The University of Cauca is working in the development of a disposal cup that is also biodegradable. The cup will be based on cassava starch. ´The idea is create disposable products that are also biodegradable,´ said Héctor Villada, scholar at the Faculty of Agronomy to El Tiempo newspaper.
A brief history of the disposal cup
The disposable cup was created with the purpose of protect the public hygienic. In 1908 Hugh Moore created a porcelain apparatus to serve cold and pure water. The apparatus had three compartments: the top for the ice, the middle for water and the bottom for used cups. The apparatus had an add stating that the cups were not be used again, because they were just an accessory. The most important thing to be sold was the water, no the cups!
Some Moore´s water dispensers were installed in different streets of New York, but nobody bought the water. It became a financial problem for Moore that was resolved by a member of the sanitation department. He was Samuel Crumbine.
People used to drink water in public places from an unhygienic single cup. Crumbine was making the campaign to eliminate it for the good of the public health. Their attention went therefore to the disposal cups of Moore. Meanwhile, different States approved laws to abolish the public cups. It meant the business opportunity for Moore.
Caring the environment
Today, the disposal cup is common in any modern society. But what Moore and Cumbrine did not think was the environment. Tons of disposal cups are contaminating the earth.
In the southwest provinces of Colombia, cassava is the based for several local delicacies like pandebono and almojabana. However, the popular cassava will serve also to make the cups that will protect enviroment.
The Regional Center for Productivity and Innovation of the Cauca Department and the Ministry of Agriculture of Colombia, are supporting the research of the University of Cauca in Cali to make the creation a reality.
The cassave starch and a biopolymer will be the material of the biodegrabable cups. The cup will be integrated to the soil as fertilizer.
Buenas tardes,
Yo soy colombiana y actualmente vivo en Canadá. Mi empresa es distribuidora de platos, tazas, cubiertos, bandejas y vasos desechables hechos de maíz, caña de azúcar y almidón de papa. Quisiera apoyar la empresa de la Universidad del Cauca. Qué puedo hacer?
Muchas gracias.