Re-useable coffee cups and food hygiene, am I the only one to be worried?

Well I agree Jalima & Jane10! I'm merely reporting what younger people have said when I mentioned this thread to them!

When you think how much a coffee costs each day ......

At NanaMacGeek - this is a good thread for several reasons but not for learning how to comment as several of the dissenting comments have been needlessly 'snarky' towards those of who (quite rightly, but that's just my opinion) find the thought of 'byom' (bring your own mug) appalling as regards public health. I'm glad you started it - at the least it's reminded me poor 'Nettique' exists even among those of us old enough to know better, but especially as it has brought up for discussion a quite important topic.

Here's why - 'herd immunity' happens when people exist in a community population that remains relatively unchanged, no large scale arrival of incomers with virus/bacterias previously unknown to the original herd to throw a viral/bacterial spanner in the works. When we were growing up most of us lived our entire lives with very little exposure to varied illnesses as we rarely travelled outside our local areas except (for the lucky ones) on holidays to different parts of Britain or abroad where we would encounter 'new' virus/bacteria. Herd immunity also occurs when ALL children in a school or group setting have the same vaccinations or prior illness.

Herd immunity, therefore, works great when the herd is reasonably stable but breaks down horribly when the herd is no longer stable. We here in Britain are no longer citizens of a stable herd population - we are now an extremely unstable herd given the sheer numbers of incomers to our towns and even country, and those incomers, however welcome, bring with them 'new-to-us' virus/bacteria. We do need to be aware, more now than ever, of good hygiene and sanitary conditions in public places. We've lost our traditional herd immunity, adults and children alike, owing to our more travelled and more immigrated-to lives, and must factor that consideration in given the strain our NHS is under.

What we don't need, any of us, are the outright derisive comments when those concerns are brought up for discussion. I'm new to Gransnet but am re-considering this as a good place to talk and network with other grandparents. But that re-consideration is a 'side-bar' thing compared to the importance of this issue. I'm adverse to wanton abuse of our planet, and there are ways to eliminate or mitigate the impact we have but taking risks with public health is not one of the ways.

And again, neither is being needlessly rude to those with whom we disagree. I think you deserve an apology for some of the comments made to disagree with your OP, but were rude, derisive, and frankly openly unkind.

I don't think anybody has been rude. Some think there is reason to worry about it, some don't. Its not rude to disagree.

LHG wrote:
'Here's why - 'herd immunity' happens when people exist in a community population that remains relatively unchanged,'
I've never heard of that, but it's probably relevant to where we live. It's a very settled population and age at death is the third highest of all 90+ french departments.

I quite like the idea of having your own cup and being charged less, but personally I hate plastic containers and can't see anything wrong with strong cardboard cups, which could be recycled and let's have lots more quality recycling bins.

Mawbroon, I totally agree about adding yet more plastic waste, but my straws are paper. I did try plastic and washing them, but it was a pain. I have them for me and for the grandchildren who are really focussed on recycling and avoiding plastic.

I don’t get your point Longhaulgran
Many of us care passionately about the environment and the argument is not about the use willy-nilly of disposable cups and their effect on the environment but whether we agree that BYOM might pose a health threat.
Whether or not clutching a cup of coffee as a fashion accessory or statement if “cool” is neither here nor there.
As OP posted under Heakth rather than Environment suggests the intended emphasis was not in fact marine pollution but personal health fears.
Fears which I do not share despite as I said over 20 years of my OH’s compromised immune system after his transplant.
But that is only my opinion and experience.
How “Netiquette” comes into it I have no idea

Apparently there are only 4 places in the UK that can recycle these cups . Isn't the solution to build more of these recycling facilities that can handle these cups ?

Perhaps the likes of tax avoiding Starbucks might like to contribute
?

The cups may be cardboard but they have a plastic coating on the inside, that's why they are not recyclable.

The post about a drink made in a disposable cup and poured into the customer's own cup is the result of just these concerns. I was once told that an outlet could not supply a drink in my own cup for hygiene reasons, so outlets that do may be putting other customers at risk. Personally I thought it ridiculous at the time as I subscribe to the thinking that a certain amount of dirt is good for the immune system and don't hold with all this spraying with antibacterial sprays as I think it is responsible for the many issues we have with lowered immunity as a society. But I guess if a barista is given an obviously used and unwashed cup they ought to refuse to refill it. Clearly those who know they have compromised immunity must take whatever action they see fit, which may mean restricting where they choose to eat and drink. I gave up taking my reusable cup after being told I couldn't have it refilled but perhaps I should get it out again now the culture is changing.