That adds up to 7.4 million a day and almost three billion a year. The environmental balance looks devastating: Annual cup volumes (Germany) require 29,000 tons of paper for which another 64,000 tons of wood are required. This means that 43,000 trees need to be cut down. 1.5 billion liters of water and 320 million kWh per year are required to cover the annual volume of disposable cups. Furthermore, cups also contain plastic (incl. for the interior coating). An average disposable cup comprises five percent polyethylene plastic – plus the plastic lid. Approx. 22,000 tons of crude oil are used for it. The production of takeaway cups and polystyrene lids incurs annual CO2 emissions of around 101,000 tons. Against this backdraft the DUH has initiated the “Cup Hero” campaign which puts emphasis on consistently reusing takeaway cups. In cooperation with Ornamin Actega DS developed a TPE plastic as a reusable solution for the coffee-to-go cup. This reusable to-go cup made from high class plastics will be presented at the K-Fair where visitors will receive it. The cup sleeve and lid seal are manufactured from our TPE PROVAMED® 1160. “Unfortunately, disposable and reusable products made of plastic are often lumped together as plastic in general”, laments Dr. Holger von der Emde, CEO at Ornamin-Kunststoffwerke in Minden, where reusable plastic tableware has been manufactured for more than 60 years. “We are delighted therefore that the Cup Hero campaign instigated by the Deutsche Umwelthilfe is clarifying a few basic issues for the public in terms of disposable versus reusable. In Actega DS, we have found a competent and innovative partner for an environmentally-friendly coffee-to-go solution made of high-quality TPE plastics.”
The material used for cup sleeves and flaps at the mouthpiece means that the production of this reusable cup is particularly gentle on resources and the environment. After all, TPE technology does not require any time-intensive or complex temperature vulcanization which in turn saves time and energy as well as reducing CO2 emissions. The TPE are free of PVC and plasticizers, and display a very low percentage of emitable substances. They are also reusable and recyclable. Apart from dispensing with phthalates, the TPE are also free of heavy metals, silicone and latex. They are food-safe and can be sterilized as well as being certified to USP VI/ISO 10993. The reusable cup is entirely free of Bisphenol-A as this is also a critical issue which must be taken into consideration. New Fair indication
Actega DS will be exhibiting at K-fair, October 19. – 26., Düsseldorf, hall 8a, stand 8a-F11 where a portfolio of ADC-free, PAH-free, germ-resistant, fragrance-compounded, oil-free, self-sealing, adhesion-optimized wear resistant TPE will be presented.