Bamboo cups are made of.... you guessed it: bamboo! Bamboo is a fast-growing and renewable resource that is considered an eco-friendly alternative to certain plastic items like plastic cups. Being a sustainable choice of drinking cups for people who like to drink coffee or tea on the go, bamboo cups have become very popular.
However! They can be environmentally unfriendly and even harmful. This depends on how they are produced and used. Researchers from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) warned the government about the safety of bamboo kitchenware back in 2019, and the German consumer organization (vzbv) also sounded the alarm back then.
So how sustainable are bamboo cups really? We'll tell you more about it in this blog.
Bamboo cups are less environmental friendly than you might expect. first of all, bamboo cups are treated with a plastic coating to make them waterproof, this can make them non-recyclable and difficult to biodegrade in nature. In addition, bamboo fibers are biodegradable, but the resin is not.
This means you cannot recycle the cups and this results in them having to be incinerated. Furthermore, the production of bamboo cups can be harmful to the environment if, for example, a lot of energy is used during production, chemicals harmful to the environment are used, or if the waste is not disposed of properly.
A German consumer organization already raised the alarm when researchers found that melamine and formaldehyde can be released into your hot drink if it is left for too long. However, the study did not show that users had any health issues. In doing so, the researchers kept the hot liquid in the bamboo cups at 70°C for two hours. Usually, of course, you don't wait two hours to drink your coffee or keep it hotter than 70°C for two hours.
Moreover, bamboo cups can be problematic if not properly maintained and cleaned. This is because many bamboo cups contain a plastic coating that can be harmful to both your health and the environment. In fact, this coating can wear off or become damaged. As a result, microplastics can get into your drink.
Finally, bamboo dinnerware is often made of melamine, to which bamboo fibers are added. However, this mix is banned in Europe as it more easily gives off formaldehyde.
It is important to note that not all bamboo cups are created equal. While some may be harmful to the environment and your health due to chemical treatments and coatings, other cups are not.
So when choosing a bamboo cup, it is important to keep in mind that you choose a bamboo cup that is made from sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, and is free of harmful chemicals. Also, the cup should be properly maintained and properly recycled at the end of its life.
Before buying a bamboo cup, it's important to keep in mind that there are other ways to contribute to the environment. For example, our water-saving IMPACT collection! This way you not only help the environment, but also save on your water bill!
So what are you waiting for? Check out our range of IMPACT products and find out how you can make small but effective changes in your daily routine to help the environment.
Tip: Want to know more about how the IMPACT collection: makes a positive contribution to your water consumption? Then read our blog about it.
