Paper Cup vs. Styrofoam Cup: Which is the “Greener” Choice?

Styrofoam does not biodegrade at all. It degrades into smaller and smaller pieces over time, like rocks turning into sand, and finds its way into the food chain, where it begins to poison animals that eat it in error. There exists no bacterium currently capable of metabolising styrofoam or plastics, and it may be hundreds of thousands of years before one evolves. By which time, the planet will be choked with plastic and styrofoam.

Beware of plastics that advertise themselves as degradable. There are various kinds of bin liners, sandwich bags and freezer bags on the market and indeed they are just that. Merely degradable. All that means is that they break down into smaller pieces of plastic quicker than regular plastic, meaning that they poison smaller creatures more quickly than non-degradable plastics do. And when the plankton dies, we’re all screwed.

Or bring your own cup. But that would require actual responsibility.

and Willo – many of the products you mention are listed as degradable because they are water-soluble, meaning that they break down into individual polymer molecules, which, although they are much larger than, say, a water molecule, are still much too small to be mistaken for food. They are often made from starchy, plant-based polymers instead of petroleum-based polymers. Also, plastic-eating bacteria may be closer than you think:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/pdfs/oct06_plastic_degradation.pd f

Paper yoghurt pots, which I assumed are very similar to paper coffee cups, break down within two years in our compost heap.

I crumple them up and throw them in along with the labels off tins, the cardboard slips on food packets, coffee grounds, mango stones, all uneaten food and peelings etc. Even meat, which you’re not supposed to put on heaps works fine in the tiny quantities we ever leave.

What comes out of the bottom has no recognisable trace of paper cup.

True, Alex. Garbage is packed so densely in landfills, there’s no opportunity for any of it to biodegrade. The compost box is a different story because there’s air in it.

I am trying to make our company lunchroom “Go Green” We currently supply employees with Paper Plates, Styrofoam cups, and plastic utensils. I was looking for information to convince the staff that this change is better for all, yet I can’t seem to find good information. Any direction would be appreciated like a link to a specific site!!

What exactly does that paper biodegrade into? Greenhouse gasses, Methane and Carbon Dioxide.

Which is better for the environment use Paper or Polystyrene Products?

Obviously garbage is garbage – regardless if it’s biodegradable/recyclable – or neither – it’s all garbage and it’s a problem and bad for the environment whether it seeps into our earth or just sits there and takes up space… it’s bad either way.

So the next big thing to consider and look at (that should be just as a big priority)… is to decide which is healtheir for people?

Obviously, it has been proven and banned in some states to use… “styrofoam”/polyestrene products have harmful chemicals that seep into your liquids/foods regarding hot and cold items versus using paper isn’t as harmful and doesn’t mess with your thyroid or cause you more of a risk for cancer.

Do people want to be cheap and worry about the environment? Or do you care about your health?

plastic is made with oil

Why are we not talking about personal responsibility, like bringing your own food container, cups, and silverware. There are plenty of choices out there from durable plastic covered food containers to stainless steel, many variety of reusable cups and take some silverware from your kitchen.

To be honest, I believe that polystyrene cups are more cost effective than their paper bretheren, what do you guyssss think?

Wow that’s a pretty cool fact, it is true that not everything is what it appears to be especially when it comes to trying to be green.

I’m selling lubricant for £3.50 a tube, first ones free.
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Seriously, cutting down trees is a good thing?

Manufacturing paper products produces uses 2.5 to 7 times more energy than plastics, paper mills are historically some of the worst producers of toxic waste (look up Pigeon River and http://www.cwac.net/paper_industry/). It’s even worse if you look at the respective recycling processes.

Biodegradable does not mean disappear. It means that the material breaks down. Into what? The biodegrading of paper in a landfill releases one of the worst greenhouse gases, Methane. Paper is not as clean as you think.

The solution is not which, but not to let it get to the landfill (or ocean) in the first place and recycle.

Get a stainless steel insulated travel mug, just one of them, and use it for as long as you can.
Cups of coffee I drank in the last 2 years, probably around 1000.
Number of paper cups used – maybe 10.
Number of styrofoam cups – 1 (and it tasted awful).

Styrofoam takes 700 years to decompose, and paper cups take only 20 years. Paper cups may make more waste since there are coffee sleaves on them but guess what, you can recycle those. Styrofoam si cheaper to buy that’s why it is promoted so much on the internet, that’s why people will tell you it’s better, but it’s not. You have to truly think, is it worth the cost to kill our environment when you can recycle the paper cups. Styrofoam is recyclable but virtually no where has recycling plants for styrofoam.