ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
What's your impact?
Enter your weekly cup usage and see how much plastic your business diverts from landfill every year by switching to Ground to Green.
CUPS USED PER WEEK
That's equivalent to keeping 15,886 plastic bottles out of landfill. [4]
ⓘ Estimates only. Figures are indicative based on published lifecycle assessments and typical cup specifications. Actual impact varies by cup type, size, manufacturing origin, energy grid, and end-of-life infrastructure. See references below.
Data & References
The figures in this calculator are derived from peer-reviewed lifecycle assessment (LCA) studies and industry standards. All estimates carry inherent tolerances — this tool is designed to give you a general sense of scale, not a precise measurement.
[1] Plastic weight per cup (~11g)
Based on typical 12oz single-use polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) cups weighing 10–12g. Source: GMZ Paper Cup Weight Guide; manufacturer specifications from multiple Australian distributors. For PLA-lined paper cups, the plastic lining alone is ~3–5g — the 11g figure represents full plastic cup replacement.
[2] CO₂ equivalent per cup (~39g CO₂e)
Lifecycle CO₂e of producing a conventional single-use cup. KeepCup's independent LCA (Edge Environment, ISO 14040:2006) measured ~37g CO₂e for a paper cup with lid. The EEER comparative LCA study (2022) found 30–70g CO₂e across PP, PS, and paper cup types. We use 39g as a mid-range estimate. Source: KeepCup Reusable Coffee Cups LCA and Benchmark, Edge Environment (2018); Comparative lifecycle GHG emissions of single-use plastic cups, Environ. Eng. Res. (2022).
[3] Composting time (84 days) vs. plastic (400–1,000 years)
Australian Standard AS4736-2006 (Industrial Compostability) requires certified products to disintegrate within 12 weeks (~84 days) in a commercial composting facility. Conventional plastic (PP/PS/PET) persists in landfill for an estimated 400–1,000 years. Source: AS4736-2006, Standards Australia; Addressing Plastic Waste, US EPA (2023); UNEP Technical Guidance Note on Plastics.
[4] Plastic bottle equivalence
Calculated by dividing total plastic weight diverted (cups × 11g) by the weight of a standard 500mL single-use PET bottle (~18g). This provides a relatable comparison of plastic mass. Source: The Weight of Plastic Water Bottles, Ozmo; Average and median weight of plastic bottles, ResearchGate (2017).
Disclaimer: This calculator is intended for informational and awareness purposes only. Results are estimates with tolerances of ±20–40% depending on cup type, origin, and local composting conditions. Ground to Green makes no warranty as to the accuracy of these figures for any specific business scenario. Consult a certified sustainability professional for detailed assessments.
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