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> From what I've read the reusables have to be used ~70 > times to be more environmentally friendly than the current > disposables. Is this assuming it goes in
by bArray 7y ago
> From what I've read the reusables have to be used ~70
> times to be more environmentally friendly than the current
> disposables.
Is this assuming it goes into landfill afterwards? Does it look better if you use something more easily recyclable?
I think metal is a pretty good candidate: you can get it pretty thin, it's durable, keeps the coffee hot, light and easily cleaned. You just need to ensure that customers are not burning fingers or lips on the containers.
> However this would increase labor costs for businesses so
> you don't automatically get a free win.
I think you could probably build relatively low cost cup washing machines, especially as you control the shape of the cup itself.
- antisthenes 7y agoHow about that corrugated cardboard heat protector for the reusable metal cup? I think combined with reusable metal cups, it could help.
- bArray 7y agoI was thinking about that, but I'm not sure cardboard is a very high grade recyclable (materials made from it tend to be low quality). I was trying to think of something that itself could be more easily reused, like wood (although manufacturing would be awful).
- maccard 7y ago> Is this assuming it goes into landfill afterwards? Does it look better if you use something more easily recyclable? Yes, it does, and yes it does. However, getting the waste to the right place is also problematic. According to BBC[0] despite the fact that the cups are technically recyclable, lamost all of them end up in landfill anyway. [0] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-43739043 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-43739043
- bArray 7y agoThat and a lot of recyclable material ends up pilled up, with China almost completely refusing to accept it for processing.