Reusable Cups

Technical Forum 2 compostable vs. reusuable cups New solutions, innovations and production tools Thu 03.11.2011 | 13.00h | Raum K2

03.11.2011 Daniel Bleher

Our Profile Öko-Institut is a leading European research and consultancy institute working for a sustainable future.

Founded in 1977, non-profit association Offices in Freiburg, Darmstadt and Berlin More than 125 staff, including 85 researchers Clients: European Union, ministries, industrial companies, nongovernmental organizations Annual turnover: some 11 million Euros Long time experience in environmental concepts for sport megaevents

Background & actual situation in Germany Kreislaufwirtschafts- und Abfallgesetz 1994

Law to ensure environmental adequate treatment of waste Verpackungsverordnung 2003

Obligation for deposits on single-use beverage packing systems as a result of declining market share of multi-use packing systems*.

Germany; a nation of mineral water drinkers. Each German drinks per year 137 liters of bottled mineral water. Questions of adequate packaging systems and waste treatment have a long tradition.

Cities like Munich or Cologne have banned all single-use packaging systems on public events.

**= Exception: packaging systems for beverages free of gas, milk, vine, spirits.

Beverage packing systems at football events Multi-use cups made out of PP-plastics & singleuse cups out of PS/PET-plastics are being mainly used.

Share of reusable cups in German football stadiums is about 50%.

This market share has slightly declined over the last years. Reasons that are given: •Security aspects (beakers used as projectiles) •Emerging of new material (mainly PLA) said to be environmentally friendly •Economic aspects (better use the return coun-ter as selling counter) •Increase in the use of non-cash stadium cards

Environmental performance of different beverage packing systems In advance of the UEFA EURO 2008, Environmental Ministries from Switzerland, Austria and Germany financed a profound analyze of packaging system for event-beverages.

The goal of the study was to evaluate which system to serve beverages in 5dl cups is connected with the least environmental impacts.

All relevant environmental impacts were taken into account (whole life cycle; different environmental impact categories).

Analyzed beverage packing systems Cup material

System discription

PET

PET in KVA (disposal in waste incineration plant)

PS Carton coated*

PS in KVA (disposal in waste incineration plant) Carton (disposal in waste incineration plant)

PLA

PLA in KVA (disposal in waste incineration plant) PLA composting (biological treatment)

Belland

Belland (produced from new material, intermediate storage)

PP with branding „souvenir“

Circulation during the EURO 2008**; cups as a souvenir replacing one “normal” Souvenir with the same material input; Recycling of cups (open loop)

PP with branding „experts“

Circulation during the EURO 2008**; cups as a “special” souvenir replace use mix of experts panel; Recycling of cups (open loop)

PP without branding

Circulation during the EURO 2008**; cup as a “special” souvenir replace use mix of experts panel; Circulation after EURO

* = Non transparent carton cups are not accepted by customers according to statements from catering * * = based on experiences from the FIFA WorldCup 2006

PP Euro with Branding (souvenir) - no commercial use after the EURO 08 Standard scenarios reusable-cups • energy requirement • raw material production

• emissions • auxiliary materials

• plastic production (European plant mix) • Material transport • cup production

Cleaning Cleaningand and transport transport

Material Material recycling recyclingof of unused cups unused cups

• substitution of 50% new material (open loop) • processing (energy, emissions, waste)

2,9 circulations 75 % per game

Cup-production Cup-production (100% (100%new new material) material)

Use Usein inthe the stadium stadium • separate collection

Private Privateuse use 25 % per game

• substitution of one equal souvenir balance disposal in KVA (waste incineration)

Closer look at PLA Material

PLA = polylactide; a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources.

Main natural source is corn starch, subsequently also sugarcane. source: Arena Ludwigshafen

By fulfilling DIN EN 13432, plastics made out of PLA can be called “biodegradable�. Implying, 90% of the material dissolves after a certain time & ambience to H2O, CO2 and biomass.

PLA is not the only biodegradable material. Further plastics made out of starch or even fossil sources also fulfill DIN 13432.

Tot. prod. of plastics (fossil) in Europe 2010: Tot. prod. of bioplastics in Europe 2010:

57 million tonnes 200.000 tonnes

PLA with disposal in KVA (waste incineration plant)

Use Usein inthe the stadium stadium • raw material production • collecting Cup Cupproduction production

• PLA production (US plant mix) • Material transport • cup production

Composting Composting plant plant • energy input, emissions and production of fertilizer KVA (incineration) KVA(incineration) • emissions and energy production of an average waste incineration plant

UBP 2006 (total amounts) standard scenario 100

Serving drinks in 5dl Cups

90 80

UBP 2006

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 PET in MVA

PS in MVA

Karton

Belland

Einwegbecher Single-use cups

PLA in KVA

PP Euro ohne without Branding

with PP Euro with mit PP Euro mit Branding Branding (Souvenir) (Experten)

Mehrwegbecher Multi-use cups

Global Warming Potential

Single-use cups

Multi-use cups

Assessment of the standard scenarios • All reusable cup scenarios show lower negative environmental impact.

The best case non-reusable cup scenario shows twice as many ecological damage points (UBP) compared to the most worst case reusable cup scenarios, where a reuse after the Euro 2008 is not possible due to the branding.

• The results of impact assessment: global warming potential shows that all reusable cup scenarios are better than non-reusable scenarios.

• Reusable cup scenarios like the PP euro cup without branding show the best result as they can be used again after the Euro 2008.

• Within all comparison the non-reusable cup scenarios, the carton cup shows the lowest environmental consequences within both assessments.

• Degradable non renewable cups made of PLA (Polylactide) are no ecological comparable alternative to reusable cups. The environmental burden of PLA is comparable with the one of non-reusable-PET and is clearly higher than nonreusable carton cups.

Additional facts about PLA Waste sorting facilities detect PLA as PET material and send it to the plastic recycling stream, and hereby contaminate PET charges.

Composting facilities have problems to handle PLA material. Organic waste is being treated for ~9 days. To short to dissolve PLA material.

From an ecological point of view, burning PLA in an incineration plant is the best option. By doing so, no separate collection at the event is necessary. But then, why justify the usage of PLA with its ability to biodegrade?

As main natural resource for PLA is corn, the exclusion from genetically modified plants should be guaranteed.

This aspect is often forgotten.

In Germany, PLA material is being discussed very controversially. Be aware of critical enquiries!

German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA 2009)

Example FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011

Due to environmental advantages, multi-use cups were used in all world cup stadia.

Optimization of the waste management by using branded cups only for soft drinks & unbranded cups for beer.

Remaining branded cups have been bought by CocaCola and donated to football clubs to post-use.

Unbranded cups can be post-used without formal limitation.

Additionally, it was achieved that reusable cups were also used on VIP and media tribune.

Recommendation

•

Using biodegradable material may suggest: “you don’t have to change your behavior, just change the material.” Do you want this?

•

Check transportation distance for delivering and cleaning of beakers.

•

Resign to use branded event beakers.

•

Don’t forget to use tapping-systems, multi-use bottles and dishes as well.

Thank you for your attention !

Daniel Bleher Infrastruktur & Unternehmen E-Mail: d.bleher@oeko.de Tel.: 06151-819139 www.oeko.de