Eli5: why do we use plastic cups for cold drinks and paper cups for hot ones?

Question

Eli5: why do we use plastic cups for cold drinks and paper cups for hot ones?

In: 2

Answer 1

While there are paper cups for both hot and cold drinks, in the thicknesses used for disposable cups, plastic would melt or warp from boiling liquid while paper does not. Making plastic cups much thicker to accommodate the high temps of coffee, tea, etc. doesn’t make sense from a cost or ecological standpoint.