Do disposable paper cups release heavy metals into your drinks?

What's actually in it

Disposable paper cups aren't just paper. They're coated with a thin layer of polyethylene (PE) or polylactic acid (PLA) plastic to make them waterproof. When you pour a hot drink into one, the heat breaks down this plastic lining, releasing microplastic particles, chemical additives, and metal ions into your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

Cold drinks also extract chemicals from paper cups, just more slowly.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Food Addit Contam Part A tested disposable paper cups sold in Turkey for microplastics, ions, and heavy metals that leach into liquids. The results apply to paper cups sold globally, since most use similar plastic linings.

Hot water (95 degrees C) extracted the most microplastics, with a single cup releasing thousands of particles per serving. The researchers also found lead, cadmium, chromium, and zinc leaching from the cup material and printed designs on the exterior.

Colored and printed cups released more heavy metals than plain white ones, because the inks and dyes contained metal pigments that migrated through the paper into the drink.

If you buy coffee or tea daily in paper cups, you're accumulating microplastic and metal exposure over hundreds of servings per year. Bringing a reusable ceramic or stainless steel travel mug eliminates this source entirely. If you must use disposable cups, choose uncoated ones or those with certified food-safe linings.