Here are a list of the most common questions we receive about reCUPs. For additional questions, please give us a call.

Who makes paper cups with EarthCoating®

Paper cups made with EarthCoating® are available through licensed manufacturers of Smart Planet Technologies To find a distributor of paper cups made with EarthCoating®, click here. For those interested in becoming a licensed distributor or manufacturer of paper cups made with EarthCoating® please contact Smart Planet Technologies.

What is EarthCoating®?

EarthCoating® is a new paperboard barrier coating made of minerals and plastic (Calcium Carbonate and Polyethylene) By using EarthCoating® to create paper cups they become valuable to collect and easy to pulp into recycled paper using conventional recycling equipment. They also use 44-51% less plastic than traditional paper cups. For more details about EarthCoating®, please visit Smart Planet Technologies.

Why aren’t paper cups recycled? Isn’t paper recyclable?

Paper cups are actually a mixed material of paper and plastic. The plastic coating is needed to provide a barrier so that liquids wont get absorbed by the paper fibers, and to provide the sealing at the seams to form the shape of a cup. Coffee cups are typically 6% plastic with the plastic interior coating while paper cold cups are typically 12% plastic becuase they are coated on both sides. Paper cups are typically not defined as recyclable because the majority of paper cups are still manufactured using 100% polymer coatings which are contaminants to paper recycling systems, paper cups with polyethylene do not pass industry recyclability testing, and are often sorted to landfills.

What type of recyclability claims can I make if I use paper cups made with EarthCoating®?

Paper cups with EarthCoating are universally compatible with conventional paper recycling systems, and have qualified as recyclable by industry testing standards, in the uncoated paper collection category. However, countries and territories vary in the approach to defining “recyclable”, and therefore the claims allowed can vary. Legislation and policies are trying to find the right balance by recognizing innovation in materials that improve recyclability, while not allowing recyclability claims for materials that are theoretically recyclable, but impractical to recycle. Contact us to discuss the allowable claims by country for reCUPs.

Are paper cups made with EarthCoating® compostable?

EarthCoating technology is the mineralization of resin coatings for more sustainable packaging solutions. Sustainability claims for paper cups made with EarthCoating® vary based on what type of resin is being mineralized

EarthCoating 40 is a blend of 40% minerals and 60% polyethylene, resulting in a paper cup with 40% less plastic and recyclable.

BioEarthCoating 40 is a blend of 40% minerals and 60% biopolymer (combination of PLA and BioPBS), resulting in a paper cup with 40% less plastic, bio-based, recyclable, and industrially compostable. PLA and BioPBS are combined, to take advantage of the low cost of PLA, while gaining the ease of manufacturing paper cups with BioPBS. When these two resins are then mixed with minerals, you wind up with an optimal combination of sustainability claims.

What the difference between paper cups made with EarthCoating® and traditional paper cups?

Paper cups made with EarthCoating® look, feel and perform the same as typical polyethylene-coated paper cups. However, conventional poly-coated paper cups are too difficult for paper recyclers to process through their conventional recycling equipment because of the 100% plastic coating used to make them. Paper cups made with EarthCoating® may be easily pulped into recycled paper using conventional paper recycling equipment and contains 40-51% less plastic than conventional polyethylene paper cups. To learn more about EarthCoating®, visit Smart Planet Technologies.

Are paper cups made with EarthCoating® compliant for direct food contact?

Yes, paper cups made with EarthCoating® are compliant for direct food contact in the U.S., EU and U.K.. To learn more or to view our certifications, contact Smart Planet Technologies.

Do paper cups made with EarthCoating® meet EU migration standards?

Yes, paper cups made with EarthCoating® meet EU migration standards. To learn more or to view our certifications, contact Smart Planet Technologies

Do paper cups made with EarthCoating® cost more than polyethylene-coated paper cups?

Paper cups made with EarthCoating® are within a 5% price range compared to conventional polyethylene-coated paper cups. In comparison, industrially-compostable paper cups with PLA or BioPBS typically cost 30-60% more than polyethylene=coated cups. So, reCUP and EarthCoating are very affordable approaches to paper cups with genuine eco-credentials.

Mineralization of biopolymer resins offset the expensive cost of biopolymer resins, while improving the manufacturing performance, leading to additional cost savings opportunities in biobased/recyclable/compostable paper cups.