Do disposable plastic cups leach chemicals into alcohol?

What's actually in it

Disposable plastic cups can be made from plastics such as polypropylene, PET, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polyamide. Plastic can shed tiny particles and chemical residues into liquids.

Alcohol is a stronger solvent than water. That means it can pull more plastic-related chemicals from a cup, especially when the drink sits for a long time.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Res tested leachates from disposable cups exposed to alcohol. The researchers found compounds related to microplastics and PFAS in the alcohol leachates.

The study then gave the leachates to male rats every 48 hours for 8 weeks. Compared with alcohol alone, the plastic-alcohol leachates were linked with worse cognitive performance, changes in the hippocampus, blood-brain-barrier disruption, and mitochondrial swelling.

This was an animal study, so it does not prove the same effect from one drink at a party. It does show that disposable plastic cups are a poor match for alcohol.

The practical step is easy. Use glass or stoneware cups for alcoholic drinks. If a disposable cup is the only option, do not let strong drinks sit in it for hours.