A disposable cup is a type of disposable tableware and disposable food packaging. Disposable cup types include paper cups, plastic cups and foam cups.^[1][2] Expanded polystyrene is used to manufacture foam cups,^[3] and polypropylene is used to manufacture plastic cups.^[4]

As they are produced for single use, disposable cups and other similar disposable products constitute a major source of consumer and household waste,^[5] such as paper waste and plastic waste. It has been estimated that the average household discards around 70 disposable cups every year.^[5]

US consumption is some 108 billion cups per year,^[6] the UK uses an estimated 2.5 billion paper cups every year.^[7]

History

The disposable cone-shaped paper cup was invented in 1908 by Lawrence Luellen, and in 1912 Luellen and Hugh Moore began marketing the Health Kup, another paper disposable cup.^[8] The Health Kup was designed to create a means for people to drink water from public water barrels without spreading germs, which occurred when people would use a common (shared) cup or a dipper to hold the water.^[8] The Health Kup was later renamed to Dixie Cup, and was named after a brand of dolls.^[8] Luellen and Moore later developed a disposable paper ice cream cup, which included lids with images of sportspeople, movie stars and animals.^[8]

Commercial uses

Some companies, such as coffee retailers^[9] and doughnut shops,^[10] sell their products in disposable cups. A 2011 book estimated that a chain of doughnut shops used one billion disposable coffee cups in a year, enough to circle the Earth twice.^[10] A 2012 article in OnEarth said that Starbucks used over four billion disposable coffee cups in 2011.^[11] The Cup Noodles brand of instant noodles uses expanded polystyrene foam cups to contain the product.^[12] Hot or boiling water is added to the dried noodles in the container, which cooks the product in a few minutes.^[12] Nissin Foods began marketing the product in foam cups in the early 1970s.^[13]

Pollution

The manufacturing of paper cups contributes to water pollution when chemicals such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide and reduced sulfides enter waterways.^[2] The manufacturing of foam cups contributes to air pollution when pentane is released into the air.^[2]

Recycling and other environmental measures

The curbside recycling of polypropylene containers has slowly increased in some developed countries, but is still rather limited.^[4]

McDonald's switched from foam cups to paper cups in 2014,^[6] and is moving to recycle paper cups in the UK, as of 2016, in partnership with Simply Cups and James Cropper.^[7]

Alternatives

Several coffee chains offer a discount if the customer brings along their own cup.^[14]

At festivals such as the Bavarian Oktoberfest, costs due to theft or breakage are avoided without using disposables: The customer pays an upfront fee for a drinking glass or mug and receives a rebate at its return.

See also

• Disposable cutlery
• Disposable food packaging
• Throw-away society