Why does it say do not microwave on Tim Hortons coffee cups?

Answer 1

Tim Hortons is concerned for the structural integrity of the coffee cups when they are microwaved. As the cups are made of paper, and many microwave oven manufacturers heavily recommend against microwaving certain materials such as paper, Tim Hortons prefers to err on the side of caution and -- for legal liability purposes -- say it is not acceptable. Tim Hortons intends the beverage cups to be single-use only, and suggest that re-use of the cup in the microwave can result in degradation and failure of the cup's structure.

On various web fora, people have reported having no issues, but others have reported issues with cups scorching at the base or with leakage along the seams.

Tim Hortons does assure that there is no actual hazard to the coffee itself; it won't get poisoned from leaching wax or adhesives or anything like that. After all, the coffee when it goes in it is already piping hot at 87 degrees Celsius and underwent rigorous safety testing, so running it through a microwave will not pose any hazards from poisoning. It is however a safety hazard from hot liquid leaking out of the cup or possible property damage and/or fire risk to the microwave, and the obvious liability that could cause to Tim Hortons if they didn't warn against doing so.

Tim Hortons suggests that if someone is a "slow sipper" they should buy a reusable plastic travel mug, claiming they offer a 10 cent discount whenever you bring it in, as it is 100% microwave safe. They also offer the alternative of buying a Tassimo single-cup brewer with its Tim Hortons coffee packets for ready access to smaller cups of coffee.

Source: News Talk 610 CKTB, Larry Fedoruk interview with Alexandra Segal, Tim Hortons Manager of Public Affairs

Answer 2

Bottom of cup marked recyclable "PS 6".

Type 6 - Polystyrene, styrene, polystyrene foam

Not heat stable. Do not use in microwave. Do not microwave food in a styrofoam container! In addition to not being heat stable, polystyrene is a potential human carcinogen and usually contains bisphenol A.

http://www.scn.org/~bk269/plastics.html

Answer 3

No, they cannot be put in the microwave. It clearly says on the side of the cup "Do not microwave", even though it is hard to see.

Answer 4

There have been over 2 billion coffee cups made since Tim Horton's opened. This is because Tim Horton's sells a lot of coffee.

Answer 5

No. Tim hortons cups are not recyclable because of the liner in the cups.

Answer 6

Yes, but it should not be microwaved for long. A full large coffe with lid on can be in for 1 minute. It's important to be careful though, because the bottom of the cup can burn.

Answer 7

So far I have learned that some kind of plastic coating is between each layer of paper and the inside is waxed. The plastic coating is why it is not recycled.

Answer 8

yes you can