Disposable paper cups are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and quick use. However, the reality about them is not well understood by everyone.
Many people mistakenly believe that using paper cups is an environmentally friendly practice, but they are wrong.
Paper cups are not as eco-friendly as you think.
“These paper cups cannot biodegrade, even when collected at a landfill. Currently, 90% of these disposable paper cups are thrown directly into the nearest trash can after use,” stated an environmental scientist.
According to statistics in Australia, up to 1 billion disposable paper cups are disposed of in the environment each year. In the UK, the number of discarded paper cups reaches 2.5 billion each year, which is enough to wrap around the Earth more than five times if laid end to end.
Scientists estimate that the environmental pollution caused by paper cups could cost the Australian economy millions of dollars each year.
As a result, some researchers in Australia are currently experimenting with a new type of paper cup that can biodegrade due to a lining made from plant materials instead of plastic. However, these cups are twice as expensive as the current disposable ones.
A plastic cup generates between 10 grams and 30 grams of CO2.
Carbon Footprint of Paper Cups The carbon footprint of a paper cup is approximately 110 grams of CO2, while a plastic cup generates between 10 grams and 30 grams of CO2. The carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced during the manufacturing, transportation, and disposal of a product. In the case of paper and plastic cups, this process includes the extraction of raw materials to create paper or plastic, manufacturing cups from paper or plastic, transporting cups to consumers, and finally disposing of the cups after use. According to a study published in The Guardian, each step in this process emits a certain amount of CO2, and in total, a paper cup generates about 110 grams of CO2, while a plastic cup only generates between 10 grams and 30 grams of CO2. For a long time, paper cups have often been considered “more environmentally friendly” than plastic cups due to their much better biodegradability and minimal microplastic generation. However, every time we use a paper or plastic cup, we are contributing to the emissions of CO2, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is the primary cause of climate change, a problem that the entire world is facing. Therefore, to protect the environment, the best solution is not to choose between types but to minimize the use of both disposable paper and plastic cups, thus helping to reduce our CO2 emissions. |
