The chart compares the resources used to make 1000 disposable cups in different materials polystyrene and paper

The bar chart illustrates the quantity of different resources consumed to make 1,000 polystyrene and paper cups.

To product 1,000 polystyrene cups needs 8 kg of petroleum and 13 kg of other chemicals. These two elements are heated with 130 kg steam, which is ten times as much as other chemicals. This process is rather energy-efficient, only costing 0.6 m3 of water and 6 kilowatts of electricity.

However, in the process of making 1,000 paper cups, the usage amount of water and electricity is more than ten times than that in the process of making polystyrene. It also requires more petroleum, more than twice as polystyrene cups. It is worth mentioning that the production of paper cups doesn’t need much other chemicals and steam. The amount of other chemicals is less than two thirds of that in polystyrene cups.

Overall, the production of polystyrene cups is environmentally friendly, because it costs less energy and doesn’t need any wood, while 1,000 paper cups almost needs 220 kg of wood.