Facts to help you decide, when going bio
Biodegradable Paper Cups: Are They Genuine or Another Greenwashing Campaign?
When buying coffee cups, you’ll come across biodegradable paper cups. You need to know many brands have used the term “biodegradable” in many ambiguous ways. Even some products that may not meet the standards brandish the name.
Now, given you want something sustainable, you’ll want more information about biodegradable cups. The truth is, there are many versions of biodegradable paper cups.
Understanding Biodegradable Paper Cups
Biodegradable paper cups derive their name from “biodegrade”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it means they can decay on their own in a non-harmful way.
Biodegradable items can include items such as coffee husks, paper and some plastics. As you can see, biodegradable items decay in the long run. The problem is, some things may take longer to decay.
When plastics eclipsed the entire packaging industry, there were few biodegradable cups around. At that time, most paper cups comprised a plastic coating. The problem with plastic cups is they can take up 450 years to degrade.
however, in our opinion, the best coffee cup use a PLA coated, for the following reasons, heat insulation, the material comes from plants, and it’s a biodegradable alternative to plastics, biodegrades in approximately three months.
What’s the Difference Between Bioplastics and Biodegradable Paper Cups
Some pure PLA coffee cups (bio-plastics) can also classify as biodegradable. Given they are 100% bio-plastics, they may as well be more difficult to breakdown than paper cups.
As much as bio-plastics cups biodegrade, they need optimal conditions to do so. They need a moisture-laden environment and the best aerobic conditions. Plus, a good supply of micro-organisms, the right temperature and PHP for the full breakdown.
If they stray into landfills, these conditions may not be present to ensure breakdown. Eventually, they will biodegrade in landfills, but may take several years to collapse entirely.
In case you want to compost the bio-plastics, composting conditions also need to be at best. Given the strength of most bio-plastics, the composting facility must run at the highest temperature.
Another issue that affects bio-plastics is cost. Producing bio-plastics is more expensive than creating traditional plastic. According to the Earth Institute of Columbia University, bio-plastics production is 20% costlier than processing polyethylene.
Even so, bio-plastics boast of a few benefits as an alternative to fuel-based plastics. Bioplastics come from corn, sugar beet, or sugar cane. That means you can expect non stop supply without impairing the environment. They also emit fewer greenhouse gases than plastics during manufacture.
What Makes Biodegradable Paper Cups Any Better
Everyone would wish for a coffee cup that is cost-free to discard. You finish your coffee, trash the container, and the rest is history. Afterwards, you worry no more about waste or pollution. But that is more of a dream today. Yet, if we persist with coffee cup innovations, we can achieve zero waste.
In the meantime, we expect all biodegradable items to degrade under normal conditions. For example, if you trashed sawdust in your home compost, it would decompose after a few months.
The problem is most biodegradable products need controlled conditions to guarantee breakdown. This increases the need for monitoring their way up to the recycling plant or composting facility. This will be the case as refuse depot’s throughout the UK develop such facilities.
What makes paper cups a better option is their entire composition. They may not tick all the expectations of a zero-waste product, but they don the most advantages.
The friendliness of paper positions it as a choice material for sustainable packaging. Well, the paper will probably decompose within two to six weeks in a landfill. The stronger the cardboard of the item, the longer it will take to breakdown.
Paper Cup Filming Calls for Caution During Trashing
Paper on its own is a useful resource for businesses. It’s easy to recycle or use, and that boosts its sustainability. Nonetheless, for coffee cups to serve us effectively, they need heat insulation.
PLA is currently the most eco-friendly insulation available for the paper industry. Given its organic properties, it’s a much better option for coating the paper cups. Paper boards are sturdy.
Other Qualities That Speak for Biodegradable Coffee Cups
When buying coffee cups, you’ll look beyond the sustainability features. Not all coffee cups can be able to meet your standard expectations. So, you’re likely to consider safety, strength, heat resistance, design, and more characteristics.
Most PLA based coffee cups meet the most metrics that any business would desire in a coffee cup. Given they comprise high-quality GSM paper boards, you can count on them for sturdiness.
Paper is also a heat resistant material. And that makes these coffee cups comfortable for drinking your hot coffee. You can also enjoy other benefits of biodegradable paper cups if you buy from credible manufacture.
Standards like safety or design are entirely under the control of the manufacture. Responsible manufacturers use food-grade boards and food-safe inks for their paper cups.
Since most paper cups use only a PLA film, they may be less pricey than bio-plastics. Their long-term impact on a brand’s reputation also poses them as a cheap alternative to traditional options.
Are Biodegradable Paper Cups Genuine?Yes. Our biodegradable paper cups comprise materials that can degrade. We use certified paper and the PLA lining for insulation. We also use food-grade GSM paper boards and food-safe inks when printing.