In our life, disposable paper cups are indispensable. Whether it is to receive relatives, friends and customers, or as a way of advertising, this paper cup must be used. At present, the disposable paper cups on the market are commonly used PE coated paper cups and PLA coated paper cups. Which of these two materials is better and more environmentally friendly?
Traditional paper cups generally use a layer of PE coating on the surface of the base paper to obtain good waterproof and oil-proof performance. PE-coated paper cups are non-degradable, non-repulpable, and difficult to recycle. Traditional PE-coated paper cups are difficult to recycle because it is difficult to separate the polyethylene film on the surface of the paper cup from the paper cup.
PLA material is a new type of biodegradable material. It is a material extracted from corn starch. After it is used, it can be decomposed by microorganisms in nature under specific conditions, and the decomposition can eventually form carbon dioxide and water.
PLA coated cups are often touted as an “environmentally friendly” alternative to PE coated paper cups, the fact is that PLA is essentially a plastic and suffers from the same problems as PE coated paper cups. The biodegradability of PLA needs to meet two conditions: 50%-60% humidity and 50-70 degrees Celsius temperature. Under these conditions, it is possible for microorganisms to gradually decompose PLA after several months or even longer. However, it is difficult for the natural environment to reach the necessary temperature for degradation. If PLA products are discarded at will, they cannot be truly degraded. To degrade PLA, it must be processed industrially in specialized composting facilities. In fact, few countries have these industrial facilities.
In addition, studies have shown that the degradation rate of PLA is almost indistinguishable from that of ordinary plastics in fresh water and sea water. The European Plastics Association also stated that biodegradable plastics cannot be considered more environmentally friendly than traditional non-degradable plastics. If the degradation conditions are not met, there is basically no difference between “degradable plastics” and ordinary plastics.
Although PLA coated paper cups can be biodegradable, the cost of PLA materials is 2-3 times higher than that of PE, and the higher raw material costs lead to higher prices. Therefore, the mainstream disposable paper cups on the market are PE coated paper cups.
Post time: Dec-27-2022
