I'm sure many of us are familiar with the paper cups that we all get from fast food -
As most of us know - a paper cup cannot hold a smoldering hot liquid (hot coffee) without melting so what do they line these cups with in order to hold the hot liquid ?
polyethylene
polyethylene - a thermoplastic polymer with a variable crystalline structure and a vast range of applications depending on the particular type. It is one of the most widely produced plastics in the world
Plastics #1 Polyethylene terephathalate (PET or PETE) & #2 HD Polyethylene (HDPE) are not only bad for our environment but can be potentially toxic to humans too, these are also known as single use plastics, and may leach when exposed to UV, heat and over time from natural breakdown
So there is a plastic liner inside your paper coffee cup which you might think - this can't be that bad right ? Not as bad as a plastic cup of course - but is it really ?
The issue is not only is coffee very acidic but it is also boiling hot when they place it in the paper cup - so that plastic liner is definitely leeching once that happens - I do notice coffee always tastes funny to me when I drink it hot from these paper cups versus drinking it warm or cold from the plastic cups
Even if you get iced coffee in a plastic cup - the coffee is at least cold so it isn't melting the plastic like the way hot coffee is melting the plastic liner inside paper cups is - something to think about especially if you buy coffee paper cups at the supermarket
What I usually do is i go to Dunkin Donuts in the morning and buy a large iced coffee in a plastic cup then immediately transfer it over to a glass jar to minimize contact and then just use it for my coffee consumption throughout the day
As most of us know - a paper cup cannot hold a smoldering hot liquid (hot coffee) without melting so what do they line these cups with in order to hold the hot liquid ?
polyethylene
polyethylene - a thermoplastic polymer with a variable crystalline structure and a vast range of applications depending on the particular type. It is one of the most widely produced plastics in the world
Plastics #1 Polyethylene terephathalate (PET or PETE) & #2 HD Polyethylene (HDPE) are not only bad for our environment but can be potentially toxic to humans too, these are also known as single use plastics, and may leach when exposed to UV, heat and over time from natural breakdown
So there is a plastic liner inside your paper coffee cup which you might think - this can't be that bad right ? Not as bad as a plastic cup of course - but is it really ?
The issue is not only is coffee very acidic but it is also boiling hot when they place it in the paper cup - so that plastic liner is definitely leeching once that happens - I do notice coffee always tastes funny to me when I drink it hot from these paper cups versus drinking it warm or cold from the plastic cups
Even if you get iced coffee in a plastic cup - the coffee is at least cold so it isn't melting the plastic like the way hot coffee is melting the plastic liner inside paper cups is - something to think about especially if you buy coffee paper cups at the supermarket
What I usually do is i go to Dunkin Donuts in the morning and buy a large iced coffee in a plastic cup then immediately transfer it over to a glass jar to minimize contact and then just use it for my coffee consumption throughout the day
