Sustainability assessment of different types of coffee capsules

Description

Sustainability is more than just reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Only by considering multiple dimensions you can measure, and achieve, true sustainability. As an example WFBR has used an assessment tool for multiple dimensions of sustainability to compare different types of coffee capsules and end-of-life options. In this case study biobased compostable capsules, conventional plastic capsules and aluminium coffee capsules, with several end-of-life-scenarios, are compared in two main dimensions (carbon footprint and material circularity). The main differences between these capsules are related to the circularity of the material due to differences in for instance recycling efficiencies. Furthermore, system effects were assessed. One of the most important system effects is: “what happens to the used coffee”. Only two scenarios ensured the used coffee to be kept in the (organic) loop: separate collection via organic waste (compostable capsules) or mono-collection of capsules (aluminium capsules).

Period	12 Dec 2023
Event title	European Bioplastics Conference 2023
Event type	Conference/symposium
Location	BerlinShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National