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Attention Coffee Shops: The Biodegradable Hot Beverage Cup Is Here |
11 Comments |
| By Michael d'Estries in Green Living, Green Products | July 1, 2007 | ||
No more excuses. No more waiting. No more waste. For the longest time, coffee shops across America have sidestepped the “recycle your cup” issue because there have been no eco-friendly alternatives. In conventional hot water cups, the inner surface is lined with a petroleum-based plastic (polyethylene) to prevent leaking. This process alone prevents the cups from being recycled or composted. Here’s an interesting little fact,
“In 2005, Americans used and discarded 14.4 billion disposable paper cups for hot beverages. If put end-to-end, those cups would circle the earth 55 times. Based on anticipated growth of specialty coffees, that number will grow to 23 billion by 2010—enough to circle the globe 88 times. Based on hot cup usage in 2005, the petrochemicals used in the manufacture of those cups could have heated 8,300 homes for one year.” Damn.
So, for the longest time, we’ve been waiting for someone to solve this egregious situation. Thankfully, the answer has come from International Paper and Green Mountain Coffee. Their 100% biodegradable hot beverage cup has just won the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s 2007 Sustainability Award. The “Ecotainer™ cup” has a liner made from corn instead of petrochemicals. In a blind trial test of more than 5 million cups, not one customer noticed anything “different” about the corn-based cups from the regular variety.
Sadly, while we’re one step ahead on the cup, the lid that completes the package is still an environmental enigma. There isn’t yet a bio-plastic that can take the form and function of a disposable hot cup lid. However, International Paper and Green Mountain are working with companies that have had breakthroughs with using soy for such a purpose. According to their site, this is the next advancement they are working to push to market.
In the meantime, I would encourage any coffee companies out there with green ambitions (ahem, Starbucks) to consider replacing their non-recyclable, non-compostable cups with this eco-friendly alternative. It kills me not to be able to recycle a hot paper cup because of the inner-plastic liner. For those moments I’m without a reusable mug, a little less guilt when I’m done getting my caffeine fix will be a rush.
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swag said,
Better idea… skip the disposables and drink out of an “adult” cup.
Hun Boon said,
Even better idea.. skip coffee altogether.
Brandi said,
Question: how does one dispose of these, exactly? It seems like they won’t do much good if people just toss them into a non-biodegradeable trash bag that will get shoved into the landfill anyway (where the plastic garbage bag will not allow in the necessary water and air to break down the cup). Where does one put them so that they appropriately decompose?
Katrien said,
Just a word of warning: “biodegradable” does not mean (eventually) “biodegrading” – as I found out with “green diapers”. Even if those cups end up in the landfill (lightless, airless, waterless, wrapped in polypropolene), they will not biodegrade.
Forget about the rush – don’t rely on them to fix you up with it. Carry a mug, always.
captain pat said,
Nothing worse than someone who leaves posts like this up so long just to try make money off of google that they fall behind in the accuracy of their information
From greenofficesupply.com
These biodegradable hot cup lids are made from a variety of biodegradable materials, including polylactic acid (PLA), which is made from agricultural crops such as corn and potatoes. The lids are fully biodegradable and compostable. There are no animal or petrochemical ingredients in the lids. The lids fit the following cups: Taiwan 12 ounce, Clovernook 16 ounce and Ecotainer 10/12/16/20/24 ounce cups. Please note that these are early generation hot cup lids and the lids are a little brittle and a percentage of them (eg, 10-20%)crack a little. Please don’t order if you can’t tolerate the imperfection of these lids. Pack of 50. Eco Categories: Biodegradable, agriculturally based, less toxic, animal friendly.
Karen Olmstead said,
What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
False Facts said,
Try to throw these cups in your backyard compost and see what you have after six months. I dirty paper cup…
Jesse said,
It was interesting to see post on how these cups won’t compost in garbage bag, so the point of them is useless. Well most of us that would purchase this product also use biodegradable/compostable garbage bags as well. So I think this is a great way to reduce waste. Use these cups with bags such as BioBags.
Sue said,
Is the cup made from recycled paper?
Michelle said,
You are all right about these biodegradable products not degrading in a landfill without air and dirt and worms and all the good and natural things that cause things to biodegrade (think that’s a word?). However these products still have great value and here is why… if we all start to use these products instead of traditional non-biodegradable and compostable products, the hope is that we will force the need of a NEW waste-stream that is compostable. One of the many environmental goals of these products is that with wide use in homes and restaurants we will have one more trash can at the side of the street that these will go in – compost. We are not there yet, but in some cities it is beginning. So before you decide that biodgradable tableware is not for you please consider that it is manufactured without the use of petroleum-based plastics (which is good) and that using it will force the addition of a new waste-stream, compost (which is great!).
Clint said,
I have been working for a new local coffee shop and we are using solo Biodegradable hot liquid cups, and if we leave coffee (latte ect.) the coffee starts to taste very bitter. If you drink it right away you don’t get the bitterness, but if you let it sit for a while, it tastes bitter. We are experimenting with milk and coffee by leaving it in for a while to see if the cup is the problem. I don’t think that the bean is the problem because we use illy, and it is usually very good. Any suggestions or comments on our problem would be very helpful!
Thanks!