The results of a study show that many consumers are unaware that coffee cups often have a plastic coating. 79 per cent of respondents are in favour of a ban on plastic in disposable coffee cups.
Four out of five (79 per cent) Germans are in favour of a ban on hidden plastic in cardboard coffee cups, according to a survey. The survey of 2,000 adults, conducted on behalf of plastic-free coffee cup manufacturer Jungle Cup, found that almost Half (48 per cent) of the population do not know that cardboard coffee cups contain a plastic coating.
In the UK, 54 per cent of Britons are unaware that cardboard coffee cups are coated with plastic. At the same time, around 78 per cent of consumers are of the opinion that Coffee shops must take responsibility for investing in plastic-free takeaway cups, to replace plastic, which is harmful to the environment.
Research by the Indian Institute of Technology has shown that when boiling liquids are poured into a plastic-coated disposable cup, 25,000 microplastic particles end up in a drink after just 15 minutes.[1] Toxic Sheavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium were also detected in the plastic coating of disposable paper and plastic cups.
New research links microplastics to health problems such as cancer, premature births, cardiovascular disease and reduced fertility at „every stage of its life cycle“, according to a report by Minderoo.[2] Use every year German consumers use 2.8 billion disposable cups for hot drinks. According to the Federal Environment Agency, that's 23 cups per person.
As they cannot be recycled economically, these plastic-coated cups usually end up as waste in the environment. Disposable cups are one of the ten Single-use plastic products most commonly found as litter on Europe's beaches and in its seas become.
"The survey results show that once people are aware of the plastic content in ‚cardboard‘ coffee cups, they share our deep concern about the impact they have not only on the environment, but more importantly on their health. It is now the responsibility of coffee shops across the country to protect their customers from these hidden plastics that are polluting landfills, oceans and even our own bodies. Plastic-free alternatives exist and offer a viable solution for businesses looking to make the switch today.“
Paul Alberts, founder of Jungle Cup
Jungle Cup has a microplastic-free disposable coffee cup that is certified for home composting. and disintegrates in just 16 weeks. The Jungle Cup is made of a unique barrier layer cardboard and is therefore a sustainable alternative to conventional paper cups with a plastic coating.
"Everywhere we go, we are confronted with plastic. It's in the packaging of the food we eat, in the clothes we wear and it even seeps into our hot drinks from so-called „paper cups“. And most of us don't even realise that our cups are releasing microplastics into our coffee. Of course people don't want to drink plastic with their hot drinks. The responsibility for providing a plastic-free alternative must lie with the vendors.“
Fionn Ferreira, inventor and environmental activist
Source: Jungle Cup
