It’s just a paper cup, the kind your local barista has been pouring your latte into for as long as you can remember. Perhaps you even know for a fact that this cup was made from post-consumer recycled paper, or that the warehouse it was stored in is kept in pristine condition. What could possibly be so dangerous about one little cup?
Ever think about what holds your little cup together? The adhesive on the seam of the cup makes it functional. It comes into close contact with the cup’s contents. And it’s made out of poisonous chemicals like melamine, the substance found in tainted dog food during the summer of 2007.
When coffee is poured into a paper cup, the glue on the seam is immersed in hot liquid and begins to dissolve. Though the adhesive doesn’t entirely melt away, trace amounts make their way into the neighboring cappuccino or cafe mocha sharing space in the cup. That glue – melamine and all – invades your body with each sip. Over time, the chemicals from the adhesive accumulate in your body, leading to serious illness, including potential kidney failure.
Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself from melamine poisoning. Read more about melamine poisoning and keep up with consumer alerts here at our site. Bring your own mug to your favorite coffee bar. And warn your friends about the very real danger of paper coffee cups.
It’s just a paper cup. One little cup with one very big secret.
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Melamine Poisoning 
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