Hot Drink Paper Cups Explained

This is a very common question; the answer primarily depends on the heat of beverage you intend to serve. We stock a wide range of cups from single-wall plain cups, to our newest triple wall "Ultimate" Paper Cups. The key difference is the insulating properties of the specific cup type.

Single wall cups are perfect for warm drinks; however piping hot coffee would be rather uncomfortable to hold without the use of a cup sleeve (available seperately). Due to their single-wall construction there is no additional layer to insulate the heat of the drink.

Double wall and Ripple cups are specifically designed for far greater heat retention, the dual layers work in a similar way to a thermos flask; trapping air and isolating the customers hand from hot beverages. In addition to this, the extra rigidity is ideally suited to "coffee on the go".

With different coffee shop and drinks providers favouring different disposable cup materials, it is interesting to find out which is the most effective insulator. Perhaps the best way to discuss the insulation properties of a paper cup is to compare it with another commonly used non-china cup material such as polystyrene. This can be done by performing a simple test to show whether the polystyrene or paper cup kept the tea it contained hotter for longer.

Differences between Paper cups and Polystyrene containers
The heat retention test involves pouring 200 ml of boiling water into a polystyrene cup and the same amount into a hot drink paper cup to find out which is the better insulator. For a wider comparison you could also use a plastic container as part of the test to see how its insulation properties compare. We all know each of these vessels will provide a certain level of insulation, but this test can help show which is the best method of keeping liquids heated.

How to measure the temperature
You can use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the liquid. Taking a heat reading every minute for ten minutes, then again at 20 minutes and 30 minutes, will help to show whether the paper cup is the best insulator. You can record these findings as a graph if you wish to make the results clearer.

Heat analysis
In a similar test, cup and food container specialist Contexpan found that the liquid in both cups dropped in temperature quite quickly during the first five minutes, from around 100 degrees centigrade to around 90 degrees. However, at this point, the liquid in the polystyrene cup cooled at a significantly slower rate than the paper cup, remaining at around 80 degrees after 25 minutes compared with the liquid in the paper cup, which had dropped to around 70 degrees.

The findings
The results state that the polystyrene cup is the better insulator, with the paper cup in second place. A third cup, a plastic cup, was used in the Contexpan test and this presenting inferior insulation properties, with the water temperature falling to below 70 degrees centigrade after 25 minutes. However, companies such as Event Supplies are now manufacturing ripple disposable hot drink paper cups with an air pocket in between to trap the heat and provide an extra barrier of insulation. Although conclusive findings have not been compiled, early indications suggest that these new double walled cups will be even better insulators than their Polystyrene counterparts.

Event supplies stock a huge range of quality catering disposable items used throughout professional catering businesses, whether you are organising a large event or small party, event supplies service, prices and product range ensure your catering disposable needs are exceeded.

Event Supplies
http://www.eventsupplies.co.uk
0844 4995456

Party Supplies

Party Supplies

folk need no excuse to throw a party if there is an event or occasion to be celebrated, like a victory party at high school or at work, new job or promotion from work, wedding party, birthday party and so on. Hence, buying your Party Supplies online is advantageous from both a choice and financial point of view. Internet traders often have a much more expansive product range, meaning you should easily be able to source all your goods from the same vendor.

Some handy tips when scouring the Internet for a supplier which will give you with what you require, since the first and foremost thing you need to do whether you are getting ready to throw a sports, birthday or wedding celebration is to look for a reputable distributor. There are a huge number of Christmas party supplies retailers appearing online, not all are as trusted as they may first appear. Some may claim to hold a greater quantity of stock than they actually hold, meaning they could possibly fail to meet your needs, others may be one-man-bands pretending to be much larger suppliers.

You would be advised to ensure that the company you decide to use has a good reputation in the industry. If you look for catering supplies companies by browsing the Internet you will be surprised to find out that there are hundreds or maybe thousands of such vendors. Hence, there is always a possibility that you will encounter a disappointing service. In order to avoid disappointing products and service, it is advisable to contact the potential suppliers by telephone prior to ordering. If it is possible, visit the showroom in person and request to see samples of their products before making a decision, although this is not always possible with the modern Internet website / warehouse business style of business.

It is important to be skeptical of vendors that only specialise in supplying poor quality imported goods. Although this can seem like a great way of cutting overheads, there is a difference between a well priced item and a poor quality one. This is particularly evident with plastic tumblers. It is possible to buy extremely cheap disposable tumblers, however it can be a case of false economy if people need to "double up" the cups in order to get the required strength.

In order to get the best pricing, it really does pay to shop around. The first thing to need to decide on is the quantities required. If bulk quantities of products are needed then there is no point in buying your party supplies from a small, low-volume trader. Their pricing structure will be geared towards smaller purchases, and stock levels could also pose a problem.

Event Supplies are a leading UK supplier of catering and party supplies, situated in the north of England. Our full range of products is delivered on a next-day basis with a free delivery available. Visit our website for all your Christmas Party Supply needs, all goods are in stock. Exclusive new range of 2010 Christmas Party Supplies in stock. Give our friendly sales team a call on 0844 4995456 and we will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Event Supplies
http://www.eventsupplies.co.uk
sales@eventsupplies.co.uk
0844 4995456

Office Coffee Machines

There are loads of Automatic Coffee Machines available at present.

A fairly new machine type are Pod Coffee Machines which make double or single shots of coffee by using pods of coffee instead of loose coffee. These capsules of coffee house the coffee grounds so that the quantities of coffee are correct for the user, thus reducing production time and limits any mess.

These espresso makers are particularly popular for use as Office Coffee Machines and in hotel rooms because of these clean features. Using the machines is very easy; users simply put the pod of espresso in the coffee maker, add the H2O, and push a button to create a perfect drink without fail. Many of these Home Coffee Machines and coffee makers can also produce hot water and therefore one can create Tea beverages as well as the many coffee varieties.

If the pod machines is not preferred, there are other coffee makers that use coffee grounds and also have a timer switch so coffee drinks can be automatically made at set times.

Many Automatic Coffee Machines also come with features such as the ability to change the strength of brewing espresso coffee. These auto coffee machines are wonderful for homes have differing tastes in the strength of the coffee they like.

