🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi,

I am trying to compare the environmental and economic impact of using
disposable polystyrene (styrofoam) and reusable (either china or reusable
plastic) dishes and cups.  I have had a very difficult time finding
scientific sources of information and I was hoping that someone could point
me in the right direction.

The most useful source i found so far is "Reusable and Disposable Cups: An
Energy-Based Evaluation" by Martin Hocking.  It attempts to do Life Cycle
Analysis (LCA) but i dind't find a description of what it included (raw
material extraction costs, raw material trasport, processing, transport to
place of purchase, transport to place of use, use cost, disposal transport
and cost).  I tried to figure out which factors were included by looking up
Hocking's "paper vs. polystryrene" 1991 article is science, but it only
stated that a detailed description of data will be publishes separately
later.  I wasn't able to locate two other sources used that I thought would
be helpful: Fenton's "The Winnipeg packaging project: Peport No. 2.
Comparison of coffee cups" and van Eijk and other's "Reusable versus
disposable. A comparison of the environmental impact of polystyrene,
paper/cardboard, and porcelain crockery".

This study finds disposables to be in general preferable to reusables.  The
same is claimed by FPI when citing "Environmental and Public Health Aspects
of Reusable and Disposable Foodservice Packaging" by Winston Porter (i
couldn't get a hold of this report either - and even though it is claimed
that the report is based on 30 others...i couldn't find em).  Several other
discussions on the issue cite these reports in support of using disposables.
Several environmental groups, including edf, claim that other studies come
up with drastically different results, but i couldn't identify any studies.

I am doing this for a research paper at school and also to determine if my
house should be using diposables or reusables...as well as just to learn
about the issue.  It is definitely much more complex than i first thought
and i would really like to get access to some primary sources of data so
that i can take into account everything and come up with something.  It
seems hard to believe that total energy costs (forgetting other things) are
actually lower for foam cup than for washing a reusable plate.

Anyway, i appologize for the lenght of this message and would appreciate any
feedback.  If you have access to sources that may be helpful it would be
great, but your general thoughts would also be appreciated.  You can e-mail
me at ig26@cornell.edu.

Thank you