Why are coffee cups not recyclable?
As the title suggests, it seems puzzling. The cup itself is made of paper, while the lid is plastic—so what’s the issue?
Why can’t you recycle coffee cups?
March 25, 2025
0 Comments
One thought on “Why can’t you recycle coffee cups?”
Leave a Reply
Explore More
What do you all think of a graduate role?
What are your opinions on graduate roles? A graduate role or graduate program is a structured two-year initiative where you rotate through various departments within a company to find the
Ergonomic office chair
Looking for an ergonomic office chair that is suitable for 40 hours of use per week from Officeworks (our workplace has an account there). No specific weight requirements. What would
Need Help Starting a poop scooping business in Australia
Seeking Guidance on Starting a Poop Scooping Business in Australia Hi everyone! I’m considering starting a poop scooping business in Australia, but I’m a bit lost on where to begin
Recycling coffee cups can be tricky mainly due to the materials used and the way they are constructed. Although the outer layer of a typical disposable coffee cup is made of paper, it is often lined with plastic—usually polyethylene—to make it waterproof. This lining makes the cups less recyclable because standard paper recycling processes cannot separate the plastic from the paper effectively.
Additionally, many recycling facilities don’t accept these cups because of the contamination that can occur when they are used. For instance, leftover coffee or oils can break down the recycling process.
Some facilities are starting to develop methods to recycle these cups, and there are also companies working on producing fully compostable cups. However, until these solutions become more widespread, it’s best to use reusable cups whenever possible to reduce waste.