Do you think paper coffee cups are recyclable or non recyclable? Where do you usually throw these coffee cups after drinking coffee? Whether you answer recyclable or non recyclable, in fact, there is no standard answer to this question. Why? Because paper coffee cups are not completely recyclable, but they are not completely recyclable.
We divide the coffee cup into three parts: the cover on the upper layer, the insulation sleeve provided by some coffee shops on the lower layer and the paper cup in the middle. Some of these three parts can be recycled, some can’t be recycled, and some need to be checked to know whether they can be recycled. First of all, start with the upper lid. If you see the recyclable symbol on the lid, it means that it is recyclable and needs to be thrown into the recyclable trash can. If it is not found, it is not recyclable and can be thrown into an ordinary garbage can. (generally, black cup covers are recyclable, but white or transparent plastic cup covers are generally not recyclable.)
Thermal insulation paper covers, such as Starbucks, Costa, such a large chain of coffee shops, generally provide thermal insulation paper covers. Basically, all thermal insulation paper covers are made of recyclable paper and need to be thrown into recyclable trash cans.
Finally, do you think paper cups can be recycled? Not really. If it’s only a 100% paper cup, it can be recycled, of course, but the key lies in the waterproof plastic layer inside the paper cup. A pure paper cup can’t hold the heat and humidity of hot coffee, so the waterproof plastic layer inside is essential, but this waterproof plastic layer is not recyclable. This layer of plastic is tightly bonded to the paper cup, and there is no way to tear it easily. To be exact, no professional garbage company has the ability (or ultra-high cost) to accurately separate them. If 100% separation cannot be achieved and the recycling process is forcibly carried out, even if only 1% plastic is left in it, the 1% melted plastic will pollute the whole tank of melted pulp.