Many espresso makers can also take the brew temperature to steam temperature within a few seconds, some coffee makers also feature a tray beneath the coffee pot where a mug maybe filled straight from the coffee maker. In addition automatic coffee machines will sometimes have two coffee pots so normal and decaffeinated coffee can be created together. This is a great feature for users who make coffee for friends on a regular basis.

There are some automatic coffee machines which also have a place to make coffee into a coffee pot on one side and also feature an espresso maker with a steaming wand for making specialty coffees on the other side. This is a fantastic option for users who prefer to have a specialty coffee drink such as a Latte. Some of these automatic coffee machines can be purchased for commercial and are acceptable for operation in a coffee shop has a method of creating coffee for their guests.

The semi-automatic Coffee makers are the most accepted types of machine found in domestic situations and they allow one to control the production of the coffee. The brewing process is usually finished within just 30 seconds and for making of Cappuccinos or other sort of coffees the machines will come with a stem or frothing adapter. The commercial portafilters that the semi-automatic coffee machines have are constructed of a plastic handle and a metal container.

Super Automatic Coffee Machines will make a great cup of coffee within a matter of seconds at the push of just a single button. The only work one must carry out with the coffee maker are the programmed settings that one must adjust to set the coffee machine. If you require a cup of Joe quickly and want to skip the part of brewing, then a super-automatic coffee maker might be the right choice.

There are many models of coffee makers on the market today, many types that practically do everything and all the owner need do is to plug the coffee machine into a plug socket and a perfect drink of Joe will be ready in minutes.

When considering which Espresso maker try to consider the cost, the features that you require and your finances, try to consider all the three factors.

Paper Coffee Cups

There are a lot new Ripple cups emerging into the market at present, and some very competitively priced ones to boot.

The cost of making these products does not vary much from producer to producer, the cost of the right type of materials doesn't change either, factoring in economies of scale (purchasing power) will not change things a lot either, so how can there be massive differences in the cost price of Ripple Cups from one seller to another? Well, there is only really one way to reduce cost - use less expensive materials.

Unfortunately, the material some suppliers are compromising in order to reduce the cost of this product is the quality of the paper used.

Despite the the recycling efforts of late and green initiatives generally our beleaguered government sometimes get things right, in particular rules regarding goods which come into contact with foodstuffs. It is against the law for any product which comes into direct contact with foodstuffs to be made using recycled material for the simple reason that untreated paper (that may have once been lavatory roll for example) has the potential to make people ill if filled with hot liquid (such as coffee as toxins can migrate into the food. There is no way of checking what the recycled paper board was once used for - it could have contained anything and make people very ill.

All our Ripple Cups are made with food grade board and are sent for testing with PIRA (Printing Industry Research Association) who test the cups to make sure all the paper board used in their creation is food grade and the product is fit for purpose. Any trace of recycled material and the coffee cups would fail the test and will not be fit for purpose.

You might ask how firms can 'get away' with using or selling these cups without lawsuits etc? I suspect few of you reading this were aware that this could happen? Most people simply assume that organisations will check the quality of the Double Wall Cups used or sold by them. If you became ill after a cup of coffee would you look suspiciously at the paper cup, or wonder if the milk was off? I bet you would suspect the Paper Coffee Cup least of all.

Generally the only firms requesting food contact certificates to be delivered before delivery of Triple Wall Cups are the likes of KFC and the other large restaurants and coffee shops but any firm selling or using disposable cups should be asking for these certificates too. The first organisation to get sued will be the one without the correct documents.

To help you check if you may have unsuitable cups there is a check you can carry out yourself. Triple wall are also often described as 'triple layer cups' and there is one simple way to check if your ripple cups are produced using the correct board quality, and that is to tear the outer layer of the paper cup to reveal the hidden third layer of board.

Coffee Cups using unsuitable recycled board will be brown or grey, the proper legal board will normally be white.

Choosing the right coffee machine?

Anybody looking for a coffee machine for home use will probably have been overwhelmed by the vast number of machines available to purchase.

There are numerous types of machines available from pump coffee machines, automatic coffee makers, bean to cup coffee machines and now even outdoor coffee machines

The best method for choosing the correct coffee machine for you is to examine your lifestyle, the type of coffee you want and be truthful about how complicated you wish your home use coffee maker to be, some home use coffee makers can be hard to fathom!

It is also a good idea to know what you want to spend, the cost of the various machines varies significantly from the small hand held coffee machines - which make great gifts - to the impressive £2000 plus fully automatic coffee machines offered by the likes of Siemens coffee machines which are suitable for use in busy coffee chains, an unlikely gift even from the most generous.

It is a good idea to look at the reviews and try to understand the capacity of the coffee machine prior to buying one. Here follows a few pointers towards certain coffee makers.

Steam-driven coffee machines operate by pushing water through the coffee grinds using steam or steam pressure. The first coffee makers were steam models, produced when a boiler was piped to four group heads so that multiple types of coffee could be made at the same time. The same design is still used today in low-cost consumer coffee makers, as it does not need to contain moving parts. Many low-cost steam-driven units are sold in combination with a drip-coffee machine.

Piston-driven coffee machines or lever driven machines were developed in Italy in 1945 by Achille Gaggia, founder of Gaggia coffee machines. The design normally uses a lever, pumped by the user, to pressurize hot water and send it through the coffee grinds. The act of producing a shot of espresso is colloquially termed pulling a shot, because these lever-style espresso makers required pulling a long handle to produce a shot

There are two types of lever machines; spring piston design and manual piston. With the manual piston, the operator directly pushes the water through the coffee grinds. In the spring piston design, the user works to tension a spring, which then delivers the pressure for the espresso (usually 8 to 10 bar).

Pump-driven coffee machines are a refinement of the piston coffee maker, which has become the most popular design in professional coffee shops. Instead of using manual force, a motor-driven pump provides the force necessary for espresso brewing. DeLonghi coffee machines are themost popular manufacturers for this type of coffee machine.

Professional coffee shop machines or some high-end home coffee machines are often attached directly to the water supply on the site; lower-end home coffee machines have built-in water reservoirs.

Some home pump espresso machines typically use a single chamber both for boiling water up to brewing temperature, and to boil water for steamed milk. As the temperature for brewing coffee is sometimes less than the temperature for making steam, the espresso maker requires time to make the transition from one mode to the other. Water for brewing can pass through a heat exchanger (taking some heat from the steam, without rising to the same temperature). In some coffee machines, for coffee shops or domestic use, water for brewing is heated in a separate chamber.

