Disposables

Store shelves often have a wide selection of disposable eating utensils and kitchen products. There is no such thing as "best buy." Some shoppers look for quality. For others price can be a very strong consideration, but not for everyone. A basic caveat is that consumers be aware of what they are buying. An interview with R[euven]. Shamay, Ltd., an Israeli company enjoying a rapidly growing  market, provided interesting insights that apply to all consumers.

Liquid dish-washing detergent is reason a prime example of a common purchase. One key to buying is the viscosity of the product, or simply flow of the soap from the bottle and how long it will last. For background, if a liquid soap is too strong, it can be an irritant to the skin. For that reason Israel no longer permits 36% active ingredients in liquid dish soap. Common compositions are now 24%, 18% and 12%. Frequent methods to achieve lower numbers are diluting the soap with fragrances and even water. Reason says that 24% will be more effective than 12%, but it will probably be significantly more expensive.

In recent years the price of plastic has become much cheaper due to a drop in the cost of raw materials and advances in technology. Disposable plastic cups are common (even though they are not necessarily ecologically “green). Before buying plastic-ware, think for a moment. Do you really need it? Think of ecology, then decide. If you do buy plastics, then at least dispose of them after use in a recycle bin.

When thinking of buying simple plastic cups there is strong commercial competition at play. Sometimes a company will offer 3 for a price or 4 for a price. If that sounds attractive, take into consideration two factors. Durability is based on the weight of the plastic. The last thing you want if to grasp the cup, have the cup collapse, and see the drink spill. Another tactic is to reduce the size of the cup (for example, seemingly unnoticed from 180cc to 160cc), so cost is less.

If you do not know the weight or thickness of a cup, a good guideline to quality is to purchase a 200cc cup. Simply, for technical reasons the plastic must be stronger.

There are, of course, 100% compostable cold cups, often made from corn-based plastic. Needless to say, they are more expensive and not available in all stores, but they are ecologically friendly.

One problem with cold cups is that they stick together when taking one from a dispenser. Instead of pulling out one cup, two or three are released. That is often not a question of manufacturing quality. The reason can well be tight packaging to save on shipping cost.

Hot cups pose different problems. How many times have you poured tea or coffee, and the cup was too hot to handle? So, you took two cups. Sound familiar? There are hot cups with double walls between which there is an air pocket. There are also hot cups with fold-out handles. These two solutions, however, come at a price. Using two “regular” hot cups is cheaper.

Very often an ice cream sundae is served in what looks like a large hot cup. Wrong! It is a special construction that will not hold a leisurely hot drink.

One-time table cloths are similar to other plastic products. If the plastic is too thin, it can be difficult to unfold (and even tear). In other words, the savings in price can be squandered in ripped sheets and pure aggravation.

Purchasing disposable plates poses no fundamentally different questions. For inexpensive plates the weight and quality of the plastic can be critical when asking why the plate break. Also remember that a 6 inch plate does not necessarily allow that amount of use after the slant to the rim is taken into consideration. There are, of course, ecologically friendly plates that are usually quite strong.

Plastic storage containers are common, and they come in a variety of sizes. There is, however, one buying tip. If you reuse the containers, keep with the products of one company. If you buy from different manufactures, the products might look the same, but the covers might not be interchangeable.

To review the basic guideline, there is no “best buy” for every consumer. The smart shopper knows what is needed and buys accordingly.

Note. The author wants to thank R. Shamay, Ltd. for their time and assistance in preparing this article.


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