What is a paper cup made of?

A paper cup is a disposable cup made out of paper and often lined or coated with PE, PLA or water-based materal to prevent liquid from leaking out or soaking through the paper. It may be made of recycled paper and is widely used around the world.

What's in a paper cup has the biggest impact on the environment is the coating material inside. Nowadays, it is the general trend to replace the traditional PE coating with degradable and recyclable coating, such as PLA and water-based coating.