Espresso machines which contain the addition of sensors, valves, pumps, and grinders to automate the brewing process generally are referred to as automatic.

Semi-automatic espresso makers are automatic in the sense water is delivered by a pump, rather than manual force and the remaining brew pressure in the basket is dissipated with a three way valve.

Automatic coffee makers add a flowmeter inline with the grouphead. When the pre determined amount of water has passed through the flowmeter, the pump is automatically turned off and brew pressure let out through a three way solenoid valve.

Super-automatic machines operate by also automatically grinding the coffee beans, tamping it, and extracting; all any user needs to do is fill the beans, and if the machine is not plumbed in a water line, add water to a reservoir. Additionally, models contain an auto milk frothing and dispensing feature.

Recently air-pressure driven portable espresso makers have come onto the market. A Handpresso is a portable coffee machine. It works by pumping air at very high pressure (16 bar) into an intermediate chamber. Hot water is then poured into a small reservoir, which can contain boiling water for individual cups of espresso coffee. Ground coffee is inserted on top of the water reservoir and a portafilter is screwed on the top of the water container. The machine is now turned around and the pressure from the storage chamber is released into the water container. The high pressure pushes the water through the coffee pod and into the cup, which should be put underneath the coffee maker. When the required amount of espresso is brewed, the pressure is released from the water container and the infusion process stops.

Plastic Shot Glasses

The days of the dusty saloon are done. The clinking of heavy glass shot glasses has gone the way of the tumbleweed. Plastic shot glasses have come into their own. Once believed to only be suitable for disposable glass, Polycarbonate and Polystyrene shot glasses have had a massive impact on the bar supplies industry as of late.

Previously, Plastic Shot Glasses have been flimsy and easily cracked vessels, too fragile to replace more traditional glassware in pubs, bars and other venues. This situation has changed with the introduction of thicker grade Polycarbonate glasses, which can actually be stronger than their glass counterparts.

There are numerous advantages to the Plastic Shot Glass, one of the most important is the safety benefits of using plastic rather than glass. The most obvious problem with glassware is the risk of cracking, shatter, or chip. The result of this sort of damage can range from a throwing away a broken piece of glass, to being liable for personal injury claims as a result of a breakage. Obviously neither of these is particularly appealing to bar owners, whose responsibility it is to maintain the quality of their vessels. This problem has become further compounded with more recent Societal nightlife trends in the UK where binge drinking is on the increase, often resulting in physical altercations. In this sort of situation the worst drinking container for a customer to be equipped with is an item of glassware, which can be quickly turned into a razor sharp shard.

In the interest of safety and public liability, bar and club owners have quickly adopted plastic alternatives to many bar supplies, including the humble shot glass. To this end, the improvements in the plastic manufacturing process could not have come at a better time, giving bar owners a genuinely viable alternative to the glass based item.

As with so many things, money also plays its part in the equation. Both Polycarbonate Shot Glasses and Polystyrene shot glasses are much cheaper than buying glassware due to the simplified manufacturing processes used to make them. Moulds can be created which allow the manufacturer to produce enourmous volumes of glasses with a very low fault rate.

Another major benefit plastic shot glasses have offered clients is the innovation in designs and colours. Because of the reduced manufacturing costs, manufacturers have been able to produce a whole range of stylised glasses, examples being the twisted shot glass, neon shot glass and the twin-chamber plastic shot glass. Of course this has been a huge hit when it comes to specialty themed drinks in clubs, the Baileys Irish cream shot for example.

These innovations, safety improvements and cost benefits have led to a massive surge in the usage of disposable and reusable shot glasses on the UK pub and club scene, a Market totally dominated by glassware only a couple of years ago. Whatever your requirements, there is a type of shot glass available to meet your needs. These range from the high quality glasses designed to mimic the glass version, to thinner plastic shot glasses more suited to high volume use.

For bar owners or bar catering supplies companies, there really is no need to supply the glass made shot glass anymore. The implications of its misuse make its deployment in today's "compensation culture" society an unattractive proposition. All this may mean that the shot glass (glass) may become consigned to the history books.

Commercial Coffee Machines

Drinking coffee is a habit of millions of people all over the globe. Coffee machines make it possible to meet the requirement of all these people. Without commercial coffee machines, it would not be achievable for millions of people around the world to enjoy a good cup of coffee.

With the growing number of websites offering coffee machines at increasingly reasonable prices, buying a coffee machine online can be a great way to save time and money. These websites help the customers in the purchasing decision by giving them an option to compare the features of different types of coffee machines. But there are some guidelines to be followed when purchasing your machine.

Make sure you buy from a good reputable company. It may seem obvious, but do make sure that the company you choose is consistent and shopping with them is safe and sound.

It is a daunting task to select a single one from a collection of numerous types of coffee machines. But you should take the time to look through your options: read the specifications for different coffee makers and make sure that you think not only about the basic features, but also the advanced features of various machines. And also check installation and warranty information.

There are a number of commercial coffee machines in the market- the main types being espresso machines, cappuccino machines and bean-to-cup coffee machines. Different machines come with different features, so while buying your coffee machine it is important that you know exactly what you are looking for.

Coffee Making Using A Coffee Machine

If you don't mind instant coffee granules or powder, it isn't that difficult to make a cup of coffee. You just put a teaspoonful of coffee in a cup or mug, boil some water, pour it on, stir and then serve. However, if you want "proper" coffee, not instant, the process isn't quite so easy unless you have a coffee machine
.

There are many different types of coffee machines available and which one you choose will depend on the features and the price of the appliance. In a domestic environment, you don't necessarily need all the "bells and whistles" that a commercial enterprise would require, but if you want to make different types of coffee, you'll want something a little fancy.

First of all, you can choose the look and size of the coffee machine. If you only have a small space available, there's no point buying a huge machine and this may restrict the facilities that it has. For example, it will affect the number of cups of coffee which can be produced before the water reservoir must be refilled. In terms of appearance, there is either plastic or stainless steel to choose from and plastic may come in a variety of colours depending of the make of the machine.

Another early decision will be whether you want a filter machine with a jug or whether you want an espresso machine. The latter is usually more versatile but may well cost more to buy and you'll also need to buy more coffee as by it's nature espresso is usually stronger than filter coffee.

