Issues with Paper Cups

Why in news?

Research has shown that a paper cup causes as much damage to nature as a plastic one, as they both contain toxic chemicals.

How are paper cups made?

• Plastic film coating - As paper is neither fat nor water resistant, the paper cups have a plastic film coating applied to its surface.
• The plastic film is often made of polylactic acid (PLA), a type of bioplastic commonly produced from corn, cassava or sugarcane. 
• Advantages - PLA can decompose faster than petroleum-based plastics under the right conditions.
• It is made from renewable resources rather than fossil fuels, as are 99% of the plastics available on the market.
• Toxicity - Bioplastics do not break down effectively when they end up in the environment, in water.
• It remains in nature resulting in microplastics that can be ingested by animals and humans, just as other plastics.

What are the impacts of paper cups?

Impact on Environment

• Landfill waste- It takes 100 of years to decompose and release harmful greenhouse gases.
• Plastic pollution- They easily find their way to oceans and rivers, disrupting marine life and ecosystems.
• Resource depletion- It contributes to the depletion of resources like tree, oil and water usage which can have long term impact on environment and economy.
• Littering- Improper disposal leads to litter in parks, streets and natural areas.
• Chemical exposure- The cups are treated with chemicals to make them waterproof or durable which can leach into environment and harm wildlife.
• Water usage- The manufacturing of paper cups require more water than reusable cups.
• Economic costs- Cleaning and managing the cups can be costly affecting communities and government.

Impact on Humans

• Direct Impact- Use of disposable cups may directly influence your physical health due to the plastic chemicals used in their production.
• Indirect Impact-Pollution from manufacturing will influence global air quality.
• Bio magnification-Micro plastics can travel up through the food chain

• Health hazard- Recent IIT study revelead that drinking hot beverages from paper cups poses health risk
  • Reproductive defects
  • Cancer
  • Neurological disorder

What steps were taken to combat plastic pollution?

What lies ahead?

• Significant changes are necessary to lessen the ongoing harm to the environment and threat to our health resulting from the plastic pollution crisis.
• There is a need to address the potential hazards of food packaging.
• Adhere to the legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution of UN.

References

1. Down To Earth- Paper cups bad to the Environment
2. SciTechDaily- Why paper cups are toxic