Paper medicine cups, PFAS and the SUP Directive

Why paper cups have a lining

Updated 10 October 2026.

Paper absorbs moisture. A cup of plain paper goes limp when it holds syrup, water or a dissolved tablet. That is why paper cups often get a barrier on the inside. That barrier can be made in two ways.

• A plastic layer. Often a thin layer of polyethylene (PE). The cup is then paper with plastic.
• A PFAS treatment. PFAS make paper repel grease and water. You mainly see this in paper and board for food.

From the outside you usually cannot tell which of the two it is. That is why it pays to ask your supplier.

What does the SUP Directive say?

SUP stands for single-use plastics. With this directive the EU aims to cut single-use plastic products and litter. The Directive does not only look at products made entirely of plastic. A product with a thin plastic layer counts too.

Paper disposable cups often have a plastic coating to make them watertight. Under EU rules that makes them a single-use plastic product. Source (details and source) Under the SUP Directive, bioplastics such as PLA count as plastic too. That applies even if they are made from plants or are biodegradable. Source (details and source)

Switching from plastic to paper with a plastic lining therefore does not take a cup out of the SUP Directive. For some product groups, such as cups for drinks and food containers, the Directive asks countries to take extra measures. Whether and how those apply to medicine cups depends on the product and on how your country implements the rules. Check with your supplier or your procurement adviser.

What are PFAS?

PFAS is the name for a large group of man-made substances. They repel water, grease and dirt. That is why they are found in many products, from rain jackets to non-stick pans. PFAS hardly break down in nature. That is why they are also called forever chemicals. Some PFAS are harmful to health and build up in people and in the environment.

PFAS used to be common in paper and board for food, because they keep grease out. A paper medicine cup can have the same treatment. The only way to be sure is to have it measured.

Which PFAS rules apply?

Since 12 August 2026 the EU Packaging Regulation has restricted PFAS in food-contact packaging. This applies to food-contact packaging. Source (details and source) The Regulation works with limit values for PFAS in the material. A maker must be able to show that its packaging stays below them.

Whether a medicine cup falls under this rule is not a given. A medicine is not food, and a cup on the ward is not always packaging. Still, the rule is a good yardstick. If PFAS are no longer allowed in a cup for coffee, you probably do not want them in a cup for medicines either. Europe is also working on a broader restriction of PFAS, covering many more products.