Filter coffee machines usually have a jug which sits on a hotplate to keep the coffee warm. This is useful if you have a lot of people drinking coffee, for example in an office, but although you can vary the number of cups you make, it isn't really practical for a lone coffee drinker (unless you drink far too much) because the hotplate doesn't really keep the coffee that warm over time and the flavour becomes a bit "stewed" if not drunk within an hour or so.

Espresso coffee machines, particularly really do come in all different shapes and sizes, from the tiny little one cup machines to the large (and expensive) types which have a large reservoir, grind the coffee, dispense and tamp it down then discards the spent coffee when the water has run through. All you have to do with one of these is make sure that there is enough water and beans then froth the milk if you want it.

Medium priced espresso machines will usually have a reasonably large water reservoir and a milk frothing system. Cheaper ones will probably only hold enough water for a couple of cups and won't have a frother. It's really horses for courses depending on how much and what sort of coffee you like to drink.

Many brands have similar models of coffee machine, so you may want to visit a few different electrical shops and compare prices, brand facilities and warranty conditions, before you make your decision.

Whichever type you buy, don't forget that there is different ready ground coffee for filter machines than for espresso machines so make sure that you pick up the right sort in the supermarket. Either way, once water has run through the coffee, don't even think about trying to use the coffee again or it will look and taste like dishwater!

If you choose the right coffee machine for the job, then you should have good tasty coffee whenever you want it.

What To Do With An Espresso Machine

Espresso Machines particularly the Gaggia espresso maker were founded by Achille Gaggia, an Italian who manufactured and applied for patent for the first new generation steamless espresso machine to be used exclusively in his coffee bar. In 1948, Gaggia trading espresso machines first became available to the market for trading use. It was in 1977 that Italian espresso machines became available also for home place use.

In Italy and other parts of Europe and US America, home place espresso machines bring glee to the coffee beavers’ right at the comfort of their homes. In fact, Gaggia machines are among the world’s supreme espresso coffee makers.

Espresso Machines made by Gaggia are designed to achieve the highest quality of brew, and for this reason one Gaggia espresso maker can cost up to $200. The coffee machines used in many commercial coffee shops were innovated by Gaggia Machines from conditioned espresso coffee machine to cappuccino machines.

To enjoy a good coffee from Gaggia espresso maker is effortless. The things needed are Gaggia coffee machine with its measuring spoon, coffee grounds and coffee cup. The first move is to switch on the coffee maker to pre-heat it for 6 minutes. Add a spoonful of coffee grounds into the coffee filter using the measuring spoon supplied by Gaggia Espresso Machines to make a cup of coffee. Re-insert the coffee filter into its holder before pressing the start button.

The next thing to do is to fix the cup or carafe under the coffee machine’s spout. To make the ideal brew of coffee that is so famous of gaggia espresso maker, tamp the coffee with 30 pounds of squeeze. Coffee experts revealed that to have the classical espresso, factors such as water, quality of coffee as well as heat and temperature give a role.

Espresso machines are a apparatus that cultivate quality coffee according to the ability of the user, although it can be said that the vital functions of espresso machines are the same. First, the coffee maker uses the water and heats it up until it reaches the correct level, after which, the machine give out the hot water to pass through the ground coffee to bring up the espresso.

The remaining hot water is given pressure and heat to attain hot steam that make the foam-flecked effect of milk in cappuccino and latte beverages. The famous commercial espresso machines that Gaggia machined for coffee bars anywhere are fully-regular coffee machines—whether cappuccino machines or gaggia espresso maker.

This is because it show flexibility in a span of minutes without sacrificing the quality of their coffee. In coffee bars that are famous and busy, this type of coffee machine is recommended and used.

To give a preview on how the regular espresso machine works especially, this article gives the key data on a cup of coffee is made before it is delivered to its customer. The first move is to have the coffee grounded. A skilled barista can do the duty. Next is to insert the portafilter before pushing the button and wait. The coffee machines have their own settings to do the work for decaffeinated and regular coffee, which are both demonstrated in seconds.

Biodegradable Catering Supplies

This week Tesco announced it "does not see the value" in using packs that can only be industrially composted. As we suggested back in September last year we foresaw numerous problems associated with PLA biodegradable products and the obvious problems that come with adding new materials into an already struggling recycling stream.

Tesco's packaging technical manager Stephen Pizer said "We are open to talking to people and to reviewing new materials, but we want to make sure we are not complicating matters by adding materials."

"We do not see the value in using packaging that’s only industrially compostable," said Pizer. "Local authorities do not want to touch it as it can contaminate existing recycling schemes."

The retailer currently uses compostable cellulose-based based Natureflex for packaging, catering supplies and some of its organic produce range. The packs have been chosen as they are home compostable.

A number of other supermarkets, including Asda, have decided not to use degradable plastics due to concerns over their effect on the recycling stream for non-compostable materials.

New Pricing for Disposable Plastic Champagne Flutes

Event supplies are pleased to announce that our 100ml disposable champagne flutes are now available at the all new everyday low price of £13/100. Plastic Champagne Flutes are perfect for corporate functions and events alike. They are an extremely cost effective and surprisingly environmentally friendly way to cater for your guests beverage vessel needs. Why waste money on more expensive glass alternatives that will inevitably end up broken or damaged at the end of the event?

Event Supplies are the north of England’s premier catering supplies distributor, specialising in plastic glasses, disposable pint glasses, vending cups and now Coffee Makers.

http://www.eventsupplies.co.uk
0844 4995456

Seen to be greener?

Lots of companies all over the globe are now offering for sale environmentally sound products, in our industry the most commonplace are the PLA (poly-lactic acid) coated Paper Coffee Cups the likes of Starbucks and the other major coffee houses are using in their desire to be seen to be as environmentally acceptable and sympathetic as possible.

Many are now offering reusable ceramic mugs to drink in store, or that you can purchase and then return to receive a rebate.

Hundreds of websites have sprung up now offering biodegradable disposable tableware and "to-go" products.

What people do not realise is that some of these products are completely redundant unless the companies and customers using these products change their habits too.

Having just finished reading a press release about a certain restaurant switching its type of paper coffee cups from the standard oil based lined item to the new in vogue PLA coated "biodegradable" types and advising us how they are single handedly rescuing the environment I feel it is necessary to point out a couple of things.

