Can disposable plastic cups leach chemicals into alcoholic drinks?
Use caution. A 2026 animal and lab study found that alcohol pulled microplastic- and PFAS-related compounds from disposable plastic cups, and the leachates worsened alcohol-linked neurotoxicity markers in rats. Use glass for drinks when you can.
What's actually in it
Disposable plastic cups can contain plastic polymers, additives, and residues from manufacturing. Alcohol can pull some chemicals out of plastic more strongly than plain water.
This page is about disposable plastic cups with alcoholic drinks. It is not proof that every hot drink in every plastic cup has the same risk.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Environ Res tested leachates formed when disposable plastic cups contacted alcohol. Lab tests found compounds related to microplastics and PFAS migrating into alcohol.
The researchers then gave the leachates or alcohol alone to male rats every 48 hours for 8 weeks. The leachate groups showed hippocampal structural changes, blood-brain barrier disruption, mitochondrial swelling, and cognitive performance changes compared with alcohol alone.
What to do at home
Use glass or stoneware cups for alcoholic drinks when you can. Avoid storing alcohol in disposable plastic. For hot drinks, glass, stoneware, or stainless steel is still the better everyday choice.