Pure Mavens

I hesitate to make what’s sure to be a wildly unpopular assertion, but I’ve had a heart-breaking revelation to share. There are few things many people enjoy in greater quantity than coffee drinks – Starbucks to be specific. I don’t have a problem with the actual coffee – it’s the lids that caught my attention.

In a past blog post we provided a memorable saying to help keep track of the plastics that are okay (those with a 1, 2, 4, or 5 in the little triangle), and those that have been linked to potentially harmful chemicals (those with another number in the little triangle): “1 way 2 go 4 a high-5 is to avoid everything else.” So what a bummer to find that telltale “6” staring right back at me as I sipped my Grande Bold (with room) through the plastic lid.

As the blog “Eco Village Green” explains, plastic with a number 6 “is polystyrene, or Styrofoam, from which disposable containers and packaging are made. You’ll also find it in disposable plates and cups. Evidence is increasingly suggesting that this type of plastic leaches potentially toxic chemicals, especially when heated. I suggest avoiding the use of #6 plastic as much as possible.”

Wouldn’t scalding hot coffee flowing through, um, heat the plastic?

So am I going to stop drinking Starbucks? Not on your life. But I do take the lid off whenever possible as a result of this discovery. Sip on – and feel confident you’re helping to repurify each morning with a little information on your side.