![]() Use – The use of some types of disposable cups may have a negative impact on human health. The rest are sent to landfills, incinerated, or pollute the natural environment. Production – The production of single use cups is resource intensive and has various peripheral environmental impacts.ĭisposal – Less than 1% of the cups produced are recovered and recycled. Why are disposable cups a problem: Quick Summary Plastics and other ingredients used in cups may be ingested along with your drink. There are also rising concerns about the health implications of using disposable cups, especially for hot liquids. The biggest issue with the use of disposable cups is that they are made to last for only one use.Ī lot of energy goes into creating them and disposing of them just for one coffee or soda that lasts less than an hour. ![]() The result of our inability to recycle is a staggering amount of refuse. ![]() When in the natural environment, styrofoam will break down into smaller and smaller pieces but will persist in natural environments for over 500 years. Styrofoam cups can be recycled by some facilities but only a tiny fraction are reclaimed. It is not safe to assume that all disposable cups can be easily recycled. Plastic cups can be recycled, but it depends on the type of plastic used. This plastic lining is difficult to separate and most recycling facilities are not equipped to do this type of recycling. Paper cups are difficult to recycle because the majority of them have a thin plastic lining to keep liquids from saturating the paper part of the cup. Less than 1% of the cups we produce are recycled. Yes, it’s true – most single use cups can and should be recycled. Natural Resource Use – Inputs for disposable cup production draw on finite natural resources.Įmissions – The energy used to produce the billions of cups per year results in greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. There are a variety of issues contributing to the environmental impact of producing cups, but he biggest concerns are: However, both derivatives of oil, another finite resource with its own environmental impact. ![]() Unlike paper cups, plastic and styrofoam cups do not require the input of wood. It’s estimated that the production of every 4 paper cups results in one pound of CO2 emissions. Turning trees into paper and paper into usable cups requires a considerable amount of energy input – the source of which is almost exclusively fossil fuels. The production of cups also requires quite a bit of energy input. Over 20 million trees are cut down each year to produce single use paper cups. The production of disposable cups relies heavily on natural resources. It is estimated that in the US alone, we use over 50 billion coffee cups each year.īoth the production and disposal of cups have their negative impacts on our environment, contributing to global warming, pollution, and much more. We are producing and throwing away billions of disposable cups per year. If you’re not 100% clear on why disposable cups are such a big problem, this post will help you understand what the issue is and why it’s important to understand it. It’s a growing environmental problem that deserves attention. Our love for coffee and other takeaway foods supports an enormous consumption of disposable cups around the world (billions every year). WHAT ARE DISPOSABLE CUPS AND WHY ARE THEY SUCH A BIG PROBLEM?
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