Sustainable Disposables
Waste Not
BY PETER SUROWSKI
Advances in construction and materials make biodegradable, compostable and recyclable coffee shop disposables a must.
reating trash is inevitable. Every day, garbage bags pile up in the dumpsters behind coffeehouses all over the country. This is a problem for several reasons. Trash crowds our landfills, much of it never degrades. Making disposable products consumes resources – some of which are non-renewable resources – to be used once and thrown away.
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Fortunately, not all waste is created equal. Some disposables are better for the environment. Some are biodegradable, compostable, made from recycled materials or from renewable resources like plants. Specialty Coffee Retailer looked at what’s available and found suppliers of the most environmentally-friendly disposables ever to land in the trash can.
POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED FIBER CUPS BY INTERNATIONAL PAPER
Ten percent of the fiber that makes up International Paper’s “Post-Consumer Recycled Fiber” cups is, as the name says, recycled. The non-recycled paper comes from a mill that meets Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards. Cups are made in 12-, 16- and 20-ounce sizes and decorated with a picture of the earth with a green leaf sprouting from the top. These cups are manufactured in the U.S., meaning less pollution during transport than imported cups. For insulation, International Paper sells a 100 percent recycled sleeve called the Cup Buddy, which is 60 percent post-consumer fiber. The cup’s coating is petroleum-based, making it resistant to biodegradation. www.internationalpaper.com
ECOSMART INSULAIR BY GEORGIA-PACIFIC
This cup has three layers of insulation, eliminating the need for a sleeve or double-cupping. The inner layer is made of 99 percent recycled fiber. The cup comes in two versions; one is 12 percent recycled fiber and the other is 25 percent recycled fiber. The cups are green with paler silhouettes of leaves giving it an environmentally-friendly look. Sizes include 8-, 12-,16-, 20- and 24-ounce. The EcoSmart line is manufactured in the U.S., cutting back on the pollution created during transport. EcoSmart Insulair cups are sealed with petroleum-based coating, making it impervious to biodegradation. www.gppro.com
CORRUGATED RECYCLED CUPS BY LIDCRAFT
The outer layer of these cups is corrugated, which adds insulation. It has three layers, the middle of which is made of 98 percent recycled fiber. The rest is at least 12 percent recycled fiber. These cups come in 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-ounce versions. The cup’s coating is petroleum based, so it will remain in the landfill indefinitely. www.lidcraft.com
ECOTAINER NATIONAL PARKS LINE BY INTERNATIONAL PAPER
This line of cups is coated with PLA, a compostable plant-based biopolymer and paperboard made from trees grown in responsibly-managed forests meeting Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards. International Paper also donates one penny for each cup sold, limited to $1 million, to the National Parks Foundation, which will spend it on promoting and protecting the national parks. The cups are printed with eight paintings of National Parks. They come in five hot and three cold cup designs.
PLATES BY BAMBU
The Veneerware line includes plates of various sizes, forks, knives and spoons, and all are made of Certified Organic bamboo. Bamboo grows like a weed. It can grow to more than 20 feet in only a year. Th is makes it a highly-renewable resource. The dishes are also compostable and made without bleach or dye. www.bambuhome.com
24 | July 2010 • www.specialty-coffee.com