Life Cycle Assessment of Compostable Coffee Pods: A US University Based Case Study

Abstract

Single-serve machines have proven to be a rapid and convenient mechanism for preparing coffee for consumption. However, disposing the single-use coffee pods accompanying each use creates insurmountable waste in landfills. With the introduction of biobased products being certified as industrially compostable, there is scope for an effective waste stream for nearly all biobased products that avoids adding to landfills. The case presented in this paper demonstrates the success of composting compostable coffee pods within a local industrial-scale composting facility. Utilizing the existing local composting facility at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, a life cycle assessment was performed to calculate the overall embodied energy and related environmental impact(s) to determine the feasibility of using compostable coffee pods over conventional plastic ones. Testing showed complete degradation within 46 days, proving composting to be a feasible waste stream option and a sustainable marketing edge while treading the path toward a circular economy. Cost savings of 21% were realized in terms of waste disposal, in addition to creating a value-added product at the end of the coffee pods life cycle, with nutrient-rich compost being recirculated to campus gardens and farms. Advances in modern technology have allowed for convenient waste disposal options incorporating pathways such as landfilling, incineration, recycling, and composting for applicable materials 1. However, a rapid rise in population in conjunction with exorbitant resource extraction has caused increasing waste volumes. Currently, landfills and oceans overflow with a myriad of materials, some of which can degrade on human timescales, whereas others may not decompose for hundreds or thousands of years. Furthermore, today's fast-paced lifestyles do not allow us to fathom the amount of energy, resources, and labor that goes into creating consumer products 2. With single-cup coffee brewers now placed in ~40% of US workplaces, plastic coffee pods are compounding the issue of recycling complex plastics 3. Some studies estimate that pods landfilled in 2014 could circle the earth more than 12 times 4,5. For reasons relating to convenience, time, and sanitation, many people choose to use disposable coffee pods. While most pods are made from synthetic, noncompostable plastics, companies are now beginning to produce compostable, bioderived plastics. These compostable pods can be sent to industrial composting facilities with the coffee grounds intact, providing convenience for consumers compared to conventional pods while diverting waste from landfills. Coffee pods within our study will be referred to as plastic (i.e., nonbiodegradable) and compostable pods. Each type of pod is described under section Coffee Pods. Certification. Various organizations assist companies in testing and branding their products as they strive to adhere to standards for a better environmental portfolio 6. For example, products are deemed sustainably harvested if they are approved for a Fores...

Coffee capsule impacts and recovery techniques: A literature review

“…These studies highlighted how the capsule system does not have an exceptionally greater environmental impact than the two conventional systems and how energy consumption (and consumer habits) has a strong impact in determining performance. Kooduvalli et al 32 examine the effectiveness of composting compostable coffee pods within a local industrial‐scale composting facility applying the LCA approach. Their comparison to conventional plastic coffee pods demonstrates the benefits of compostable coffee pods (reduced composting time and reduced costs of waste disposal).…”

“…• Water vapour seems to have the largest impact on the metal yield Kooduvalli et al 32 • Need to evaluate different impacts to get an accurate assessment • From the combination of lower impacts related to composting and lower costs in terms of net purchase and disposal showing cost savings of up to 21%.…”

Embodied Energy in Pyrolysis and Solvolysis Approaches to Recycling for Carbon Fiber-Epoxy Reinforced Composite Waste Streams

“…Solvolysis can also be conducted without a catalyst [10]. Studies have shown that the tensile strength and modulus of single fiber filaments can be retained to 100% of virgin properties [10,13]. For this paper, the supercritical solvolysis process with a batch-type reactor is considered.…”

“…With respect to solvolysis, solvents related to the supercritical process have been considered. Additionally, the overall reduction in EE from one generation to the next is demonstrated using the cut-off approach [12,13]. This helps determine the change in EE within the product from one generation to the next.…”

“…The cut-off by classification recycling approach [12,13,28,29] was applied to distinguish how energy values are split between the two generations of CF-epoxy laminates postrecycling as allocation is a key issue in LCA. Key takeaways from the cut-off approach are: (1) the recycler is rewarded for the amount of EOL waste recycled in that life (meaning, this energy is not considered in Life 1); (2) landfilling is always considered a burden, irrespective of the life it occurs in (energy is counted); (3) refurbished material used in post-recycled lives take up the value of recycling that was earlier not counted, based on the ratio that is used in place of the virgin material; (4) virgin burdens are always accounted for in all lives.…”