Firstly these PLA coated biodegradable cups will not biodegrade in a landfill so it of little use paying the extra cash for these paper coffee cups if they are simply thrown in the bin bags with the rest of the rubbish and disposed with other unsorted Catering Supplies.

Another point to note is that recycling and composting is mainly a service carried out by local councils; and many authorities treat waste differently from one area to another. Some will collect your waste products for resale (sold typically in the Far East) some will combust it for power, whereas some actually just send it straight to the landfill irrespective of how you have sorted it at home or the coffee shop.

One of the main problems with the short sighted efforts of these (usually large) companies trying their upmost to be seen as the leader in fighting climate change is that they do not consider where their rubbish ends up, how these new products are manufactured or how they should be handled in order to make the most of their biodegradable properties.

Biodegradable paper cups can create more waste if not properly sorted at waste recycling locations, these new PLA coated paper cups do not differ visually from standard oil lined paper coffee cups and as a result this can actually create more waste.

99% of all Paper Cups used/sold at present have an oil based lining and are regularly collected for recycling, if however one of these PLA lined paper coffee cups came into contact with these cups, the natural lining would react with the oil based lining and destroy the whole batch. There have already been stories of PLA containers finding their way into polypropylene recycling containers and contaminating their contents.

There have also been reports of deforestation in parts of the far east to create more space to grow the crops used for production of PLA and in the west we have been giving farm subsidies to farmers in Africa to grow many of the crops we are now using for PLA and bio-fuels - putting these people back into poverty!

Removing farmland once used to grow food in order to grow crops for bio-fuels and alternatives to plastics also increases food costs to customers, something most people will have noticed in the last year...

Green Festivals

As we are now enjoying the very best the UK summer has to offer, it can only mean that the festival season is well and truly underway. Recent festivals have included the Isle of Wight Festival as well as the ever popular Glastonbury Festival. For the first time in years neither of these festivals has managed to sell out all their tickets, however the relatively new (by comparison) Lattitude festival has proved to be more popular that ever. For the first time in it’s history this festival has truly adopted an ethical green mantra, marking a unique change of direction for UK festivals. Although this festival is only in its third year the organizes believe that conducting the festival catering and supplies in a green and ethical manner makes the festival highly appealing to the more ethical minded punter, and aligns with favorably with popular societal environmental trends.

Although the festival serves to highlight the need to place more emphasis on environmental concerns, it proves to be a highly varied and diverse festival, appealing to very broad demographic. Activities include poetry, comedy, music, as well as all sorts of variety acts to keep the revelers entertained. In my opinion this festival succeeds in bridging the divide between the hardcore environmentalist and the casual festival fan that just enjoys live music and great ale. The difference between these 2 parties could not be more pronounced. Whereas the environmentalist may be single minded in his approach to saving the world single handedly, the "average Joe" on the street often gives barely a passing thought to these concerns. The organizers basically seek to promote more of a middle-ground between the two groups, educating and enlightening the general populous to some of the unseen plights for which they are directly responsible. Promoting this ethical responsibility and encouraging more "green living" can only be seen as a step forward to cutting the waste and pollution problem that appears to be growing at an exponential rate.

The organizers attempted to tackle the waste problem in a number of different ways. For starters all revelers who opted to camp on-site were given a "Campers Waste Kit", which helped participants to separate their waste and waste materials. This tackles a huge problem of festivals, namely the contamination of waste materials. The contamination means that it is extremely difficult if not impossible to recycle or successfully compost the waste materials produced during the course of the event. By giving participants the facility to sort their own paper cups, plastic tumblers and catering supplies it means that there is a far greater chance of the organizers being able to collect properly sorted and reusable materials at the end of the event.

The Paper Cups used at events of this nature are a massive problem. This is partly due to the volume of cups used, and partly due to the way in which they are disposed of. By omitting recycling facilities from the sites festival goers have no way to dispose of their waste, so it either ends up contaminated with food waste or simple thrown on the ground. It is perfectly possibly to successfully recycle the paper cup, in fact if used correctly and with a bit of environmental responsibility it can be surprisingly green for a disposable one-use product. Once recycled it is not normally suitable for further use as a food product, as these normally requires virgin paper as a base product for hygiene reasons, however it can find its way into a range of other catering supplies. The life cycle of the humble paper cup can be almost infinite! The one exception to this rule is if the waste is recycled in such a way so as to remove any contaminants from the material, cleansing the raw product of any impurities. Although this is far more expensive to achieve, it does mean that the waste can then be approved for use with food related catering supplies under certain circumstances.

Another focus of the festival was the incentive to re-use the plastic glasses and disposable pint glasses provided by the organizers. Visitors were made to pay a small fee for their plastic glass at the start of the event, and encouraged to hold onto them and reuse the item for the whole event. The incentive in this case came in the form of a small rebate on the original price of the plastic glass. Visitors were actually seem leaving with the plastic tumblers from the event, having not disposed of the item at all. This greatly reduced the amount of waste produced at the festival and it was done in the simplest of ways. By adding perceived value to the Plastic Pint Glass visitors were discouraged from simply throwing it away, appealing to their financial minded side which naturally resists the temptation to dispose of something they have paid for.

Market traders and Burger van operators were also given similar incentives with their catering equipment and catering supplies. They were rewarded for the amount of material they successfully managed to recycle directly from their stall straight into their sorted waste. This includes plastic containers, food containers and other catering supplies associated with fast food. Again the incentives were only small; however the effect this had on people's attitude to waste was substantial.

The organizers also sought to elect "green representatives" at the event who were there to advise visitors on the best place to dispose of their waste, and to point them towards the recycling facilities on site. By promoting this style of green responsibility the direction of the festival pointed well and truly towards the renewable and reusable energy sources of the future.

The efforts also spread to the online arm of the marketing for the festival, with ticket holders encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas on the recycling, particularly on the reusable nature of the disposable pint glasses and plastic tumblers. This was simple another way of promoting increased concern for the environment in an accessible way that everyone can relate to.

Of course it would be hypocritical if the event staff themselves were drinking from disposable tumblers and pint glasses behind the scenes and simply throwing them away, so this same recycling belief has also been adopted by the very people who sought to implement it. Reusable Pint Glasses and Polycarbonate Pint Glasses were used extensively by the organizers to keep waste to an absolute minimum, even to the extent of having plastic champagne glasses at the board meetings!

