Disposable paper cups unsafe, may cause cancer

Disposable paper and plastic cups, widely used for taking hot beverages like coffee and tea, are not safe for health, experts said.

Since the disposable cups are made of paper and often lined with plastic or wax to prevent liquid from leaking out or soaking through the paper, health risks are inevitable, they said.

“If the paper cups were made using wax, then there would be no health problems. But mixed with a thin plastic layer it could pose health problems,” said Dr M.G. Naga Kishore, surgical oncologist at Balaji Cancer Care Centre in Guntur.

He explained that it would not be possible to identify the material that is used in cups. He said the plastic layer leaches chemicals when hot liquids are poured in it. That could cause cancer if it contains Bisphenol A (BPA). It would mimic the gene and cause breast cancer in women, Dr. Kishore explained.

Polyethylene coated Indobev or Nanobev type paper is used for making paper cups, said a ITC distributor in Vijayawada. Polyethylene can withstand some heat and would not cause harm, stated Dr K. Vijay, faculty, pharmaceutical chem- istry, Pharmacy College, Acharya Nagarjuna University. But, he said, the polyethylene would melt if the heat of the beverage exceeds limits.

On the other hand, Krishna District Industrial Centre general manager G. Rajendra Prasad said most paper cup manufacturers are using permitted chemical coated papers.

Mr K.J. Rajasekhar, owner of Sprint Paper Products, based in Vijayawada, said that unless they use wax paper, the liquid will leak. High impact polystyrene, known as general plastic has been used for making plastic cups for common use like taking hot and cold beverages including coffee and tea which is dangerous, said Dr Vijay. He said that as soon as it is exposed to heat it would melt in the liquid.