If you run your cafe on a zero-waste policy, you know how difficult it’s finding the right coffee cups. Some available options may not be recyclable or compostable. Not all vendors are genuine. Some may promote bio-products but offer subpar options that may not degrade.
Coffee cups have become a headache for many businesses. Pilling waste in landfills is one such problem. You may buy a recyclable container, but for the poor handling, it can end in a landfill.
Paper cups insulations are the primary hindrance to regular recycling. Removing the film is an uphill task for many recyclers. For proper recycling of the paper cup, the process needs more advanced plants.
What’s Next for Zero Waste Cafes?
As a zero-waste cafe owner, you can handle many waste problems without a hitch. For instance, by buying in bulk, you can save a slew of packaging materials. If you buy from like-minded suppliers, you can prompt more people to focus on the environment.
You can also check deliveries to ensure suppliers are keen on saving resources. Here, you can check the size and type of packaging materials used.
Resourceful vendors will use fewer packaging materials or reusable packages to reduce waste. With the recycling problems of coffee cups, using items that can rot can be your best ticket to zero waste.
One of the trendiest solutions for reducing waste is the compostable paper cup. Unlike other coffee cups, it’s easier to recycle. Compostable cups comprise a plant-based material that can rot into soil macronutrients.
Compostable Paper Cup Vs. Bio-plastics Vs. PE Cups (Disposable Paper Cup)
Compostable paper cups comprise two materials that can rot; Paper and a starch-based film. These paper cups differ from bio-plastic cups, or PE paper cups (disposable cups).
Compared to bio-plastics, the compostable paper cup can rot faster. Bio-plastics feature corn starch in entirety. That makes them slower to degrade compared to corn starch paper cups.
Compostable paper cups are an alternative to disposable paper cups and single-use plastics. Their primary strength over plastic is they can compost and produce lesser emissions. Making a compostable paper cup uses lower energy and saves fossil reserves.
Can the Compostable Paper Cup Reduce Waste?
Now we have a cup sourced from affordable and widespread renewable materials. As we know, a compostable paper cup derives from corn starch and paper boards. Both materials are within reach of many manufacturers.
Corn starch is one of the most demanded food products. Its convenience as a food product and in manufacturing propels the high demand. Corn’s safety means it can get used in making sauces, sweeteners, gums, baking ingredients, and cups.
Another reason for the growing corn starch market is the need for clean and organic products. More manufacturers are introducing corn starch products to appease the eco-conscious customer.
Plastic experiences mass demand, and replacing it right away isn’t possible. Upcoming alternatives need to be abundant to cater to the vast market. Most innovations are Inspiring. But they cannot cover the gap that may arise with plastic elimination.
Corn starch availability makes compostable paper cups the right candidate to zero waste. Go anywhere around the world, and you’ll find lush corn starch or sugarcane blossoming on the farms. In 2018, the global corn starch market size was $15.73 billion. Projections show the market will probably grow to $29.39 billion by 2026.
Corn starch’s compostability removes one of the primary flaws of coffee cups. Most of the plastic waste arises because the material takes over 500 years to degrade. Plastic could stay in the oceans and landfills for years without breaking down.
With compostable paper cups, waste may no more. Be it in your home’s compost or an industrial one; this cup can decay into ordinary soil. The compostable paper cup only requires regulated temperatures to rot within 90 days.
What the Future Holds for Zero Waste Cafes and the Compostable Paper Cup
The quest for sustainability means everyone craves a viable solution to coffee cups. It’s for that reason the paper cup evolved from a clay coating to polyethene and now to a plant-based one.
Innovations have always focused on making the paper cup more functional. For instance, the shift from the clay coating to polyethene aimed to make the cup impermeable. Clay was also not stable, as it could break down to mix with a cup’s contents.
Later in the 20th century, the ills of the polyethene paper cup became known to many people. Since then, things have never been the same for the coffee lover. Every coffee cup sparked guilty emotions. The cup we cherished was crippling the ecosystem.
Eco-conscious manufacturers have been on a helter-skelter mode to find a viable answer. Many options have popped up, but only compostable cups seem to be reliable for the long haul.
Globally, 16 billion coffee cups get used every year. Most of these cups are non-recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable. With the compostable options, less pricey and accessible, cafes have a reliable alternative.
Recyclable materials have not been effective in fighting trash. According to National Geographic, a staggering 91% of such items never get recycled. All that garbage ends in waterways, oceans, composts, and landfills.
That’s why compostable items come in handy for zero waste cafes.
Why Compostable Paper Cups?
Switching to compostable items is the right way to go for your cafe. It’s one measure that can help the ecosystem and also boost your bottom line. Once you reduce waste and your carbon imprint, you can use that as a unique selling point.
Let everyone know about your achievements. Rebrand as a green business via the compostable paper cups. Share your stories via social media, press releases, blog posts, or outdoor events.
Use your green practices as a marketing tool to attract more customers. You have the power to reduce tonnes of trash and carbon emissions by going green.