It all goes to show that thinking green does not necessarily have to mean chaining yourself to a tree in the middle of winter. Attitudes such as the ones discussed here can be seen as a sure sign that times are changing and dealing with your waste paper and plastic Catering Supplies in an ethical and green manner does not have to mean canceling the festival or leaving visitors out of pocket come the end of the event.

Paper vs. Styrofoam vs. Plastic Cups

What is the most environmentally friendly way of drinking from a cup or mug? Reusable cups are usually the preferred method as long as the cups get used a lot. As for disposable cups, the main three choices are paper, styrofoam, and plastic. Plastic cups are the cheapest to purchase but they can’t be used for hot drinks.

Pricewise, plastic cups cost $11 for 1000. Styrofoam costs $25 for 1000. Paper cups cost $80-120 for 1000. 100% compostable paper cups costs around $100 for 1000 made from natural corn starch. These prices are taken from Office Max based on a company pricing research done by Joanne.

Paper is less expensive and is biodegradable. Paper production can cause almost twice as much CO2 emissions and energy consumption as creating plastic or styrofoam products. Some paper cups are also not recyclable if they have a wax coating on them. Producing paper cups can also take more material by weight to produce for proper insulation compared to styrofoam and plastic cups. In this study done by Rowan University, the question of whether paper, plastic, or styrofoam cups were environmentally friendly was researched.

Styrofoam cups can insulate very well but they can break into small pieces that can be bad for children and animals. Styrofoam is created from benzene and other chemicals that can be bad for you and contribute to smog and global warming. It is not biodegradable and contributes to landfill pileup because it never deteriorates. Started in the beginning of 2007 in the city of San Francisco, restaurants were recently required to switch out using styrofoam containers and any other forms of polystyrene because they were environmentally unfriendly. Oakland, Berkeley, Portland, Santa Monica, Santa Cruz, and Seattle are some other cities that have banned styrofoam containers.

Plastic cups seem to be the best environmentally friendly option as most plastic cups are recyclable. If it is not recyclable, it can still be grounded up and used as a filler for other products. Plastic is also a much lighter material so there is less transportation and fuel costs needed. Plastic cups are also the cheapest to produce.

As for comparing disposable pint glasses vs. reusable cups, you would ideally think that reusable cups or mugs would be more environmentally friendly, but it is based on how many times the cup gets used. The materials used in creating them are significantly more than created disposable cups and it also requires using electricity, water, and soap to wash the cup after every use. This article here compares the coffee mug debate comparing the materials polystyrene, ceramic, and stainless steel. The conclusion is that a ceramic mug has the lowest material intensity but only if it has been used at least 46 times. In this study done at the University of Victoria in 1994, a reusable cup is compared to disposable cups but takes into consideration the energy used by a dishwasher to wash the cup.

Here is my conclusion of what to use. Obviously at home, you should always use glass, steel, or ceramic cups and mugs. Glass is probably the best choice. For the office, bringing in your own steel or ceramics mug is the best choice. As far as general use disposal cups, using plastic cups is the best choice because it is the most environmentally friendly compared to styrofoam and paper. It is the cheapest to produce as well as to buy but it is only ideal for cold drinks. For hot drinks you would probably need styrofoam cups as well so a mixture of using both plastic and styrofoam is probably my recommendation.

Paper and Plastic Recycling Can Save the World

"Please recycle" is a common phrase in almost all labels of plastic and paper products in the market. Manufacturers of plastic and paper strongly encourage consumers to get involved in paper recycling, as well as plastic recycling. But for one to recycle plastics, one has a lot to understand first. You see, there is a certain process to follow in waste recycling especially plastic products.

Plastics are one of the most difficult to recycle and before the recycling process can begin, all plastic materials have to be sorted first according to the Resin Identification Code. This will serve a guide for recyclers.

There are almost 50 different main groups of plastics, each containing many different varieties. The Resin Identification Code system was introduced to make the sorting of recyclable products easier and more universal.

This is the Resin Identification Code used for plastic materials.

Name of Polymer Abbreviation Common Uses When Recycled PET / PETE Polyethylene terephthalate Polyester fibre, soft drink bottles HDPE High density polyethylene Bottles, plastic carrier bags, recycling bins PVC / V Polyvinyl chloride Pipe, fencing, non-food bottles LDPE Low density polyethylene Plastic bags, containers, dispensing bottles PP Polypropylene Auto parts, industrial fibre PS Polystyrene Coffee cups, toys, video cassettes OTHER Other Plastics Various

Sorting plastics is expensive and time-consuming but this is essential in the recycling process. Despite the challenges, more and more plastics are being recycled every year. The amount of plastics that are recycled has increased since 1990. According to American Plastics Council, almost 1,800 U.S. businesses reclaim post-consumer plastics. Still, with this number, the United States only recycled about five percent of the plastics produced domestically.

Plastics are first collected from curbside recycling bins and drop-off locations. From there, they go to a material recovery facility where they are sorted and sent to a reclamation facility. At the reclamation facility, the plastic is inspected and washed. Next it is chopped into small flakes. The flakes are then placed in a flotation tank and then dried in a tumbler. The dried flakes are then placed in a costly extruder where they are melted. The melted plastic is sifted through a screen to remove any contaminants and then it is formed into strands. Finally, the strands are chopped into pellets and sold to manufacturers to make new products. This starts a new life for the recycled plastics. As technology continues to evolve, the cost of the recycling plastic process gradually decreases and hopefully, the amount of recycled plastics will increase. At the same time, consumers have become more aware of the effect of plastic wastes on the planet so they are reducing the use of plastic bottles and bags before it is too late.

We ourselves do our share at home. Why not start separating your plastic items from other waste materials so that at least you have done a little help in saving our planet? It’s not a big task but entails discipline.

Pint Glasses of the Future

A safer British pint glass is being developed by an agency called Design Bridge in an effort to crack the big problem of glasses being used in violent assaults. On behalf of the Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime, the Design Council has tasked a team of specialist designers to create an alternative pint glass to reduce the number of injuries from the 87,000 violent incidents involving glassings each year, which costs an estimated 100 Million Pounds in NHS, police and court costs year on year.

The appointed designers, Design Bridge, will produce a number of safer drinking vessels prototypes, which will be launched in December this year. The object is to not only to make a safer pint tumbler, but to ensure they are attractive to industry, manufacturers and consumers. Working with producers and the licensed trade, Design Bridge will seek to develop more than one solution, which could be taken up by licensees.

