to double the recycled content, recyclability, compostability and reusability of its cups in the next three years. The coffee chain has already started rolling out the new cups in some of its stores. Companies are Ditching Styrofoam Cupsĭunkin’ Donuts announced that it would completely eliminate polystyrene cups in its stores by 2020, replacing them with double-walled paper cups made from Sustainable Forestry Initiative-certified paperboard. But all polystyrene products, including Styrofoam, are made from synthetic resins, polyesters and plastics that take more than a million years to decompose in the landfill. Styrofoam has long been the go-to choice for coffee cups because the inexpensive material retains heat, according to Martin Mulvihill Ph.D., chemist and co-founder of Safer Made, a mission-driven venture capital firm. The single-use cups (along with lids, sleeves and stir sticks) are often made with hard-to-recycle materials like Styrofoam, polyethylene or polypropylene that are sent straight to the landfill.Ĭoncerns over single-use plastics led several coffee companies to swap out their cups or introduce new innovations but is it enough to combat the waste created by our addiction to both caffeine and convenience? The Problem with Disposable Coffee Cups ![]() The next time you order a vanilla latte to go, consider this: We use an estimated 16 billion disposable coffee cups each year. Read our update on the conversation, including a widespread pulling back of single-use plastic bans and research showing that reusables do not present a danger when it comes to virus transmission. Reviews on Environmental Health, 28(1), 1 8.Editorial Note: The 2020 coronavirus pandemic led to food safety concerns about the use of reusable containers, including coffee cups and shopping bags, increasing the use of single-use plastics around the country. Plastics and Environmental Health: The Road Ahead. Polystyrene cups and containers: styrene migration.įood Addit Contam. Here are 5 simple rules to ensure that the food you serve for your family is safe. Wash your coffee cup each day, and you will have a clean, attractive and environmentally friendly alternative. Reusable coffee mugs: Just go ahead and purchase a reusable coffee mug such as stainless steel or aluminium. Also, these cups have lower toxicity levels than traditional go-to cups. If you are looking for alternatives to Styrofoam cups, you can use these environmentally friendly options.īiodegradable cups: Unlike most cups, these cups do not use a paper jacket but cardboard on the interior of the mug to keep the heat inside. What should you use instead of Styrofoam cups? Here are 20 practical tips to be more eco-friendly. Also, the mere process of processing polystyrene can pollute the air to a large extent. ![]() Styrene can take about 500 years to decompose so remember that most of the food products we purchase today could be disposable but not decomposable.
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