Why you should stop using disposable cups and what are the alternatives
Each day, our world is consuming a remarkable 1.4 to 2.25 billion cups of coffee! With the surge in this industry's popularity, its energy and resource utilization has risen exponentially as has waste production - no wonder we are desperate for new solutions to combat these deleterious effects on the environment if we ever want to slow them down.
In this article, we'll uncover why single-use cups for hot beverages are an environmental crisis and what strategic measures can be taken to address it.
Why is it worth talking about?
Unfortunately, the vast majority of disposable paper cups used for hot beverages are unable to be recycled. This is due to their inner layer being constructed from polyethylene, a material that can't easily be separated from its outer-layer counterpart (paper). As such, these cups typically end up in landfills instead.
For decades, coffee waste has been a major environmental concern.
It is difficult to estimate how many cups are discarded globally each year - for instance, in the UK it's 2.5 billion annually, Germany reports 2.8 billion, and Starbucks stores in the US alone account for 4 billion! Single-use items such as cups and grounds continually come into perspective when discussing sustainability within the coffee industry since they play an important role in this issue frequently discussed by various news outlets.
On average, a small metropolitan cafe spends from 18 to 36 thousand disposable cups every year. © unsplash.com
Businesses can have an immense impact on the reduction of disposable cups. For instance, many coffee shops incentivize customers to bring their mugs by supplying discounts for such actions.
Consumer behavior has a significant impact on the utilization of disposable cups, and it is vital to alter their habits to lower waste. Studies have suggested that people are starting to become more mindful of recycling paper tableware, yet there are still many who do not switch over to reusable glasses due to their lack of convenience. To find out the most efficient methods for changing consumer practices, further research must be conducted.
Moving ahead, let us elucidate what initiatives governments of different countries are undertaking in this area and the available eco-friendly alternatives.
Tax on disposable cups
The UK Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee is proposing a 25p levy on single-use coffee cups in the hopes of encouraging consumers to plan and bring their reusable mugs with them. This follows a similar charge that was instated for plastic bags back in 2015, which saw an astounding 83% decrease within one year! As representatives of the committee noted: "People began bringing their bags along when shopping as soon as they realized they'd incur a 5p fee if not - perhaps this same concept could be implemented with coffee purchases!"
London's Hubbub Foundation has been raising awareness of the issue with trash cans shaped like coffee cups. © dailycoffeenews.com
To shift customer habits, Britain's leading coffee retailers such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee, and Pret a Manger are offering discounts on takeaway orders for those who bring their mugs. Unfortunately, this initiative has been found to have little success in comparison to the more effective approach of implementing surcharges.
In a strategic move to become the first nation in history to phase out single-use cups, Ireland has recently adopted the same policy as Great Britain by instituting a 20 cent fee on all disposable beverage containers. The proceeds of this tax will be allocated directly towards environmental protection and circular economy projects within Ireland's state fund.
Using reusable mugs
Previously, we discussed the ideal way to pick an eco-friendly accessory for yourself. Our article highlighted conventional reusable cups and glasses. However, this year something brand new has hit the market - Coffee Kreis Mugs! Not only do they eliminate the need of using disposable tableware but they are also made with recycled coffee grounds in a biocomposite material, making them both practical and sustainable.
Reusable Coffee Kreis cups are made from a biocomposite based on coffee grounds and plant materials. © indiegogo.com
Coffee Kreis has now developed the revolutionary double-walled 415 ml Travel Cup with a lid, as well as an extraordinary Latte cup with a saucer. The material used for this innovative creation is composed of up to 30% recycled coffee grounds supplied by numerous cooperative cafes. As per their co-founder Ricardo Garcia's words, “We solely utilize renewable sources and strictly reject any forms of plastic in our production process."
He further asserted that these mugs have a shelf life of 10 years. However, consumers may return their used dishes ahead of the expiration date through the Kreis Way program to be recycled into brand-new cups and glasses!
Cups without lids
They do not need a separate plastic lid - thanks to the special design, the contents do not spill.
Unocup cups. This is an invention of New York entrepreneurs Tom Chan and Kaanur Papo. Their goal was to create a disposable cup that doesn't need a plastic lid.
In 2016, Chan invented the Unocup prototype and was consequently honored with the New Plastics Innovation Prize from the New Plastics Economy project. He subsequently donated his $100,000 prize money to product development and advertising endeavors. With Papo acting as a partner in crime, together they designed more than 800 prototypes over four years of collaboration!
As the design team worked to craft their product, they had four main goals in mind: protection from spilling, an aesthetically pleasing look, ease of assembly, and efficient mass production. “We wanted our glassware to be as practical and user-friendly as possible," exclaimed Chan. "Developing a final version that was easy on the eyes yet still met all criteria presented quite the challenge for us!”