The project is part of the "Design Out Crime" initiative from the Home Office's Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime and the Design Council. The design council are a group of experts from the world of industry, design and law enforcement whose mandate is to bring about innovation and encourage others to "think crime" at the first stages of product development.

Design Out Crime help to develop solutions to a wide range of crime-related issues, particularly those which affect young people by developing design-led ideas to minimise the harm from alcohol related crime (fights in clubs and pubs), in Schools (reducing bullying, fighting and petty theft), with new products utilising innovations in technology which help make consumer electronics more crime-proof and in business by minimising retail theft.

Jeremy Myerson, Helen Hamlyn Professor of Design, Royal College of the Arts and Alliance member said: "Alcohol related crime takes up valuable police and NHS resources and causes unnecessary misery to thousands of people. The outcomes of the Design Out Crime project have the potential to not only reduce alcohol related violence in the UK but to also help make our communities safer places".

Nick Verebelyi of the Design Bridge said: "Our challenge is to build upon research the Design Council have established to develop creative solutions that increase safety by reducing the opportunity for the vessel to be used as a weapon, whilst taking account of operational challenges, and providing opportunities for enhanced consumer appeal and brand image".

Home office Minister Alan Campbell said: "Innovative design has played an important role in driving down overall crime by a third since 1997 tackling a range of crimes including theft, fraud and burglary with innovative and practical solutions to real problems. This project will see those same skills applied to the dangerous and costly issue of alcohol-related crime and I am confident that it will lead to similar successes"(1).

Prior to the next generation pint glass brief was created, Innovation RCA conducted research to develop insights into the "glassing" problem and to identify solutions in designing safer drinking vessels. The research was used as material in workshops attended by some of the United Kingdoms best product designers, material scientists, branding experts and industry marketers. These specialists met with major breweries, PR agencies, pub chain operators and trade organisations to understand any concerns.

There were also interviews with police, surgeons and victims of alcohol related violence, while bar staff and customers were recorded talking about their observations of drinking from real pint glasses versus plastic glass.

The insights gained into alcohol related violence were complemented by testing of standard pint glasses and plastic pint tumblers by the Materials and Design Exchange (MADE).

The results were used to create the "Next Generation Pint Glass" brief to the design and technology experts, providing them with the essential background knowledge to develop real innovative solutions to reduce alcohol related violence in the United Kingdom.

References:
1. Turney, Ewan. Search on for safer pub pint glass (2009).

Green Taxation?

Our government is saving us from the threat of "dangerous" disposable merchandise - with taxes!

Recently a law in France was passed to tax plastic cutlery to try to encourage consumers to buy more eco-friendly products, and Paris is planning to expand the measure to include several other items, the environment minister announced last week.

There are similar taxes on disposable products in Malta and closer to home in Ireland; the plastic carrier bag tax of 15 Eurocents per bag was introduced in 2002. In Britain we are starting to see a variety of stores charge for bags, or only offer "bags for life" at cash points or their Anya Hindmarch equivalents. Sainsburys have announced this week that they will not give carrier bags away at the tills and customers must request them.

There is apparently a law in some parts of Europe that states that companies serving food are required to lay a new table cloth (or serve food on a wipable table) after each meal. Restaurants in Spain use large amounts of disposable paper table cloths as this law would require the restaurants to either have an abundance of linen table covers or serve their meals on fast-food style wipable tables in order to meet their obligations. Not really the look most establishments would aim for (unless you run a KFC/Burger King et al).

In the UK we have some rules regarding disposable products which don't fit well with the apparent "green" policies of governments past and present. One such law is that recycled paper cannot be used to make items which come into direct contact with food. A sensible idea I think; you don't want to be eating your breakfast from a disposable plate which used to be bog roll. However many companies in UK, in order to be seen to be eco-friendly and 'doing their bit' are offering plates and Catering Supplies made from recycled material. But how you ask? Surely many people are falling ill from bum to mouth disease or something? Well no, what the companies are doing is laminating the top of the paper plates with plastic so the foodstuffs don't actually come into contact with the surface of the paper. Great idea?! No, bad idea. The product is now single use in the strongest sense of the word(s). These new plates cannot be recycled into anything and will need to go to landfill as the paper and plastic are fused together for all eternity.

Just because something is made from re-constituted material does not mean it is a "eco-friendly" product, attention to how the product is made and if the product can be recycled after use is most important. Every product Event Supplies sell can be recycled and many are made from recycled paper where the law allows, and they do let you know what the goods are made from. Beware of companies cashing in on the whole green hoopla at the moment with really not very environmentally sound products.

A common law and set of taxes for the whole of the EU may be the future with regard to disposable items such as paper plates, Paper Cups and Plastic Cups. One country taxing a particular disposable product heavily could mean governments in their quest to be seen to be doing the right thing will unwittingly close disposable manufacturing companies leaving thousands out of work.

I do wonder however, how the Government profiteering over anything disposable will save the world. People will simply pay more and we doubt all the money in the world can stop seas from rising and landfill sites from overflowing. Personally I like the plastic bag tax, this one works and fewer plastic bags are being used as a result and people still get their shopping home. Some items however, you cannot simply replace with products that are "for life". People need to be responsible for recycling; the onus should be on us at home and work.

Eco footprints stamping on good intentions

Shops large and small far and wide are pontificating to allabout how green they are and how many rainforests they are saving buy flogging their new "eco" products to us. Whole companies have sprung up dedicated solely to supplying us with green merchandise, telling us on how to live our lives, and by chance selling the eco products we must have in order to avoid destruction.

It is truly amazing just how many companies are singly handedly saving us from ourselves and our nasty consumerism, boo, hiss.

Trading on ones green concepts, particularly when there are none is pretty bad form methinks and I feel many shops are simply not thinking about the consequences of their actions when switching from one product to another, only caring about marketing themselves as a green, ethical company.

One of the most popular "eco" products to be marketed in this way are Poly Lactic Acid lined paper coffee cup offered by catering supplies firms, coffee chains and supermarkets.

Polylactide is a aliphatic polyester derived from "renewable resources" (I use the term loosely), such as corn starch (U.S.) or sugarcanes (rest of world). Although PLA has been around for a while, it has only been of commercial interest in recent years, in light of its biodegradability.

