10 million for the idea

Buying another takeaway cup of coffee, we are trembling with anticipation of the first sip of hot delicious liquid. The unique aroma, pleasant warmth in the palms and even the design of the glass create a special atmosphere of the coffee ritual, without which many people do not start the working day. But the coffee ends, the cup goes to the trash bin ... And then what?

Specialists call coffee cups an ecological nightmare. A lot of green eco-markers on their surface inadvertently mislead consumers about the environmental friendliness of such utensils. Meanwhile, this cup is almost never recycled, but decays for decades on its own.

Cups are almost never recycled, photo WEB

It's all about the special "design" of coffee cups. Most often they are made of cardboard, and it is known that when it comes into contact with a hot liquid, it inevitably gets wet. To keep the warmth of the drink and protect the cup from leaking, its inner surface is lined with the finest polymer membrane. It is almost impossible to separate these layers from each other, which makes the process of secondary processing of coffee cups extremely difficult. There are only a few factories on the planet that can dispose them and, of course, the vast majority of used cups are located at the dumps.

600 billion cups of coffee are sold annually in the world. The mega-popular Starbucks network accounts for no more than 10% from this number. And yet, this well-known brand has been seeking a way to minimize the harm to the nature for several years.

There are only a few factories on the planet that can dispose coffee cups, photo WEB

In 2010, there was a loud statement that in five years all Starbucks branded cups will be reused or sent for recycling. The idea is praiseworthy, but the implementation so far failed. Therefore, the company appealed to the public for help and offered a $ 10 million reward to anybody who offers the idea of solving the current problem.

The requirements seem to be simple - the cup should be biodegradable or recyclable at the existing plants. The material, of course, should be environmentally friendly and do not emit any harmful substances when goes in contact with a hot liquid. The cup must retain the warmth of the drink and its integrity. It seems nothing complicated, but a revolutionary solution has not been found so far.

The coffee cups recycle project started in Manchester, photo WEB

A couple of years ago, Starbucks, while searching for an alternative paper utensils, launched sell action of brand-name reusable cups. To warm the interest of consumers, coffee in your cup could be bought at the promotional price. Then the boom began on folding cups and mugs-thermoses, which design is amazing today. Now it is a fashion accessory, which lies in students' backpacks and in cup holders of chic cars. But the severity of the environmental problem is not  resolved yet.

Not only Starbucks, but also many coffee shops around the world, worrying about the environment, are looking for ways out of this situation. Starch cups from corn, bamboo or wheat are popular in Russia and abroad. But elite institutions refuse to use them, noting the specific smell of the material, which conflicts with the flavor of the drink. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of empty coffee cups continue to carry tremendous harm to the environment.

Starbucks launched sell action of branded reusable cups, photo WEB

But what about eco-markers? So, the most popular marking of PEFC (two trees inside the green circle) suggests that the wood for the production of cardboard was obtained from controlled forest plantations. And the international symbol of recycling (a triangle from tape-arrows) reports that the product can theoretically be recycled, but not necessarily in your country.

And yet, coffee lovers who care about the state of the environment, of course, must not refuse from their favorite drink. Linger in a cafe and drink coffee from a regular cup or buy a thermos mug - make your small contribution to eco-movement!

Victoria Romanova, Russia, Moscow

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