The simple reason you can’t put coffee in solo cups is due to the materials and manufacturing methods that are used in the production of solo cups. A study has shown that when plastic gets to a certain temperature, like when hot liquids such as coffee is added, these plastic cups and containers leach toxins.
The only place the toxins can be leached is into the liquid inside the cup which therefore enters your body when you drink it. Cool or colder beverages do not reach the temperatures that cause leaching. This is why, from a health point of view, solo cups are not as bad to use with cold drinks.
Although #6 does not contain BPA, there are other chemicals used in their manufacture that are not safe and can cause harm to our bodies. In a report published by the Pediatrics The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report in warning against using not only #6 but also #3 and #7 due to the chemicals released when heated foods and beverages come into contact with them.
Recycling code number 6
Anything that has recycling code number 6, be it a solo cup, disposable food container or egg carton, is hard to recycle as it made from polystyrene (PS). It is used because it is cheap and creates lightweight products. According to New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation, polystyrene is difficult to sort and not economically viable.
So if you can’t put coffee in solo cups then what are the alternatives?