Why Disposable Coffee Cup Aren't Actually Plastic-Free

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. According to the International Coffee Association, we drink more than 500 billion cups of coffee a year. That's a lot of cups of coffee, which are increasing being served in Disposable Coffee Cup, as anyone who gets their coffee to go at Starbucks or their local coffee shop is familiar with. Well, you may want to rethink that habit of consuming your coffee in a Disposable Coffee Cup. Turns out, those paper cups aren't entirely paper after all.

According to Plastics Today, most Disposable Coffee Cup are made of around 90 to 95% paper, while an additional 5% is made up of a thin plastic coating of polyethelene, a petroleum-based product. The plastic polyethelene coating is what makes the Disposable Coffee Cup waterproof and able to hold liquids in the first place. As chemical producer BASF explains, the plastic liner acts as a barrier to liquids, retains heat, and allows Disposable Coffee Cup to maintain its shape. In other words, that plastic coating is also essential for the Disposable Coffee Cup to function as a cup and to hold hot liquids.