# Should there be a deposit on disposable cups? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 2, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324 "2014-11-02T05:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/1 "2014-11-02T05:27:00Z")
One of the reasons many states introduced bottle deposits was to reduce litter. We should do the same thing for disposable cups. The streets are often lined with Styrofoam and paper cups. Maybe if they were worth something people wouldn’t just throw them out the window. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/2 "2014-11-02T08:57:50Z")
Maybe, although I’m totally _not_ down with people who save and reuse their beer pong cups. Environment be damned. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/3 "2014-11-02T18:29:43Z")
By deposit, you mean new tax right… Please don’t suggest that too loudly, California might hear you. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/4 "2014-11-03T03:54:57Z")
Where do you live? The streets where I live are never lined with any sort of cups. Or any sort of trash. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/5 "2014-11-03T04:24:14Z")
Because we need yet another law to make life harder for us? (Fortunately I don’t live in an area with bottle deposits). ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/6 "2014-11-03T21:03:27Z")
Only if there is a way to get the deposit back. Otherwise, it’s a sin tax. Also, the OP’s neighbours are slobs. I don’t see cups littered about where I live. Even near the universities. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/7 "2014-11-03T23:30:50Z")
I advocate a tax on every container, cup, cup bottle, cereal box, Campbell soup can. Yes. A “sin tax” if you would prefer. I appose the prohibitory of things.,20 oz cups,plastic bags, fire arms, dime-bags, whatever, should be taxed, not prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/8 "2014-11-04T00:50:39Z")
appose? 😕 What are you placing before it? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/9 "2014-11-04T00:53:22Z")
It’d have to be about a dollar a cup to make it worthwhile these days. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-deposit-on-disposable-cups/703324/10 "2014-11-04T00:56:13Z")
Just ban styrofoam and use sleeves for hot liquids. Be a big start. No styro allowed in my county, people seem to cope just fine.