Lately I've been noticing a new trend in the sustainability world about one particular material: Styrofoam. While I'm not sure who started this new wave of defense for the stuff, I feel like it's time to address these perceptions and myths based on experience and reality. Today I was giving a talk on waste and roughly 50% of the time someone will ask me which is better, paper or plastic. If only it was a quick and simple answer. I'll try and provide a semi-quick one now.
Let's pick an item to think about for a quick comparison. How about a coffee cup? This or packing material usually seems to always be the example used, but with good reason as most can relate. The product's life cycle can be divided into three parts: production, use, disposal.
Martin Hocking's constantly referenced article "Paper Versus Polystyrene: A Complex Choice" lays out the science to show that the manufacturing of polystyrene is nowhere near as environmentally destructive as paper production. I think both processes suck and I'm not sure what can be done about that. It's been quite some time since that study, but neither material has drastically changed that I can tell.
Styrofoam is a superior insulator when it comes to keeping a beverage hot. Paper cups frequently employ a cardboard insulator, which still doesn't seem to be an equivalent for many consumers. That's about where Styrofoam's benefits end, other than cost, which dictates most everything.
The disposal part is where everything gets interesting to me, as Styrofoam faces its dilemma here. Yes, it's 98% air, cheaper than paper, and is less resource intensive on the front end. However, there is zero incentive to recycle it due to its low production costs and the huge volume it consumes. Sure it's "recyclable", but is it really?
On the other hand, paper and cardboard are both readily recyclable with large markets for both...the likelihood of these actually being recycled is much greater. In our example, however, this is also challenged since paper cups have wax coatings that make them a bit difficult to recycle. This is where composting comes into play, especially with having this service available at food service establishments.
In terms of degradability, paper and cardboard win this race, although it's still a super long process. Plastic does not degrade at all, so don't believe otherwise. That is, unless your definition of 'degrade' means to break down into smaller pieces, clog up our waterways and end up in our food.
So there you have it, that's as basic as it can get...and it's still a pretty heavy issue. Pick your poison: Toxins at the cradle, or toxins at the grave. My suggestion is to always use your own cup or your own bag to avoid using either material as much as possible. No matter how efficient the handling of either material may become, ultimately source reduction is the most realistic response...so start giving it a try.
Let's pick an item to think about for a quick comparison. How about a coffee cup? This or packing material usually seems to always be the example used, but with good reason as most can relate. The product's life cycle can be divided into three parts: production, use, disposal.
Martin Hocking's constantly referenced article "Paper Versus Polystyrene: A Complex Choice" lays out the science to show that the manufacturing of polystyrene is nowhere near as environmentally destructive as paper production. I think both processes suck and I'm not sure what can be done about that. It's been quite some time since that study, but neither material has drastically changed that I can tell.
Styrofoam is a superior insulator when it comes to keeping a beverage hot. Paper cups frequently employ a cardboard insulator, which still doesn't seem to be an equivalent for many consumers. That's about where Styrofoam's benefits end, other than cost, which dictates most everything.
The disposal part is where everything gets interesting to me, as Styrofoam faces its dilemma here. Yes, it's 98% air, cheaper than paper, and is less resource intensive on the front end. However, there is zero incentive to recycle it due to its low production costs and the huge volume it consumes. Sure it's "recyclable", but is it really?
On the other hand, paper and cardboard are both readily recyclable with large markets for both...the likelihood of these actually being recycled is much greater. In our example, however, this is also challenged since paper cups have wax coatings that make them a bit difficult to recycle. This is where composting comes into play, especially with having this service available at food service establishments.
In terms of degradability, paper and cardboard win this race, although it's still a super long process. Plastic does not degrade at all, so don't believe otherwise. That is, unless your definition of 'degrade' means to break down into smaller pieces, clog up our waterways and end up in our food.
So there you have it, that's as basic as it can get...and it's still a pretty heavy issue. Pick your poison: Toxins at the cradle, or toxins at the grave. My suggestion is to always use your own cup or your own bag to avoid using either material as much as possible. No matter how efficient the handling of either material may become, ultimately source reduction is the most realistic response...so start giving it a try.