Plastic cup
A plastic cup is a disposable cup made out of plastic. It is most commonly used as a container to hold beverages.
Distinguishing features
Plastic cups come in a variety of colours, textures and sizes.
Most plastic cups contain a resin identification code which can be seen by inverting the cup and reading the numerical value printed on the bottom.
Uses
Plastic cups are often used for gatherings where it would be inconvenient to wash dishes afterward, due to factors such as location or number of guests. Plastic cups can be used for storing most liquids, but hot liquids may melt or warp the material.
Environmental issues
Most plastic cups are designed for single uses and then disposal or recycling. A life cycle inventory of a comparison of paper and plastic shows environmental effects of both with no clear winner. Production of one plastic cup emits 135 pounds of green house gases[1]
See also
- Cup holder
- Paper cup
- Polylactic acid (used in making decomposable plastic cups)
References
- ^ Hocking, M. B. (1 February 1991), "Paper Versus Polystyrene: A Complex Choice" (PDF), Science, 251 (4993): 504, doi:10.1126/science.251.4993.504, PMID 17840849
.svg){kind=small} | This article about an item of drinkware or tool used in preparation or serving of drink is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |