The provided chart compares the resources required to produce 1,000 disposable cups from either polystyrene or paper. At first glance, it is clear that manufacturing paper cups is far more resource-heavy in almost every category. While polystyrene relies significantly on steam and some chemicals, paper production requires a massive amount of wood, water, and electricity.
The most striking difference is found in wood and water usage. Paper cups require 220 kg of wood, whereas polystyrene uses none at all. Similarly, the water needed for paper is 10 m^3, which is more than fifteen times the amount used for polystyrene. Electricity consumption follows a similar pattern, with paper needing 78 kilowatts compared to only 6 kilowatts for the plastic version. Even when looking at petroleum, paper cups surprisingly use more at 18 kg, while polystyrene uses only 8 kg.
There are only two areas where polystyrene uses more resources than paper. The most notable is steam, where polystyrene requires 130 kg, which is significantly higher than the 0.56 kg used for paper. Additionally, polystyrene uses slightly more chemicals at 13 kg compared to 8 kg for paper. In summary, although polystyrene is a plastic, producing it appears to be much more efficient in terms of raw materials and energy than producing paper cups.