Just as a side note, I work in recycling and the holy grail for decades is trying to find paper products that can withstand moisture/liquid AND be able to be easily recycled. Microplastics are a problem but so are the alternatives that have been used that we found were worse, like PFAs (forever chemicals). Plant-based plastics are still not going to get recycled and composters hate them as well. (We also have found many bio plastics still have petroleum-based plastics in them.). I am not sure on the whether we can find an alternative that protects human health since things are constantly evolving, but the decades of false promises on the recyclability/compostability color me skeptical.
The best solution is one we already have, REDUCE SINGLE USE with alternatives like non-plastic reusables that are refilled and also return to the quaint thrifty practice of making things, like coffee and tea, at home and work. Even Starbucks has quit putting all their hopeful eggs into the recycling basket and is accepting customers with their own cups and working towards reusables for those dining in. Make sure to ask them if they offer reusable mugs.
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For those interested in why cups are rarely recycled read on:
That needed moisture barrier that keeps paper from degrading during use compromises the recycling paper value and adds steps to process, all for a low value material (markets!). The ink directly into the paper requires a de-inking process at the mill.
The only way to recycle is for 1) recyclers being able to separate coated paper from the other mixed paper items, 2) be able to make money for the effort, and 3) have enough paper mills willing to buy this material that are equipped to handle it that can also get a Return on their investment and effort. That is a hard sell.
There are about a dozen specialty city recycling (Seattle,
Denver, etc) programs that are now accepting coffee cups but the aforementioned difficulties are still huge barriers to overcome. Meanwhile, billions of these cups (Starbucks alone is around 6 billion) are generated every year with no place to go while everyone continues to use single-use hoping the fateful ‘holy grail’ savior swoops in before they get colon cancer or the discarded mess plague the environment.
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