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Stiftung Warentest warns against cups made from bamboo

23.7.2019

Translation: machine translated

Stiftung Warentest has tested reusable cups made from bamboo. The sustainable alternative to conventional plastic cups is just smoke and mirrors.

Many working people can't do without a coffee to go. A trip to the nearest coffee shop before work is a must. The many coffee cups that end up in the rubbish every day are an unpleasant side effect. As environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important in this country and more and more people are concerned about littering, reusable cups are very popular with the public. Coffee chains also welcome this approach and give customers who bring their own cup a discount on their hot drink. Stiftung Warentest has now revealed that bamboo cups, the supposedly sustainable alternative to plastic cups, are anything but healthy. [[image:26952992]] Coffee to go is now also a firm favourite with schoolchildren at snack time.

The verdict is devastating

All of the bamboo cups tested contained melamine resin, a component of adhesives used to mould bamboo fibres or bamboo powder. In itself, melamine resin is not a harmful substance as long as it is not heated. Except in the case of reusable cups that come into contact with hot drinks such as coffee or tea. When they are heated, harmful substances are transferred into the liquid we drink. Worse still, the more often the cup is heated, the more harmful substances are released into the coffee. The judgement of Stiftung Warentest could not be clearer: [[pullquote: «Keep your hands off bamboo cups. More than half of the cups tested leaked very high levels of melamine into the drink. The remaining cups almost all give the impression with false advertising promises that users are buying a pure bamboo product or doing the environment a favour. Use reusable cups made from materials other than bamboo for hot drinks on the go.»]]
The same also applies to microwave use. The long-term consequences include diseases of the bladder and kidney system, irritation of the respiratory tract, eyes and skin. There is even a risk of cancer through inhalation.

Greenwashing at its best: If you now think that you are at least doing something good for the environment with a bamboo cup, you are mistaken. Although pure bamboo is biodegradable, the finished product is not. If you throw your reusable cup into the compost, nothing will happen. On the contrary: it would probably outlive you.

Pick up your green thumb and follow me by clicking on the button at my author profile.

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Vanessa Kim

Editor

vanessa.kim@digitecgalaxus.ch

When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.

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