Biome Bioplastics has developed a portfolio of compostable materials for coffee pods based on natural, renewable resources including plant starches and tree by-products.
According to the company, one of the UK’s leading developers of intelligent, natural plastics, the new biodegradable coffee pods offer one of the first sustainable packaging alternatives in the single-serve market.
The bioplastics involved will, the company says, degrade to prescribed international standards in composting environments.
“Single-serve coffee pods are an excellent example of the fundamental role that packaging plays in delivering quality and convenience in the food service sector,” explains Biome Bioplastics CEO Paul Mines.
“The challenge is to reduce environmental impact through packaging optimisation without impacting on food quality or safety, or inconveniencing the customer. Bioplastics are an important part of the solution.”
According to the company, the global coffee capsule market is worth US$6.6bn and there are now around 50 different coffee pod or capsule systems on the market.
“An estimated 9.1 billion single-serve coffee and drink cartridges wind up in US landfills every year, amounting to some 19 million cubic feet of waste,” the company says.
“Coffee-pod machines are also increasingly popular in Britain with usage up by 45.1% between February 2012 and 2013, equating to around 186m capsules.”
Current mixed material single serve coffee pods are not easily recyclable, Biome Bioplastics adds, and there is “mounting pressure” surrounding the environmental impact of the format’s growing success.
