Punching the Bean Bag - Coffee Packaging & Its Environmental Impact

Packaging is often deemed the necessary evil and often neglected in consumption decisions. It functions to preserve the freshness of its content, and more often than not, to look attractive and representative of the branding image too, think Starbucks, and more posh, Baccha, for example.?

Regardless of how fine the packaging is, the rubbish dump appears to be the final destination of any packaging waste as far as the consumers are concerned, or is it? The more conscientious consumers may separate their wastes into the recyclable and the non-recyclable, but that is not the end yet.?

This article discusses some detailed aspects of packaging waste and hopefully reminds us that there is much room for improvement on how the coffee gets to its consumers.

A Parade of Packaging Problems

Coffee packaging is essential for maintaining the quality and freshness of coffee beans. Common packaging materials include:

1. Plastic Bags: These are often used for their flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, they are not biodegradable (unless it is specifically made of biodegradable material) and contribute to plastic waste and landfill problems. According to the Waste and Resources Action Programme, the world produces 141 million tonnes of plastic packaging a year. Varying from country to country, plastic packaging contributes substantially to plastic waste, e.g. up to 70% in the UK.
2. Aluminum Foil Bags: Aluminum provides a barrier to light, oxygen, and moisture, which helps preserve coffee. Despite its effectiveness, aluminum production is energy-intensive (a ton of aluminum requires approximately 15,000 kWh of electricity) and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Aluminum production also requires bauxite mining, which can lead to deforestation, habitat destruction, and soil erosion. While aluminum could be recycled, according to the U.S. Aluminum Association, the recycling rate for aluminum cans is about 50%, but coffee packaging often ends up in the trash due to contamination with coffee grounds.
3. Paper Bags: Paper is biodegradable and can be recycled, but it often includes a plastic liner to maintain freshness, which complicates its recyclability.
4. Glass Jars: Glass is recyclable and can be reused, but its production requires significant energy and raw materials.
5. K-Cups and Single-Serve Pods: These are convenient but are typically made from a combination of plastic and aluminum, making them challenging to recycle. The disposable nature of the capsules results in substantial waste. If not properly recycled, aluminum pods contribute to landfill accumulation. A study by the European Commission found that single-serve coffee pods contribute significantly to waste, with an estimated 10 billion pods ending up in landfills each year.

The Green Dream Efforts

Not all hope is lost. Some coffee companies are more actively doing something to clean up the coffee packaging act.

1. Biodegradable and Compostable Materials: Some companies are experimenting with biodegradable materials, such as compostable plastics made from plant fibers. These materials aim to reduce the environmental footprint of coffee packaging.
2. Recyclable Packaging: Efforts are being made to increase the recyclability of coffee packaging. For example, some brands are switching to mono-materials that are easier to recycle and reduce contamination issues. Nespresso has set up dedicated recycling collection points and partnerships with recycling firms to ensure capsules are properly processed. Recently, Nespresso has collaborated with the Swedish bicycle manufacturer Vélosophy to create a unique product: a bicycle made from recycled Nespresso capsules. While it seems more of a branding and marketing effort, it did help to promote the message sustainability through the popularity and attention generated.
3. Reusable Containers: Reusable glass jars and metal tins are becoming popular alternatives to single-use packaging. These containers can be refilled and used multiple times, reducing waste. It may take more effort from the consumers to bring the containers along for refill and we have yet to see such refill habits and facilities becoming commonplace in our home ground (and it is quite ironic that the refillable packaging are usually made of plastic too), it may be worth trying harder.
4. Consumer Awareness: Educating consumers about proper disposal and recycling of coffee packaging is crucial. Some brands are actively engaging in campaigns to inform customers about how to recycle or compost their coffee packaging correctly. Nespresso encourages its consumers to return used capsules through prepaid mail-back services and drop-off locations at boutiques, and sometimes incentivizes them with their recycling efforts through lucky draws (the prize being the bike!).?

Bean Bag Take-away

While we see a rising trend of reusable coffee mugs for take-aways, and it is in fact becoming trendy when the mugs themselves have become popular collectibles (but that invites the question of overconsumption), let us go further and scrutinize the bean bags and consider the environmental impact of our choices in coffee and its packaging.?

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Disclaimer: The content of this article is informational only. Nothing in this note shall constitute legal, investment or professional advice.

Read?the other editions of Serious Notes on LinkedIn:

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