As well as being used to line the inside of paper cups instead of the plastic lining normally used PLA is in use in plastic cups, plastic cutlery, carrier bags, food packaging, all manner of catering disposables and even nappies.

These new "biodegradable" paper cups are now one of the most popular green products as we all try in our own little way to stop global warming.

One of the biggest problems associated with these new Poly Lactic Acid lined paper coffee cup being used at lots of stores and coffee chains all over the planet is that customers are thinking they will biodegrade in their trash when they need to be sent to composting facilities or put in your compost at home, planted individuallyand covered by nice warm compost. If these paper cups are simply trashed they decompose at the same rate as oil based plastic lined paper coffee cups, that is years and years

Unless individuals compost all their biodegradable cups at home (assuming they are aware they have been given one) there will now be two types of paper cups requiring sorting at waste reclamation centres whereas in the past all waste paper cups could be easily sent for recycling without having to separate them.

Moreover once these new paper cups find their way into normal recycling channels (and you cannot tell the difference) it will ruin the entire recycling batch as normal plastic lining on normal paper cups and the starch based natural lining on the biodegradable cups does not mix well. You get the oil on water scenario.

Most companies manufacturing, marketing or using these products also seem not to have thought about what was removed from the earth in order to grow crops to make this natural product. Like bio fuels fields once used for production of food is now being used for crops to grow alternatives to plastics and petrol. There are even reports of forests being felled in order to make space to grow the sugar cane plants. This contributes to increases in food prices, the result of which most will have noticed over the past 12 months. There will never be enough available space to fully change over from our dependence on plastics to enable us to move to growing this naturally produced alternative, everybody would starve.

On the subject of starving people one other factor to consider regarding these new  Poly Lactic Acid plastic products is that we have spent a long time giving subsidies to farmers in Africa to assist them create crops and stand on their own two feet. Many of the crops these farmers are harvesting are corn or sugarcane.

As we are now mass producing those same crops for Bio Fuel and alternatives to plastics, lowering the prices, plunging these people back into poverty.

There are alternatives that given a little more thought could do many of the jobs these companies hope to achieve through their use of Poly Lactic Acid lined or produced cups. Oxo-biodegradable Plastic (OBP's) for example are normal plastics such as polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) to which is added a mixture (d2w additive) that accelerates the decomposition of the chemical structure of the material.

Oxo-biodegradable Plasticswill degrade, then biodegrade, on land or at sea, in the light or the dark, in heat or cold, at a pre-determined rate, leaving no fragments, giving off no methane and leaving no harmful residues.

The resultant broken down products are then amenable to conversion by micro-organisms, for which these products are food and also into carbon dioxide and water; thereby returning otherwise intractable plastics to the ecosystem.

These Oxo-biodegradable Plastics can now have a shelf life, pre-determined when manufactured Utilising oxo-biodegradable plastics does not prevent them from being recycled.

Sadly there are many more stories like this, such as the major burger house that dropped its plastic coffee stirrers and switched to wooden stirrers in an effort at greening their company. Out of fear of lawsuits from customers for getting wooden splinters in customers mouths with their wood stirrers they insisted that they are covered with gelatin (like your prescription pills). Adding this extra process to the production of the stirrers costs a lot of energy, to the point where the natural product becomes more energy intensive than simply using plastic. Another classic greening was the banks saving acres of rainforest by using green bank accounts which use paperless statements, an idea I learned about from a paper flyer and noticed advertised on billboard advertisements.

Plastics are not "evil" as many would have you think, reducing our dependence on it is a good idea however we cannot just replace all plastic with a seemingly greener alternative without considering all the repercussions, and definitely not just to be seen to be greening your company

Recycled Paper Tableware

Can there be much difference in the quality of one disposable table cloth to another? Does the method in which one is manufactured have much bearing on its quality, sustainability or suitability?

The answer is maybe so.

There are numerous manufacturers of disposable table cloths, paper napkins and banquet rolls in the United Kingdom, but there only seems to be one which offers a product which is 100% recycled.

This paper table cloth is called Dispotex and is distributed by Dispo International and Event Supplies, both are catering supplies distributors in West Yorkshire.

The reason there is only one manufacturer which offers a 100% recycled paper table cloth is unclear, maybe it has to do with a confused understanding of our laws concerning recycled content in food packaging.

At the moment it is against the law for any disposable food container product which comes into direct contact with foodstuffs to have any recycled content, obviously one would not want something which was once toilet paper to then become something you put in your mouth! Most people don't eat their dinner directly from a tablecover, most still using crockery, therefore a disposable table cloth is the perfect type of catering disposable product to incorporate recycled paper (oddly you can find recycled paper serviettes available here, beware!)

With regard to the look and feel of the tablecloths most of the other manufacturers pin emboss their banquet paper to provide a basic pattern but the Dispotex product is damask steam embossed and looks more attractive. As the Tablecloth is steam embossed the paper is used to water and is more resistant to liquids should accidents occur.

Polycarbonate Pint glasses

Unbreakable Polycarbonate Pint Glasses and rigid Polystrene Reusable Pint Tumblers are becoming a common feature in pubs and nightclubs up and down the UK, increasingly so since the introduction of the smoking ban. As people who smoke are forced outside to smoke - taking their Pint Glass with them - so we have seen a rise in the number of "glassings" (sadly the word "Glass" is now a verb in this country "to glass")

As a consequence of this rise in injuries more councils, public houses and police forces are demanding that unbreakable Plastic Glasses are used after certain times of the day, usually in the evening after 7pm (it seems the availability of alcohol 24 hours a day in the UK hasn't changed our drinking habits too much)

Funding for such fundamental changes to our drinking vessels has been provided by some local authorities to assist some establishments in the change over, monies one imagines has been saved from a reduction in ambulance call outs and doctors time.

There are two types of Plastic Cups which are now becoming commonplace, unbreakable Polycarbonate glasses and Polystyrene reusable glasses.

The Polycarbonate material was used for commercial plane windscreens as the aeroplanes needed a clear material tougher than glass as the screens regularly came into contact with birds. Polycarbonate is now notably used for Plastic cups and Bullet Proof Glass, the material looks just like real glass and is lighter in weight than glass.

Unlike Polycarbonate Glasses Rigid Polystyrene glasses will break but not easily so they could not be used as a stabbing weapon and are a cheap way of avoiding using glass.