The Disposable Cup

There are many disposable cups that are available in different materials. Plastic, Styrofoam, and paper cups are all good choices when one is on the go. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages; one may be more thermal, whereas one may be more expensive. Another may have a quicker decomposition rate, whereas one doesn't even biodegrade. Though the cups may serve the same purpose, they are very different.

One choice when using a disposable cup are paper cups. Long ago, there were no drinking fountains in public places. There were only barrels that people had to drink out of using a stationary glass. Lawrence Luellen and Hugh Moore thought this act was unsanitary. They wanted to allow people to drink fresh water freely that were free of germs. Moore and Lullen decided to use paper cups to make clean water available to thirsty people in public which led to the development of the first paper cup in 1907. Though at first, it seemed like a fluke, paper cups are widely used in almost any situation.

There are many advantages of using paper cups over plastic and Styrofoam. First off, paper is microwave safe. It is made from natural trees with little foreign material added so it is the least complex material we use. Crumpling is easiest with paper, which makes it more compactable. Due to its natural state, it is also the cleanest and fastest biodegradable material of the three; this is very good for the environment.

Paper is the leading material that ends up as solid waste. Fortunately, not including yard waste, paper is the fastest decomposing material that ends up as waste. It is also the most easy to recycle. By simply mixing water and grinding up paper, a pulp can be made witch can be added with other materials to make all paper materials. This is because paper is made of natural trees. Certain trees have either smooth or rough cellulose fibers. By using different mixing ratios, any type of paper that is desired can be made. Because they were once trees, paper cups or any other paper product decompose in the environment in the shortest amount of time and therefore, should be used more compared to plastic and Styrofoam cups.

Though there are many advantages of using paper cups, there are many disadvantages as well. The main reason restaurants do not like using paper cups is because it is most expensive of the three. For something that is most expensive, it is also most flimsy; any puncture or rip can cause a spill. Also, paper cups are not the best for thermal purposes. The heat from a hot cup of coffee in a paper cup can be felt through the cup. Because of this, the liquid will not stay hot or cold as long as it would in a styrofoam cup. From an environmentalist's point of view, their main problem with paper cups would be that it is a waste of precious trees. Because of the many uses of paper, there is a worry about the trees running out. Some would prefer a material that is plentiful and not a natural resource that might be depleted such as plastic.

Plastic is made up of chains of molecules called polymers. These chains are made by millions of links of small molecules called monomers. Plastics consist of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. They can be made to be as hard as a rock, strong as steel, see-through as glass, light, and more elastic than rubber. Plastics are pretty similar to metals in how they come in a variety of grades. There are also some plastics that can be alloyed or blended to mix with the advantages of many other plastics. For instance, combining different plastics together makes shatterproof plastics and heat-resistant plastics. Based on the different arrangements of molecules in those chains, the most important characteristic of plastic is made possible; the ability to be shaped into almost any shape.

Plastics came about in an interesting fashion. Leo Baeleland invented it in 1907...by accident. He was trying to make a varnish that gives wood a shiny-looking texture. But instead, he created a clear material that was hard, lightweight, and could be shaped easily. Baeleland called his invention Bakelite and used it for creating unbreakable dishes. In the next decade, the discovery got around to scientists in Germany, England, and the United States. These countries started to add their own ideas and soon thermoplastics came about in the 1930s; acrylics, nylon, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl). Nowadays, there are millions of uses for plastics; car bumpers, baby bottles, toys, computers, bulletproof vests, contact lenses, space suits, and the list keeps going on. In the encyclopedia article from Encarta, it estimated in 2005 the annual global demand for plastics is to go more than 441 billion lb. (200 million metric tons).

Plastic products are getting more and more used everyday. Disposal of these products are also becoming a big environmental problem. Plastics are special because it takes a long time for them to decay and therefore, they are opposed to decomposition. Some plastic can be burned with garbage. The heat that is produced is used to supply the energy that is needed to generate electricity. This process requires special procedures in removing gases and toxic materials from the smoke that it gives off because it causes air pollution. The biggest solution is to recycle. A lot of communities have regulations to recycle. Different types of plastics are recycled in different ways. Like thermoplastics, they are melted and made into new products because they can be easily shaped. However, thermosets are torn or ground into powder for use as insulation. They do not easily break down into smaller components, and therefore, they are not considered biodegradable. Furthermore, researchers are working to make biodegradable plastics to decompose from exposure to sunlight. Similarly, researchers are undergoing the same process for Styrofoam.

It is obvious that institutions that reuse, and recycle products stay ahead of their commercial peers because it is financially, and politically sound. Styrofoam is one material that companies have used to do this. Styrofoam was first produced by The Dow Chemical Company in the USA over 40 years ago. Since its inception it has been tested under difficult climatic conditions. There are many advantages to the material's usage. Styrofoam protects against leakage and is not easily malleable when placed under heated climates in comparison to paper or plastic. The material is very beneficial in that it keeps warm contents heated and cold contents cold. It is strong enough to hold hot coffee or an entire hot meal. Styrofoam has proven to be light, strong and durable.

Paula Mendoza is an employee at Beverly Hospital. She explained that Styrofoam products (cups and plates) are being used in the hospital because they believe the products to be more sanitary than other reusable service ware. Also, Styrofoam is composed of polystyrene. Styrofoam maintains hot food at temperatures required by many health departments which is crucial in a hospital. Styrofoam has the capability to keep foods heated while not being too hot on the outside to hold. While other products like plastics might melt while containing heated substances. The insulation of the polystyrene helps keep food at the optimal eating or drinking temperature longer than many alternatives, this limits waste because the Styrofoam products last longer and can be used more. The thermal insulating ability of polystyrene foam contributes to the success of Styrofoam usage programs such as "Meals on Wheels," which serves millions of elderly in nursing programs in the US.

Styrofoam food service products are very economical to use than disposable paperboard products and other reusable food service items. For example: according to nextag.com, if we were to order 1000 12oz cups from a major distributor like Nextag, it may cost us $32-38, to add a variety in size of 1000 8oz cups it may cost us an additional $24-26. For an additional 6oz size it may cost $20-22. For 12 oz plastic cups a firm might pay $31 or more, 8oz cups will cost $33 or more and for 6oz cups it will cost $24 or more. For 12oz paper cups a firm might pay$ 60-80 (especially for cups that are designed to hold heat). It will cost $50-66 for cups 8oz paper cups, and $40-50 for the same amount of 6oz paper cups.

In short, Styrofoam though already cheap, makes for an even greater cost saving asset. The wholesale price of Styrofoam products is often approximately two to three times less than paper containers, and four to five times less than other reusable food service item when the costs of equipment, labor, water, electricity, and detergent costs are included. In short, the economically, and environmentally sensitive aspects of the material make it a viable reusable service ware product for any company's consideration.

So which is better, paper, plastic, or Styrofoam? One material is more decomposable but sacrifice precious trees. Another uses up almost no natural resources, but in the end, it stays in landfills for many years; some stay there forever. Is it worth cutting down more trees for a more environment friendly disposable cup? Is having a hotter cup of coffee worth the waste that it makes? Though the use of paper, plastic, and Styrofoam cups has some positive factors, we don't know if they outweigh the negative outcomes.