Why did eco-friendly cups become too popular?
Biodegradable cups or eco friendly cups are something that one can see almost everywhere. These cups are found in coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, cafes, food outlets, public institutions, and many more. But why are these cups in such a demand?
The reason behind this is very simple, these cups are made of a biodegradable material. This means that even if these cups are being disposed of in garbage disposals, they will eventually breakdown and mix with the earth. Governments from most countries have put these eco friendly cups in an application at large scale, and reports say that these cups have prevented pollution to a certain extent.
Why do eco-friendly cups do not work as expected?
This is a very common question amongst most people, even though the cups are being made of biodegradable material, it can be seen that the cups do not degrade and remain stagnant for long periods. There is a very reasonable explanation to this, most eco friendly cups are made out of PLA or polylactic acid plastic. Polylactic Acid is a type of polymer that is made from a high concentration of polylactic acid molecules.
For these polylactic acid molecules to biodegrade, the molecules must be broken up by a process known as hydrolyzing which involves the use of water to break these molecules. For this breakdown process to occur naturally, heat and moisture are required in adequate quantity. But when these eco friendly cups are being thrown either into the trash or the land-fill, these cups do not get the heat and moisture that they require to ger hydrolyzed and thus the breakdown process never initiates and the cups remain stagnant for decades and centuries polluting the environment the same as before.
How should eco-friendly cups make to be more effective in their application?
Technologies are developing all across the world and so did the material used in the making of biodegradable cups. Most of these cups, though made of paper or styrofoam have a waterproof lining to prevent liquid leakages from the cups. These waterproof linings are either made up of petroleum ormaterials such as corn, sugarcane, or potato, which are considered to be renewable. Moreover, some resources suggest that eco friendly cups are being made of easily degradable bioplastic.
Another solution to the cups’ ineffectiveness is the lack of proper composting facilities. Unless and until better technologies are developed for the utilization of the cups’ biodegradable material toward composting, these cups will continue to stagnate the environment, either in landfills or other disposed of places. The composting technologies should be able to break down the materials efficiently and then put in use for the fortification of soil.
Kwa nini vikombe visivyo na madhara ya kimazingira vimejulikana sana? Kikombe cha biodegradable au kikombe cha mazingira ni kitu ambacho mtu anaweza kuona karibu kila mahali. Vikombe hivyo vinapatikana katika maduka ya kahawa, mikahawa, hoteli, mikahawa, maduka ya vyakula, taasisi za umma, na mengine mengi. Lakini kwa nini vikombe hivyo vinatamaniwa sana? Sababu ya hili ni rahisi sana, vikombe hivi vimetengenezwa kwa vifaa vinavyoweza kuharibika. Hii inamaanisha kwamba hata kama vikombe hivi vinatupwa katika vituo vya kuondoa taka, hatimaye vitaharibika na kuchanganyika na ardhi. Serikali za nchi nyingi zimetumia vikombe hivi vya mazingira kwa kiwango kikubwa, na ripoti zinasema kwamba vikombe hivi vimezuia uchafuzi kwa kiwango fulani. Kwa nini vikombe visivyo na madhara kwa mazingira havifanyi kazi kama inavyotarajiwa? Hii ni swali la kawaida sana miongoni mwa watu wengi, ingawa vikombe vinatengenezwa kwa vifaa vinavyoweza kuharibika, inaweza kuonekana kwamba vikombe havivunjiki na kubaki kwa muda mrefu. Kwa sababu hii, ni muhimu kujua kwamba vioo vya eco-friendly ni viwanda vya plastiki ya PLA au polylactic. Asidi ya polylactic ni aina ya polima ambayo hutengenezwa kutoka kwa mkusanyiko wa juu wa molekuli za asidi ya polylactic. Kwa molekuli hizi za asidi ya polylactic kuharibika, lazima kuvunjwa kwa mchakato unaojulikana kama hydrolysis ambayo inahusisha matumizi ya maji kuvunja molekuli hizi. Ili mchakato huo wa uharibifu utokee kwa njia ya asili, joto na unyevu zinahitajiwa kwa kiasi cha kutosha. Lakini wakati vikombe hivi vya mazingira vinavyotumiwa kutupwa kwenye takasusi au mahali pa kuondoa taka, vikombe hivyo havipati joto na unyevu unaohitajika ili kuharibika, na hivyo mchakato wa uharibifu hauwezi kuanza na vikombe vinabaki kwa miongo na karne, na kuchafua mazingira kama ilivyokuwa hapo awali. Ni nini cha kufanya vikombe vya mazingira kuwa na ufanisi zaidi katika matumizi yao? Teknolojia zinaendelea kusitawi ulimwenguni pote na hivyo ndivyo vifaa vinavyotumiwa kutengeneza vikombe vinavyoweza kuharibika. Kikombe hiki kimeundwa kwa karatasi au Styrofoam na kinga ya maji ili kuzuia kuvuja kwa maji kutoka kwenye kikombe. Vipande hivi vya maji ni ama kufanywa kwa mafuta au vifaa kama vile mahindi, miwa, au viazi, ambayo ni kuchukuliwa kuwa upya. Isitoshe, baadhi ya vyanzo vinadokeza kwamba vikombe vyenye kuvutia mazingira vinatengenezwa kwa plastiki ya kibiolojia inayoweza kuharibiwa kwa urahisi. Suluhisho jingine la kutokuwa na matokeo kwa vikombe ni ukosefu wa vifaa vya kufanyiza mbolea. Isipokuwa na mpaka teknolojia bora zitakapotengenezwa kwa matumizi ya vikombe vya biodegradable kwa ajili ya composting, vikombe hivi vitaendelea kusimamisha mazingira, ama katika majumba ya taka au maeneo mengine yaliyotupwa. Teknolojia ya composting inapaswa kuwa na uwezo wa kuvunja vifaa kwa ufanisi na kisha kuweka katika matumizi kwa ajili ya ngome ya udongo.