Uh-oh, it turns out those disposable paper coffee cups aren’t as harmless as they seem.
For years, we’ve been cruising through drive-thrus, picking up seasonal drinks from our favorite coffee spots, and dashing into local cafés for that quick caffeine fix.
But here’s the kicker: while we’ve been happily sipping our lattes, teas, and mochas, we’ve also been unknowingly drinking something else. (Coffee lovers, you’ll want to hear this.)
What Are The Dangers Of Paper Cups?
If paper cups were made entirely of paper, they would be leaking. Obviously they aren’t just made of paper.
The manufacturers add a thin waterproof lining inside the cups to hold your hot beverage so it does not turn into a soggy mess.
Sounds like a great fix. But what happens when your hot beverage comes in contact with this coating inside?
A study in The Journal of Hazardous Materials found that when hot drinks come into contact with the waterproof lining in paper cups, they release billions of microplastics into your drink. Yeah, let that sink in for a moment.
So We Have Been Consuming Microplastics All This Time?
Well, YES!
But that’s not all. The plastic liners inside the paper-cups also release heavy metals and toxic ions including fluoride, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate.
According to a study funded by the Dutch National Organization for Health Research & Development, tiny micro plastics were present in the blood stream of 80% of the volunteers who participated in the study.
What’s The Solution?
Obviously, we are not going to tell you to give up on your favourite beverage. Fortunately, there are many safe alternatives.
The best solution is to bring your own reusable cup. There are also thermally-insulated coffee-cups that will fix this issue as well as keep your coffee warm for hours.
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