Why we Should not Drink Tea or Coffee in Plastic Cup?

Plastic, plastic everywhere, no plastic is but safe !!!

Plastic is a new God???

The phrase “Plastic is a new God” is likely used metaphorically to express the idea that plastic has become an omnipresent and highly influential aspect of modern life. It suggests that plastic, due to its widespread use and importance in various industries and daily activities, holds a significant place in society, akin to the significance of a deity or a powerful force.

Gone are the days when plastic was considered the safest option due to its durability. Now, it is viewed as a threat or slow poison. Previously, it was preferred over glass for storage, but nowadays, it is seen as household waste. Plastic has become omnipresent, almost as common as God.

A significant portion of daily use plastic comes in the form of disposable cups and utensils. Have you ever considered that diseases like cancers, thyroid abnormalities, and infertility issues, which used to be rare just a few decades ago, have now become as common as a regular cough and cold? In our fast-paced and convenient life, everything has become ready-made: ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, and ready-to-serve.

Why Drinking Coffee/Tea in Plastic Cups Harmful?

It is crucial for individuals to be mindful of their consumption habits and consider reducing the use of disposable plastic items. Many plastic products, including cups, straws, and food containers, may contain harmful chemicals like styrene, BPA, and formaldehyde, which can pose health risks when they leach into the food or beverages we consume.

To minimize the use of disposable plastics, consider opting for reusable alternatives made from materials like stainless steel, glass, or biodegradable substances. By making small changes in our daily routines, we can collectively contribute to a healthier planet and protect ourselves from potential health hazards associated with plastic use.

What Happens when use Plastic Cups for Hot Drinks?

Migration is a phenomenon that occurs when chemical substances in plastic move from the plastic item’s surface into the surrounding environment or the contents of the item it comes into contact with.

Studies have shown that the chemicals present in disposable packaging and food containers can have adverse effects on human health, particularly in the context of reproductive health. These chemicals have been linked to interference in sperm production, genital malformation, and hormonal disturbances.

Chemicals like formaldehyde and styrene, which are commonly found in disposable cups, have been identified as known or suspected carcinogens by the National Toxicology Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014).

Disposable food packaging and containers can contain approximately 170 hazardous chemicals. Some of the main culprits among these chemicals are explained below. The presence of these harmful substances highlights the need to be cautious about using disposable plastic products and consider more eco-friendly and safer alternatives for food storage and packaging.

Frequently Asked Questions on Plastic Cups for Tea Coffee

Q: Why does Migration Happen when we take Hot Drinks in Plastic Cups?
Ans: In most of the cases, migration is not desirable. The plastic material is not pure plastic polymer, a large number of other compounds called Additives are added to the parent polymer to improve its physical properties and performance. Additives are not chemically bonded to the basic plastic polymer. So, they are liable to migrate when subjected to thermal or chemical changes.

Q: Why Harmful Chemicals are added in Plastic Cups?
Ans: The answer is very simple – Money! Unfortunately, most of the times additives are not added to improve the properties of the plastic, but to reduce its cost.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the least expensive of all other types of plastics. To reduce the cost of plastic material, PVC is preferred. However, to make it suitable for use, more than 50% of its weight, additives are added. More the additive more would be a migration of harmful substances.

Q: Is Migration due to Hot Drinks in Plastic Cups Harmful?
Ans: So, when you drink hot tea or coffee, heat from the drink is transferred to the plastic cup, accelerating leaching out of additives from the plastic into the hot drinks or food. Some of these additives can be harmful and are responsible for many types of cancer, hormonal disruption in the human body.

Q: Which plastic is used to make foam hot drink cups?
Ans: Mostly it is expanded polystyrene(EPS0 chemical that is used in foam-based drinking containers. Polystyrene is a plastic filled with tiny air bubbles. These air bubbles enhance the cup’s thermal insulation.

Q: Which plastic cups are good for hot drinks ?
Ans: Polypropylene cups are great cups for hot drinks. They do not melt at a high temperature as compared to others. They are sturdier and do not radiate heat on the surface because of the fiber insulation.

