LCA — environmental impact study summary
Summary information taken from:
A Benchmark Study of the Zero Waste Cups, The LCA Centre, 2020.
Addendum to the Benchmark Study of the Zero Waste Cups (ReCiPe), The LCA Centre 2019.
About this summary
The data in this summary are taken from two studies carried out by The LCA Centre
Overview
All of the information in this summary is taken from two extensive environmental impact studies carried out by The LCA Centre for Bockatech:
• A Benchmark Study of the Zero Waste Cups (ISO: 14040 &14044), 2020 Covering: Global Warming Potential (GWP), Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) and Water Resource
• Addendum to the Benchmark Study of the Zero Waste Cups (ReCiPe), 2019 Covering: 18 environmental mechanisms
Popular cups covered in this summary
Cup / glass End of life Origin Use
EcoCore Zero Waste Cup, #5 PP 430ml 19g Recycled FR Reusable
Stojo cup, silicon and #5 PP Incinerated USA Reusable
EcoCup, #5 PP Recycled FR Reusable
Douwe Egberts ceramic mug Landfill TH Reusable
Jupiler beer glass Recycled BE Reusable
Starbucks solid wall low cost #5 PP Recycled CN Reusable
Dual wall paper cup PLA lined Incinerated CN Single use
Dual wall paper cup PE lined Incinerated CN Single use
Single wall paper cup PE lined Incinerated CN Single use
Additional cups covered by the studies included: PP, PET ,rPET, PLA, PLA composted, PE/Paper/PE
Normalisation
Cups analysed in the studies had different capacities. These have been ‘normalised’ by applying a scaling factor. All results are for 1L cups.
Locations
For travel distances, the theoretical use locations were sites in the Netherlands.
Washing systems
Cup washing including transport, how cups are cleaned and additives used affects environmental impacts. How and where washing takes place depends on how and where cups are provided. Three wash systems have been analysed that account for most popular use scenarios:
Wash system 1 ‘Closed loop’: clean cups are delivered to the food service provider, used cups are taken away and washed using a commercial conveyor dishwasher for return.
Wash system 2 ‘Wash at venue’: cups are owned and washed by the food service provider on site. Washers used for this system are a single tank dishwasher 2.1 and glasswasher 2.2.
Wash system 3 ‘Bring your own’: customers buy, wash (using a domestic dishwasher) and return with cups.
Data and modelling
OpenLCA version 1.8. software was used for modelling and calculation of the impacts. Where appropriate, bespoke data has been obtained or measured. All other data has been taken from the EcoInvent V3.4 (2017).

Single use cup GWP reduction
Zero Waste Cups reduce CO2 eq by 64 – 82% after 30 uses compared to popular single-use paper cups
uses
GWP Kg CO 2 eq per use
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
0.20 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Number of uses
Dual wall paper – PLA
0.17 Kg CO2 eq Zero Waste Cup = 82% less
Dual wall paper – PE 0.15 Kg CO2 eq Zero Waste Cup = 80% less
Single wall paper – PE 0.08 Kg CO2 eq Zero Waste Cup = 64% less
Zero Waste Cup 0.03 Kg CO2 eq Includes washing Normalised 1 litre cups, wash system 3
“It makes no environmental sense to make and destroy 30 single use cups when one reusable will do their job”
Dr Alan Campbell, Technical Director, The LCA Centre
Reusable cup GWP reduction
The Zero Waste Cup has less global warming potential than popular reusable alternatives
ZWC Vs reusable high GWP alternatives
4.00
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0.70
ZWC Vs reusable low GWP alternatives
0.60
Zero Waste Cup - wash system 3
Stojo cup - wash system 3
Zero Waste Cup - wash system 2.2
0.50
0.40
Ceramic - wash system 2.2
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Zero Waste Cup - wash system 3
Starbucks low cost solid wall wash system 3
Starbucks low cost PP - wash system 3
Zero Waste Cup - wash system 2.2
Glass - wash system 2.2
Ecocup - wash system 2.2
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Normalised 1 litre cups
Reusable cup wash systems
Comparison of the impact of different wash systems on GWP, Zero Waste Cup example
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
WASTE CUP
LCA environmental impact study summary, 2020
Number of uses
Wash system 1 ‘closed loop’
Wash system 2.1 ‘dishwasher at venue’
0.20 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Normalised 1 litre cups
Other environmental impacts
Analysis covering multiple environmental impact factors found the ZWC to be most sustainable overall
Benchmark study — GWP, CED and Water Use
“Analysis of the Zero Waste Cup showed it to be the most sustainable solution for hot and cold drinks overall.
The full study compared cups made with the new technology to both reusable (e.g. heavy plastic, glass and ceramic) as well as single use (e.g. PE lined paper, PLA lined paper, PET, PP and PLA) alternatives.”
Benchmark study addendum — ReCiPe covering 18 environmental mechanisms
“Zero Waste Cups came out as the preferred solution in a broad scope environmental ReCiPe study that covered the impact of popular reusable and single use cups across eighteen mechanisms”







