Why Coffee Cups Can’t Be Recycled

Most people love a good cup of coffee. While some prefer to drink it as soon as they wake up, others prefer to drink several cups of coffee throughout the day. Since most people aren't at home, they end up using coffee cups.

While this shouldn't be a problem, the truth is that coffee cups are designed to be used just once before they are tossed out. Just to give you an idea, half a trillion disposable cups are tossed out each year, which represents about 70 cups for every person on the planet. Hong Kongers alone toss a staggering 2.1 million coffee cups a day...!

If you are like most people, you are led to believe that coffee cups are recyclable. But this isn't quite true. After all, to meet hygiene requirements, most of them are made out of virgin materials, or real trees if you prefer - this isn't sustainable at all!

In addition to this, paper cups can’t be recycled because they’re actually coated in plastic - they usually include about 5% of plastic per cup. This is the reason why they’re able to hold liquid without leaking all over the place. It’s also why they don’t get broken down into pulp and turned into recycled paper.

It's important to mention that not all paper cups are coated in plastic, though the vast majority are. Less frequently, some are actually lined in wax. Determining which is which can be difficult. So, the best thing to do is to treat them the same way.

HOW CAN WE REDUCE COFFEE CUP WASTE?

1. Have your coffee to stay - make sure you ask for a mug!

2. Brew your own at home!

3. Bring your own reusables - shop our BPA-Free All Rounder, perfect for coffees on the go, as it's portable, has a lid, and doesn't affect the taste of your favourite brew! https://thebevigo.com/collections/allrounder-collection