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Is it very unhygienic for disposable paper cups to be reused?

2025-11-09

When you go to a place to consume, the waiter may hand you a cup of tea in a disposable paper cup to show their attentive service. But if you knew that the cup you were using had already been repeatedly used by other customers, would you feel strange. Recently, the "Xiaohong Help" hotline received feedback from citizens regarding this matter.

The disposable paper cups provided to guests in this bathroom are actually used. Recently, Mr. Zhang, a citizen, called our newspaper and said that he and his son went to a bathroom in the city to take a bath. After washing, the two of them went to the lobby to rest. At this moment, a waiter took out two disposable paper cups and poured water for them to drink. As the two of them had just left, Mr. Zhang returned to the lobby to retrieve the keys he had forgotten. However, he accidentally discovered that the paper cups he and his son had just used were not thrown away by the waiter. Instead, they were wiped with towels and directly returned to the counter. Some even left them dry to continue serving other customers. After seeing it, he was greatly shocked and asked, "Did someone else use the cup that my son and I just drank water from? If someone has an infectious disease, wouldn't other customers suffer as well?" Mr. Zhang felt that doing business in this bathroom was too unethical, but due to difficulties in obtaining evidence, he had to give up. However, Mr. Zhang said that he will never consume in this bathroom again in the future, and he even suspects that disposable cups in other business premises are also reused in this way.

Yesterday, the reporter conducted a secret investigation on this matter. The reporter arrived at a jewelry counter, and the salesperson enthusiastically filled hot water with paper cups printed with the brand logo and handed them over. The reporter circled around the counter and made some inquiries, during which he drank a few sips of water. After a few minutes, the reporter left the paper cup on the counter under the pretext of leaving, and noticed that the salesperson had thrown the paper cup into the trash can when leaving. Subsequently, the reporter visited another eyewear store, which treated the paper cups handed over to customers in the same way as the jewelry counter mentioned above: they were disposed of. Although it may seem a bit wasteful, it is responsible to the customers, "said a staff member of the eyewear store.
So, why does Mr. Zhang's bathroom repeatedly reuse disposable paper cups? A waiter in the bathroom revealed to reporters that it is a private small bathroom. In order to save expenses, the owner of the bathroom requires the waiter to be "so frugal". The owner also believes that throwing disposable paper cups away after using them once is a waste, and they do not believe that this will bring harm to the health of customers.

There is a risk of cross infection if the product used by the previous customer is reused without necessary cleaning, disinfection, or other means. Citizens who encounter such situations can report them immediately. ”The relevant person in charge of the Municipal Health Supervision Institute stated that according to relevant regulations, disposable items in public places are prohibited from being reused and must follow the principle of "one customer, one exchange". Any violation will be investigated and punished. Due to the need for certain procedures in handling, it is recommended that the parties involved personally report, and law enforcement personnel will keep records. After the handling is completed, feedback on the results will be provided. The staff of the Consumer Protection Department of Jingjiang Industry and Commerce Bureau stated that consumers who encounter such situations can immediately report to "12315". After receiving the report, the industry and commerce department will investigate and collect evidence. If the situation is true, it will be dealt with.