The Unocup is intuitive, highly functional, and reduces waste by eliminating the plastic lid. © unocup.com
Crafted with four interlocking flaps at the top, the Unocup offers a secure drinking hole while allowing you to easily fold them back if desired - transforming it into your everyday glass.
Unocup presently utilizes the same materials as conventional paper cups, including a polyethylene inner layer. With our sights firmly set on entering the market, we have plans of making Unocup compostable and biodegradable down the road. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do here at Unocup which is exactly why our glass was constructed to be eco-friendly in every way imaginable.
Zero Cups.
Butterfly Cup developed these cups, and A&W Canada soon followed suit by utilizing them in 14 establishments throughout Toronto. This paper cup is layered with water-based plastic rather than polyethylene, marked PAP 21 - the recycling code for conventional cardboard. Butterfly Cup maintains that glass degrades at roughly the same rate as paper when placed into soil.
The Zero Cup eliminates leaks, and splashes and reduces the chance of spilling your drink. © butterflycup.com
Biodegradable cups and lids
Among the most popular options, today are cups with or without innovative biodegradable plastic.
A glass of herb seeds. Truth Coffee, a roaster located in Cape Town, joined forces with renowned creative agency Native VML to create an environmentally friendly biodegradable cup that held grass seeds. This convenient and sustainable design could either be used as a planter or planted directly into the garden – where it will naturally decompose over time! The cups were manufactured in restricted batches and have since been widely accepted by consumers.
The Truth Coffee cup allows you to grow basil, thyme, or arugula at home. © dailycoffeenews.com
BioCup's paper cups
For the most sustainable single-use products, choose BioCup's paper cups. Our cups are lined with bioplastics sourced from plants and can be industrially composted in accordance with Australian and European regulations. Plus, they're crafted using sugarcane pulp – making them an environmentally-friendly alternative to other disposable beverage containers!
BioCup paper cups are designed for cold and hot drinks. @ biopak.com
PoliCup
PoliCup offers glasses and lids crafted from cardboard with no plastic whatsoever. The dishes are tagged PAP 21, meaning that they can be recycled just like paper! Even better, these products will biodegrade in the environment within 90 days of disposal. With Polikap's eco-friendly options for disposable tableware, you don't have to sacrifice convenience for sustainability anymore.
Biodegradable glasses GREEN MYSTERY. Our company produces a plethora of disposable tableware and packaging crafted from robust paper, made with long-staple pulp. The material has virtually no smell, keeping the taste and aroma of your drink intact. And after 180 days in soil it will decompose totally!
GREEN MYSTERY offer disposable cups made of cornstarch and craft cardboard. © greenmystery.ru
Biopolymer lids from KVANT.
Thanks to the use of innovative additives and advanced technologies, the manufacturer has developed a material that is comparable in quality to traditional plastic yet features enhanced oxidization capabilities. This substance will decompose entirely within 18 months when placed into the soil.
City Packing offers biodegradable glasses that are crafted with two types of sustainable cardboard - single-layer and double-layer dishes.
Skip the polyethylene layer and opt for double-sided impregnation with Finnish cardboard. Its recycling code is PAP 21, which allows it to be recycled like any other paper waste.
In Finland, a remarkable innovation is taking place - biodegradable cardboard made with a protective barrier layer of biopolymer instead of polyethylene. This environment-friendly material does not need to be recycled, simply compost it for quick and easy disposal!
Next, we will talk about not the most common, but rather creative options for disposable tableware.
Edible glasses
Among the plethora of options, some truly unique dishes double as delectable meals.
Cupffee oatmeal cups are an excellent choice for hot beverages that require temperatures up to 85 degrees, and they won't absorb liquid quickly - you can trust them not to soak through in under an hour. Plus the manufacturer assures us that these cups do not contain any artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, or animal products.
Eco-friendly alternative to plastic and paper cups. © cupffee.me
Cups from Twiice. They were developed at the initiative of Air New Zealand. Consist of wheat flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla essence.
Twiice launches cups with vanilla and chocolate flavors and offers to use them as a dessert after drinking a cup of coffee. © twiice.co.nz
However, a common disadvantage of such edible utensils is that they change the taste of coffee, so they are not suitable for use in the specialty industry.
Conclusion
The detrimental impact of single-use coffee cups is grave, the vast majority of these items are non-recyclable and end up in landfill sites.
Nowadays, governments, coffee industry participants, individuals, and companies making disposable tableware are taking more notice of this issue. There have been new studies undertaken to identify solutions that will aid in minimizing the use of these cups.
As an example, coffee shops are incentivizing customers to bring their own mugs for takeaway orders and charging extra fees for single-use cups. Scientists have even begun designing biodegradable materials that could lead us toward a society free of non-recyclable traditional cups. With these measures in place, the world will soon be on its way to reducing overall disposable cup consumption.