Are Styrofoam coffee cups safe for hot drinks?
Avoid polystyrene foam cups for hot coffee when you can. A 2026 cup study found phthalates, BPA, photoinitiators, and PFOA in polyethylene and polystyrene beverage cups.
What's in the cup
Styrofoam is expanded polystyrene. It is light, cheap, and often used for hot coffee at gas stations, offices, and takeout counters.
The concern is food contact under heat. Hot drinks can sit in the cup for 20 minutes or more. That gives small chemicals from cup materials, coatings, printing inks, or contamination more time to move into the drink.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B tested 40 polyethylene and polystyrene beverage cup samples. The researchers measured phthalates, bisphenols, photoinitiators, and 2 perfluorinated compounds.
The study found DEHP up to 0.95 mg/kg, BPA at 0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg, several photoinitiators, and PFOA in 2 samples. The authors called for continued monitoring of food-contact materials.
This does not mean one cup of coffee is an emergency. It does mean disposable plastic and foam cups are not the best daily hot-drink habit, especially for pregnant people or families trying to lower repeated exposure.
What to do instead
Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel for hot coffee when you can. If you buy coffee out, pour it into your own cup soon after purchase. At home, a glass coffee cup is an easy swap away from polystyrene foam.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Migration of phthalates, bisphenols, photoinitiators, and perfluorinated compounds in polyethylene and polystyrene based beverage cups. | J Environ Sci Health B | 2026 |