| GRN Recycle Talk FAQ Answer |
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 97 14:47 WET DST From: FRIEDMAN.FRED@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV (Fred Friedman) Subject: Re: Polystyrene vs. cardboard health environmental impacts (Daniel Powell)
Sept. 23, 1997
Dear Daniel Powell,
I think that I've answered this question on this GRN website at least once previously. However, I've been known to be wrong about such things before, so here goes again:
Recycled paperboard can generate large amounts of water contaminants when recycled. A major source is from inks and coatings found on wastepaper and board, liberated in the pulping process. Paperboard materials from recycled fibers requires less energy than recycled polystyrene.
The principal ste of pollutants from polystyrene production and recycling are volatile organic compounds to air, about 18.6 lbs of VOC emissions per ton of bead polymers.
The cost of recycling is higher for the polystyrene than for the paper.
The above information is from the Tellus Institute Packaging Study Project Summary by Tellus Institute, 11 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116. This study was conducted for the Council of State Governments.
Compare this data with the following from Resource and Environmental Profile Analysis of Foam Polystyrene and Bleached Paperboard Continers by Franklin Associates for the plastics industry's Council for Solid Waste Solutions :
Environmental Impacts of foam polystyrene at 100% recycling: 2.3 cubic ft of solid waste; 11.8 lbs of atmospheric emissions; ;1.7 lbs of waterborne wastes;
. . . with paperboard at 0% recycling: 11.7 cubic feet of solid waste; 25.7 lbs of atmospheric emissions; 4.3 lbs of waterborne wastes.
Why 0% recycling? Because according to Franklin Associates Through contacts in the waste paper industry and consuming paper mills, there is an indication of a very limited demand for coated paperboard food containers. While the technology is available to process and handle in-plant scrap, no efforts have been identified to clean paperboard containers contaminated with food waste. . .
Did the consultant hold polystyrene up to the same standard? Check the study.
If I were conducting the comparison, I'd rely more upon the Tellus study.
Franklin Associates can be reached at 4121 West 83 St., Suite 108, Prairie Village, KS 66208.
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