Top Use Cases For Compostable Plastic-free Paper Cups | Bioleader® Insights

No. Water-based describes the coating application system, not necessarily the chemistry of the dry barrier. Some aqueous coatings contain polymer dispersions. A plastic-free claim should therefore be supported by the specific formulation and the applicable definition or verification method.

The PHA coated paper cup sample has SGS food-contact test documentation, including overall migration testing and hazardous bisphenols and bisphenol derivatives testing. Under the selected test conditions, the overall migration result was marked Pass, and selected bisphenols such as BPA, BPF, BPS, BPAF, and TBBPA were reported as Not Detected.

They can be recyclable in systems equipped to process coated paper cups. During pulping, usable paper fibers can be recovered while the PE lining is separated as a non-fiber fraction. However, local collection programs and mill acceptance vary, so PE-lined cups should not be described as recyclable everywhere.

PLA is commonly associated with industrial compostability, but the complete finished cup or bowl must meet the applicable compostability requirements. PLA-coated packaging should not automatically be described as home compostable, and practical composting also depends on local collection and industrial composting infrastructure.

A water-based coating is an aqueous barrier system applied to paperboard to provide liquid, grease, or moisture resistance. Water acts mainly as the carrier during coating application. After drying, the remaining barrier-forming solids create the functional coating on the finished cup.