What are the benefits of using compostable paper cups?

With all the talk of coffee cups causing waste, drinking coffee can sometimes sound like an environmental crime. But thanks to compostable paper cups, the negative perceptions are fading. Compostable paper cup contains plant-based films which are planet-friendly, unlike plastic coatings. But for most people, it’s still unclear how the compostable paper cup is sustainable.

What happens to non-compostable paper cups if they are binned?

What are the materials that are made up compostable paper cups?

What are the benefits of using compostable paper cups?

What happens to non-compostable paper cups if they are binned?

We believe the best solution to the problem with non-compostable paper cups entering our oceans is to recycle as much as possible. This reduces the need for raw materials, reduces landfill, and reduces littering. There are three major issues which reduces the amount of non-compostable paper cups which gets recycled:

Not enough recycling plants and a lack of cohesion throughout the recycling industry. It seems that every council has a difference approach to recycling non-compostable paper cups, and therefore it isn’t clear which items will get recycled.

Composite products, such as standard coffee cups which are constructed from paper and a PE Liner. These products are extremely difficult to recycle as the two different materials are bonded together and the process of separation is very expensive and uses a lot of energy.

Food contamination. In order to help the recycling process, the non-compostable paper cup needs to be cleaned out thoroughly, otherwise the food matter can contaminate the recycled product.

The paper cups which do not make it in to the recycling process is mostly dealt with in two ways. The material which is left at the end of the process is either put into landfill or incinerated to create power. If paper cup is sent to landfill, all the standard plastic from your paper cups will take hundreds of years to decompose and can leave harmful residue.

What are the materials that are made up compostable paper cups?

Compostable paper cups can be biodegradable, which means that the degradation is caused by the action of microorganisms in nature, such as bacteria, molds and algae. The ideal compostable paper cup is a polymer material that has excellent performance, can be completely decomposed by environmental microorganisms after being discarded, and is finally organized to become a component of the carbon cycle in nature. The compostable paper cup can be divided into two parts, the layer of paperboard and the layer of plastic coating.

The raw material used for making the paperboard of compostable paper cups is virgin woods. The thinner section of the trunks is the part used to make pulp for paper and paperboard production. Usually, deciduous broadleaved trees would be used to make paperboard, like birch and oak. The reason is that they have short fibers. The other material required for making compostable paper cup is corn. The corn is the main material for the plastic coating of the cup.

The first step to make the paperboard of compostable paper cup is to make pulp. There are two methods to make the pulp for paperboard of compostable paper cup, the chemical pulp and the mechanical pulp. Mechanical pulp physically makes the pulp with less energy use. But the strength of final production would have less strength and lower protectiveness. The method used for producing compostable paper cup is chemical one, which can produce products with higher strength. The other kind of chemical is sizing agents, such as natural resin or synthetic sizes. They are used to increase the strength and also decrease absorbance of the paper.

Traditionally, the paperboard would be coated with polyethylene for containing liquid in high temperature. It is good for its low water absorption. But compostable paper cup is coated in a new material that is called polylactic acid. It is a biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester. PLA can be produced by lots of different materials, which just need to be rich of starch, such as corn, rice and sugarcane.

What are the benefits of using compostable paper cups?

Keep marine life safe: To date, existing plastics in the oceans are causing immense marine life losses. Examples are countless. In 2010, at Seattle, Biologists found over 20 plastic bags and other trash in a dead grey whale. The studies reveal the risks of plastic coffee cups prone to straying into the seas. Luckily, compostable paper cups may be less risky for the marine, which take less than 90 days to decompose.

Keeping water bodies safe: Studies show Styrofoam and PE paper cups have toxic chemicals. In 2018, WHO classified styrene in the Styrofoam cups as a cancer-causing compound. Polyethene also carries carcinogenic properties that can get triggered during their breakdown. During the rainfalls, the chemicals can seep into water bodies to risk fish and human lives. Sadly, polystyrene and polyethene coffee cups are still popular around the globe. Yet, the alternative that’s compostable paper cups is chemical-free and safe.

Less waste: Compostable paper cups came in to fight waste and cut pressure on landfills. Upgrading the coating to PE didn’t help waste because it became difficult to recycle. Yet, with compostable paper cups, you can tackle waste problems with minor effort. Unlike Styrofoam or plastics, bio cups can get recycled or composted. This helps to ensure paper cups get transformed into other useful materials.

Healthy and safe for human use: We’ve mentioned the potential risks of using plastics or Styrofoam coffee cups. Compostable paper cups derive from food-safe paper and a plant-based coating. Compostable paper cups are also chemical-free, which ensures you can use them without fear of any health repercussions.

Affordable and sustainable for businesses: As a renewable option, compostable paper cups are readily available. Compostable paper cups provide a low-cost alternative to plastics, using paper and corn starch or sugar bagasse as the raw materials that make them affordable. Most environmental regulations target eliminating plastics for recyclable or compostable options. So, if you’re using compostable paper cups, your business won’t stress about compliance.

Learn more something about compostable paper cups can know the materials of compostable paper cups and the benefits of using compostable paper cups. If you want to buy high-quality compostable paper cups with reasonable price, ANBAO PAPER PRODUCTS CO., LTD. can help you to open up a further and larger market, it is wise to choose us as your business partner.