Single Use Cups

A number of scientific studies have demonstrated that disposable single use cups made from paper and plastic can be better for the environment than reusable ceramic cups. You would actually need to use a ceramic mug 1,006 times for it to break-even in energy terms with a plastic cup!

The reason for this difference is that the process of making ceramic cups in a kiln is extremely energy intensive compared to making plastic and paper cups. Also, having to wash reusable cups after each drink requires both detergent and energy to heat the water, which pollutes the environment.
 
When ceramic cups are broken it is more damaging to dispose of these cups, as they cannot be recycled through municipal waste streams, and therefore go to landfill. Paper cups contain energy, which can be recovered through incineration to replace the need for “virgin” fossil fuels such as coal and gas. This has the advantage of saving scarce resources. Plastic cups can be recycled to make other plastic items such as pens and key rings. The UK’s Save-a-Cup programme and the Duel System in Germany, collects millions of plastic cups from vending machines for recycling.

Comparing reusable and single use cups throughout the life of the product shows that single use plastic and paper cups are the best environmental choice for your workplace.