Why Tim Hortons?
The Tim Horton's coffee cup is an issue of concern for its basic disposing element: it is not recyclable. This is due to the polyethylene liner within the cup used to keep beverages warm without disintegrating through. However, this polyethylene liner may be beneficial to consumers, in a larger spectrum, it causes a concern for the environment.
By placing the coffee cups in the recycling bin a consumer is causing more harm that they would if placed in a garbage bin. In fact, when coffee cups go in the blue bin they are rejected from the recycling process and labelled as contaminants and end up in the land fill anyways. In some jurisdictions paper cups can be placed in the composite bin. However, this also causes problems as the paper components of the cup will compost but the plastic layer within it will remain. In some instances, the paper may not even decompose as their must be proper moisture and air circulation for the paper component of the coffee cup to degrade.
By placing the coffee cups in the recycling bin a consumer is causing more harm that they would if placed in a garbage bin. In fact, when coffee cups go in the blue bin they are rejected from the recycling process and labelled as contaminants and end up in the land fill anyways. In some jurisdictions paper cups can be placed in the composite bin. However, this also causes problems as the paper components of the cup will compost but the plastic layer within it will remain. In some instances, the paper may not even decompose as their must be proper moisture and air circulation for the paper component of the coffee cup to degrade.