Tableware to go

Right now, the best place to put a single-use coffee cup may be the garbage can. Which is sad, because a majority of paper hot cups are compostable or recyclable. But the almost-imperceptible interior lining of a recyclable cup would contaminate a compost pile if it’s made of polyethylene. Compostable coatings can interfere with recycling processes built to take polyethylene-lined paper. And few people even realize the cups have linings. Creative coating chemistry is coming quickly to cut plastic contamination out of compostable containers. The problem right now is that although paper itself is biodegradable and straightforward to recycle, it needs help to stand up to liquids, especially if they’re hot or contain oils. No one wants a cup filled with coffee or noodle soup to come apart halfway between the café and the office. Biobased plates, bowls, straws, and cutlery face the same dilemma. Natural fibers can be environmentally