Edwin buys a water bottle, reuses it twice, and then recycles it. Eleanor buys a water bottle, reuses it twelve times, and then throws it away.

Which energy cost would apply to Edwin, but not to Eleanor?

The energy cost of recycling the water bottle. Since Edwin recycled the water bottle after reusing it twice, he incurred the energy cost of recycling it. However, Eleanor threw away the water bottle after reusing it twelve times, so she did not incur the energy cost of recycling it.