Disposable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cups have certain limitations in terms of heat resistance, and their high temperature resistance can usually only withstand up to 70 degrees Celsius. If hot drinks exceeding this temperature are contained, the stability of the PET material will be significantly affected, which may lead to the release of harmful substances, thus posing a threat to human health. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using disposable PET cups to hold high-temperature drinks, such as hot tea and hot coffee. When slightly hot drinks need to be contained, ensure that the drinks are cooled to a safe temperature range before pouring them in to ensure safety.
In terms of the content, disposable PET cups are not suitable for long-term storage of alcohol, oils and other substances. Alcohol and oil components may react chemically with PET materials, thereby affecting the taste and quality of the drinks, and even causing the deterioration of the cup body material and the release of harmful substances. In addition, strongly acidic or corrosive liquids should not be contained in such cups. Such liquids will cause serious corrosion to the PET cups, causing the cups to break, and may cause harmful substances to dissolve, further contaminating the drinks.
In addition, the use environment also has an important impact on the safety of disposable PET cups. Avoid placing the cup in the car and exposing it to the sun, because the temperature inside the car will rise rapidly under the sun, far exceeding the heat resistance range of the PET cup, which can easily cause the cup to deform or even release harmful substances. At the same time, PET materials are flammable and need to be kept away from fire sources to avoid safety hazards such as fire caused by contact with fire sources.
During use, users need to pay attention to the integrity of the cup at all times. Once the cup is found to have cracks or damage, it should be stopped immediately. A broken cup cannot maintain good sealing and stability, which may cause the drink to leak. At the same time, the broken part may also become a breeding ground for bacteria, further contaminating the drink. In addition, even if the cup looks intact, it still needs to be handled with caution after repeated use. Repeated use will reduce the stability of the PET cup and increase the risk of harmful substances being released.
For the recycling of disposable PET cups, users should also have corresponding knowledge. Although PET materials have good recyclability, if the cup is contaminated with a lot of oil or food residues after use, it will have a negative impact on the recycling quality. Therefore, before discarding, the residue in the cup should be cleaned as much as possible to improve the efficiency of subsequent recycling.