Q: Is drinking hot drinks in paper cups better than in plastic cups?
Ans: No, according to a scientific study drinking hot drinks both in plastic or paper cups is not healthy. When we pour a hot drink in a paper or plastic cup, the tiny plastic particles on the inside surface of these cups get dissolved with the drink and enter into your body when you drink in them. These tiny materials are highly contaminated and not good for health.

Q: What are the 5 Most Harmful Additives Chemicals in Plastics?
Ans: Below is a list of 5 most harmful addictive chemicals

1	Styrene	Styrene is a common component of polystyrene plastic which is most commonly found in disposable cups and bowls, Styrofoam food trays, egg containers, opaque cutlery and carryout containers. Polystyrene cup, approximately 0.025 % styrene can be transferred to the human body with a hot or cold beverage. Now, if you drink water, tea or coffee in a Polystyrene cup four times a day for three years, this would be equivalent to consuming one Styrofoam cup-worth of styrene with your beverage.   5 Factors that affect Leaching of Styrene from disposable food items: 1. Fat contents in the food Being fat soluble, leaching of Styrene is more with higher fat content in the food. 2. Heat Migration of styrene increases with an increase in the temperature of food or beverages. 3. Acidity More the acidic food or beverage, more the leaching of styrene. 4. Presence of ethanol Alcoholic beverages increase the migration rate of styrene into food or beverage as styrene is soluble in ethanol. 5. Presence of Vitamin A If the food containing vitamin A comes in contact with heat (such as microwave heat), Vitamin A degrades and form Toluene. Toulene dissolves the styrene and increases its concentration in beverages. As per the Foundation for Achievements in Science, long-term exposure to a small quantity of styrene can cause: 1. Low platelets count or hemoglobin values Chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities 2. The neurotoxic effect due to the accumulation of styrene in the brain tissues, spinal cord and peripheral nerves causes fatigue, behavioral changes like nervousness, anxiety and other chronic disorder related to the nervous system. 3. Chronic exposure to high level of styrene can damage the liver and nerve tissues. 4. Extra caution should be taken in case of pregnant women as it affects adversely on developing the body. 5. As alcohol can pass through the placental barrier, this could be the the vehicle for the transmission of styrene monomer into a fetus. 6. Styrene can be transmitted through breast milk to the newborn. 7. Styrene raises the risk of cancer of the pancreas and of oesophagus among styrene workers. (International Agency for Research on Cancer) .
2	Bisphenol A (BPA)	Polycarbonate leaches bisphenol A and it is used in food packaging and canned food. It is advised to the pregnant women to avoid BPA exposure by not using canned and packaged food. BPA exposure may disrupt normal breast development and also cause breast cancer in later life.   BPA is also linked to having and an adverse effect on the brain development of girl child if the mother is exposed to BPA during pregnancy. BPA is endocrine disrupting chemical and may acts like estrogen or anti-estrogen so it may alter the effect of sex hormone in girls. The high BPA content causes prostate cancer and reduces sperm production. Thus, it causes infertility in males as well. High BPA content in plastic cups reduces immunity power of our body. A person having high BPA content is aggressive and hyperactive.
3	Formaldehyde	The formaldehyde is used as a preservative which is found in many disposable coffee cups. According to the report of National Institute of Health that formaldehyde has been linked to both leukaemia and a rare type of nasal cancer (National Toxicology Service, U.S. Department of Health Human Services, 2014).
4	Phthalates	Component of PVC,  Phthalates are a group of chemicals which is responsible for endocrine –disrupting.   Phthalates act as weak estrogens and have been linked to early puberty in girls, a risk factor for breast cancer in later life. Phthalate plasticizers react to vegetable oil.
5	Vinyl Chloride and Dioxin	Bothteachere from PVteachertics. While Vinyl Chloride was one of the first chemicals which have been declared known human carcinogen, Dioxin has been found to be carcinogenic by National Toxicology Program (NTP) and International Agency fResearchchh on CaResearchRC). Vinyl chloride has been linked to increased mortality from breast cancer among workers involved in the manufacturing of PVC. Dioxin acts as an endocrine disruptor.

 

Omilights Youtube video on tea coffee in plastic cups

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