Reusable cup lifecycle
The lifecycle of reusable cups and what GWP is included
Wash system 1: Closed loop

Clean cups are delivered to the food service provider, used cups are taken away and washed.
START END OF LIFEREUSE






MATERIAL MANUFACTURE




+GWP Extracting the raw material and the plastic manufacturing process both create GWP
TRANSPORT CUPS MANUFACTURE TRANSPORT DISTRIBUTION CENTRE TRANSPORT FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER USE WASHING
+GWP RECYLING TRANSPORT










+GWP GWP is created when plastic is transported to the cup manufacturer


+GWP Making the cups uses energy that creates GWP
+GWP Transportation of cups to the product distributor
Cups are stored at a distribution warehouse
+GWP Transporting cups to food service provider
Cups are stored and used by bars, cafes and to go restaurants


Cups are used by customers
+GWP Transportation of cups to the washing provider
+GWP Cups are washed by a service provider using a commercial conveyor dishwasher
+GWP When cups reach the end of their life they are collected and transported to be recycled, so the plastic can be used again
+GWP — Global Warming Potential at this point is included in the study
Reusable cup lifecycle
The life cycle of reusable cups and what GWP is included
Wash system 2: Wash at venue
Cups are owned and washed by the food service provider on site.
START END OF LIFEREUSE
MATERIAL MANUFACTURE










+GWP Extracting the raw material and the plastic manufacturing process both create GWP
TRANSPORT CUPS MANUFACTURE
+GWP GWP is created when plastic is transported to the cup manufacturer



+GWP Making the cups uses energy that creates GWP
TRANSPORT DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
+GWP Transportation of cups to the product distributor
Cups are stored at a distribution warehouse

TRANSPORT FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER USE WASHING RECYLING TRANSPORT







+GWP Transporting cups to food service provider
Cups are stored and used by bars, cafes and to go restaurants
Cups are used by customers
+GWP Cups are washed by the venue using either a commercial dishwasher (System 2.1) or glasswasher (System 2.2)
+GWP At the end of their life cups are collected and transported to be recycled. (Note ceramic cups go to landfill as they cannot be recycled)
+GWP — Global Warming Potential at this point is included in the study
environmental impact study summary, 2020
Reusable cup lifecycle
The life cycle of reusable cups and what GWP is included
Wash system 3: Bring your own
Customers buy, wash and return with cups.
START END OF LIFE
REUSE
MATERIAL MANUFACTURE TRANSPORT CUPS MANUFACTURE TRANSPORT DISTRIBUTION CENTRE TRANSPORT FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER USE WASHING RECYLING TRANSPORT

















+GWP Extracting the raw material and the plastic manufacturing process both create GWP
+GWP GWP is created when plastic is transported to the cup manufacturer
+GWP Making the cups uses energy that creates GWP


+GWP Transportation of cups to the product distributor

Cups are stored at a distribution warehouse
+GWP Transporting cups to food service provider
Cups are stored and used by bars, cafes and to go restaurants. Cups provided by customers are refilled

Cups are bought and used by customers
+GWP Cups are washed at home using a domestic dishwasher
+GWP At the end of their life cups are collected and transported to be recycled.
+GWP — Global Warming Potential at this point is included in the study
Single use cup lifecycle
The life cycle of single use paper cups and what GWP is included
START END OF LIFE
MATERIAL MANUFACTURE








+GWP Extracting the raw materials and manufacturing the paper and plastic
TRANSPORT CUPS MANUFACTURE TRANSPORT DISTRIBUTION CENTRE TRANSPORT FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER USE INCINERATED




+GWP GWP is created when plastic is transported to the cup manufacturer



+GWP Making the cups uses energy that creates GWP
+GWP Transportation of cups to the product distributor




Cups are stored at a distribution warehouse
+GWP Transporting cups to food service provider

Cups are stored and used by bars, cafes and to go restaurants
Cups are used by customers
+GWP Transportation of cups to the waste processor
+GWP Cups are burnt as the ability to recycle (PE) and compost (PLA) cups from kerbside waste, that is the majority, is limited


+GWP — Global Warming Potential at this point is included in the study
environmental impact study summary, 2020
Copyright Bockatech Limited 2020, all rights reserved. EcoCore® and Zero Waste Cup™ are trademarks of Bockatech Limited
Bockatech
Burnham House Splash Lane, Wyton Huntingdon, PE28 2AF United Kingdom info@bockatech.com www.bockatech.com
The LCA Centre
Zilverwerf 17 6641 TC Beuningen Nederland info@thelcacentre.com www.thelcacentre.com