When comparing paper and Styrofoam cups, the eco-friendliest may surprise you.
If you are like me, you would guess a paper cup is much more eco-friendly then its evil step sibling, the Styrofoam cup. However, in many cases, a Styrofoam cup is the greener option. Most people instantly think paper is more eco-conscious because it is recyclable, but truth be told, most paper cups intended for hot beverages are not recyclable. Here is a quick overview of the two contenders.
Insulation
It is obvious a Styrofoam cup insulates much better than paper. Just fill up both cups with hot liquid and hold them in your hands. The Styrofoam cup will be cool to touch, while the paper cup radiates the hot liquid inside the cup. The solution to the paper cup problem? Add more paper. Paper cup users are slipping on cardboard sleeves to help hold the paper cup without being burnt. The most common place this phenomenon has become the norm is in coffee shops. While most hot-cup sleeves are made from recycled materials and are recyclable, it is still an added item to a simple Styrofoam cup.
Eco-friendly
If you’re concerned with making the eco-friendly choice between the two, Styrofoam wins on many fronts. Unless you’re using a paper cup that is biodegradable (most are not), there are some aspects to consider. A standard paper cup takes more than 20 years to decompose in a landfill environment. This is mostly due to the wax lining on the inside of the cup. The trendy paper cup also takes more energy, raw material and money to make. For example, in comparison to Styrofoam, a paper cup requires 12 times the amount of water, 36 times the amount of electricity and costs double the amount of money to produce. Shocking, I know.
Cost
Speaking of cost, the typical paper cup costs around two-and-a-half times the amount of a Styrofoam cup. Aside from the production of the cup, if you add the cardboard sleeve and its production, raw material, energy and shipping needs, you need to throw in an additional 2-3 cents per cup. Modifying or customizing a Styrofoam cup is nearly half the price of customizing a paper cup. The bottom line is that paper cups are more than double the price to produce and require a cardboard sleeve if you want to save your fingertips.
When it boils down, it appears that going with Styrofoam is more eco-friendly compared to a paper cup. There are better ways to drink your hot beverages, such as using a reusable tumbler, coffee mug or other container you wash and use over and over. If you have to use a disposable paper cup, find out if the establishment you are buying your drink from uses biodegradable cups. If they do, that is the way to go. As the cup industry moves away from the traditional method of manufacturing the current unrecyclable paper cup into a more biodegradable version, the battle between Styrofoam and paper cups may take a turn. In a scenario where the paper cup is biodegradable, a paper cup may win.
Natalia
March 30th, 2010
Wow. Thanks for writing this, it has some great info! Styrofoam cups will definitely be in my house more often. But are styrofoam cups recyclable? I’ll check with the Recycle Search just in case if they are :)
Dixon Golfer
March 30th, 2010
Reeeaaaallllly. That’s both surprising and refreshing, as Styrofoam insulates much better. Though reusable cups are still always the best option. Perhaps we need to promote collapse cups in more places?
me
April 6th, 2010
This article is does not portray the facts very well. Yes a lot of studies are now saying that styrofoam is better. But biodegradable paper cups are not at all an answer. It also promotes the terrible idea that styrofoam is actually good. Look at the first comment posted “styrofoam cups will definitely be in my house more often.” That is the sentiment that this article is breeding and that is an ignorant sentiment. Reuse, reuse, reuse, not consume, consume, consume. Though it is important to understand which evil is best, the ultimate goal should be to generate less waste.
Jasmine
April 20th, 2010
Recyclable paper cups may be more expensive then styrofoam but it is certainly not “ecofriendly” at all.
Styrofoam is full of harsh chemicals and hardly any of it is recyclable, when you go out to eat or whenever you get a cup that is styrofoam, look for the recycling sign… most of the time, it wont be there.
This article is giving the wrong message.
there’s one of the millions of articles about stryrofoam (polystyrene) and you can read about how much of it ends up in our ocean and shores. How it effects our wildlife and even us. It’s actually a type of plastic, it breaks up, but does not go away.
here’s an article from the trusted national geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/08/090820-plastic-decomposes-oceans-seas.html
and here’s a nice one about the amount found in the ocean…
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/blogs/174/Great-Pacific-Garbage-Patch.html
cody leigh
July 19th, 2010
Actually, if you do some research, you will find out that polystyrene takes AT THE LEAST 500 years to biodegrade, while paper cups can take anywhere from 5-50 years, depending on landfill conditions. Polystyrene is made of harmful petroleum-based chemicals, some of which have ozone-depleting HCFCs, while paper is made from a renewable resource. It seems there is simply a lack of supported information in this article!
Terry
July 21st, 2010
In Onondaga County, where I live, our waste is incinerated. Any idea which is better to burn? Thanks.
President of the BG Environmental Club
February 12th, 2011
Styrofoam takes over hundreds or even thousands of years to degrade, and the only means of quickly getting rid of it is to burn it or incenerate it; which creates a lot of C02 in the atmosphere and other harmful gases that can hurt the O-zone layer. Styrofoam can pollute an environment, since animals tend to consume almost anything we throw at them. Styrofoam is known to affect the digestive system of animals, if consumed, due to the littering and pollution of styrofoam.
It is true that paper cups have its downside as well, but Styrofoam is the lesser of those 2 evils. The best choice is re-usable cups or biodegradable cups. Biodegradable cups only take a few months if treated well in a composter. Most biodegradable cups are made with PLA; which can also be degraded in an Industrial composter.
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Linda
December 2nd, 2011
I’m shocked you would actually recommend using styrofoam! Yes, it’s cheaper, but our grand children will pay the price for our selfishness