There is a clear trend away from traditional single-use disposable products and towards reusables. Paper plates and plastic cups, once ubiquitous at any kind of dining occasion, are now practically nowhere to be seen except at the very smallest gatherings such as children’s birthday parties. Why has this taken place?

Single-use paper cups contain high amounts of wood fiber, which is a limited and rapidly renewable resource. The paper pulp industry has been criticized for large amounts of toxic dioxins and furans as well as significant air pollution such as organochlorine compounds emitted during chlorine bleaching of wood pulp. These environmental concerns have driven many countries to ban or discourage the use of chlorine-bleached products due to the harmful by-products formed. Most paper cups are also not recyclable in municipal recycling systems because they have a plastic coating that contaminates the waste stream and thus damages recycling equipment.

Additionally, recycled paper requires more energy (and thus pollution) to produce than it saves when recycled into new paper products due to the pulping process.

Paper cup manufacturers have attempted to address these concerns in recent years by producing cups with a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled fiber content. However, tests show that the paper still contains many contaminants and must be cleaned thoroughly before it can be recycled properly. Environmental groups do not consider this approach to be adequate because the added virgin fiber increases the cup’s environmental impact throughout its life cycle.

A number of alternatives to traditional disposable plastic and paper cups have been introduced that address some, but not all, of these concerns:

Customized cups are available as promotional items for businesses and other organizations to provide their customers and clients with printed mementos. These can include an organization’s logo or other promotional information.

The general theme of reusable cups is that they can be used multiple times, thus reducing the amount of waste generated by the user and its associated environmental impact. The main difference between these products compared to traditional disposable cups is that they are designed to last longer.