Which of the following is an advantage of paper cups over plastic cups?

The correct option is They are biodegradable.

To understand why this is the correct choice, let's compare paper cups and plastic cups based on the options provided:

1. Biodegradability:
Paper cups are made from wood pulp (a natural and renewable resource), which can be broken down by bacteria and other living organisms over time. Thus, they are biodegradable and have a much lower long-term environmental footprint compared to plastic. Plastic cups are made from petroleum-based synthetic polymers that do not break down easily and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, leading to plastic pollution.

2. Strength:
Plastic cups are generally stronger, more flexible, and more resistant to tearing or leaking over time compared to paper cups, which can become soggy if left with liquid for a long duration.

3. Reusability:
Neither single-use paper cups nor single-use plastic cups are typically intended for reuse, but plastic cups generally hold up better under multiple rinses than paper cups.

4. Cost:
Due to mass production processes of polymers, standard plastic cups are often cheaper to manufacture than paper cups.

Therefore, the primary environmental advantage of paper cups over plastic cups is that they are biodegradable.