Paper Cups – Are They Really Eco-Friendly?

Paper cups: eco-friendly or just an illusion?

Plastic stirs strong emotions. One of the biggest environmental challenges today is single-use packaging. In response, paper packaging has become increasingly popular over the years. Because it’s made from a natural material, it seems like a more eco-friendly choice. But what does the reality look like? Do these "eco-friendly" paper cups really reduce the amount of waste we generate? And does the SUP fee or increased consumer awareness really lower the amount of waste ending up in landfills?

Global paper cup consumption

When we’re on the go, we often grab a takeaway coffee cup. Since we do it occasionally, it feels harmless. But what do the numbers say?

• Each year, around 250–300 billion single-use coffee cups are used worldwide.

• In the US alone, up to 120 billion disposable cups are used annually – and most end up in landfills.

• In Europe, households use an average of 70 disposable cups per year.

• In the UK, around 5 billion paper cups are used each year, and fewer than 1 in 400 are recycled (less than 0.25%).

Millions of tons of disposable paper cups end up incinerated or in landfills, creating a major problem for the environment and waste management systems. Paper cups with plastic lining are often more of a problem than a real solution.

Why aren’t single-use paper cups recycled?

Paper can be recycled easily, but only if it’s clean and free of food contamination. In reality, most used paper packaging is stained and no longer suitable for recycling. While plain paper decomposes in about six months, most paper cups for hot drinks like coffee or tea have a thin plastic (PE/PET) lining inside to prevent leaks. This turns them into hard-to-recycle waste that usually ends up in incineration or landfill.

The main reasons are:

• PE/PET lining: Paper cups contain a plastic layer inside to make them waterproof – but this makes them difficult and expensive to process. In practice, most are thrown away. Plastic Europe, 2024

• Lack of infrastructure: Many recycling facilities are not equipped to handle mixed-material products, making separation costly and unprofitable.

  
  

What can you do to reduce disposable cup waste?

• Avoid single-use paper cups with plastic lining.

• Choose products made from 100% recycled materials.

• Use reusable cups (for example, GOTKUBEK) and carry them with you.

• Encourage your local coffee shops to offer discounts for bringing your own cup.

  
  

Educating others and supporting local recycling infrastructure are small steps, but each one brings us closer to reducing plastic and paper waste in landfills.

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