Capsule coffee is not so bad for the environment, says study – 05/07/2023 – Café na Prensa

Usually seen as an environmental villain for generating a very large amount of waste, capsule coffee may actually be better for the planet than traditional methods, such as strained coffee.

This is what some studies that analyze the entire life cycle of the product point out, from cultivation, through industrialization and even disposal.

It is clear that the waste generated by the packaging of these products represents a problem of gigantic dimensions. Coffee capsules produced worldwide generate an annual waste of 576,000 tons.

However, in order to find the method with the least environmental impact, it is necessary to analyze the entire chain, not just disposal. Because, until the coffee reaches your cup, it goes through many stages, which involve growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, transporting, packaging, grinding and, finally, preparation and disposal.

Thus, several scientists have dedicated themselves to analyzing which methods leave the smallest carbon footprint after going through all these processes.

It is not an easy task, as the carbon footprint changes according to many variables. For example, if you use an electric coffee maker in a country whose energy is produced from renewable sources, the environmental impact will be much smaller than if your energy comes from fossil fuels.

Research indicates that the greatest amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted in cultivation. This phase accounts for between 40% and 80% of total coffee life cycle emissions.

The mechanization of farming, irrigation and the use of fertilizers that emit nitrous oxide are the main reasons for such emissions.

Thus, the more ground coffee you use to prepare the same amount of beverage, the more you will be contributing to high emissions.

One capsule has between 5 and 6 grams of coffee. To prepare a cup of strained, you will use at least 10 g.

One of the studies investigating the subject is led by the Brazilian Luciano Rodrigues Viana, a doctoral candidate in Environmental Sciences at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Canada.

The study, which analyzes all stages –cultivation, roasting, transport, disposal, etc.–, compared the carbon footprint of 280 ml of coffee prepared in four different methods: strained (which used 25 g of powder), capsule (14 g ), French press (17 g) and soluble or instant coffee (12 g).

The researchers concluded that the soluble and capsule methods are the ones that emit less gas, mainly because of the smaller amount of coffee used. This occurs even in the worst case scenario for capsule disposal, i.e. dumping in a landfill, without any recycling.

Preliminary results of this research were posted on the scientific dissemination website The Conversation. The complete study should be published in a scientific journal by the end of the year, according to Viana.

The text was reported by newspapers around the world, such as the British The Guardian. But Viana said he was surprised by the size of the repercussion, as there are already other surveys that point in the same direction.

The Brazilian said that, after the publication in major vehicles, he suffered criticism and was even accused of working in favor of the industry.

“This was the most natural research possible, as it came out of a discussion we were having one day. Nobody gave me a penny to do this research and, in the end, it’s something that had already been said”, he says.

In fact, there are several articles already published that come to a similar conclusion. Some studies suggest, however, that the manufacture of capsule packaging can contribute to their having a higher overall emission than other methods, such as straining.

CAPSULE PACKAGING IS STILL A PROBLEM

If these packages are made of plastic, then the potential for pollution could be even greater. Therefore, the manufacture and disposal of capsules is still a problem of great environmental impact and requires attention.

Thinking about it, the Swiss company Migros has developed a coffee capsule made with seaweed, instead of aluminum or plastic. Called CoffeeB, the method still has a very limited market and is only available in Switzerland and France.

Nespresso, the main company in the sector, says that, currently, its recycling rate in Brazil is 25%. That is, for every four capsules sold in the country, three end up in the landfill. The company aims to raise this rate to 50% in 2025 and to 80% in 2030.

To this end, it has invested in a large reverse logistics program and in different capsule collection modalities. In addition to offering the possibility for the consumer to return the used capsules at the chain’s stores and at other collection points, it is possible to request a postage code through the website and send them free of charge through the Post Office.

Nespresso also points out that its recycling program accepts capsules from other companies, not just those manufactured by the brand itself.

Another measure being studied by the company is to offer a reward to consumers who take their capsules for recycling.

“We never wanted to make a bargain. ‘Only recycle if you win 10 capsules’. That’s not what we want. It’s to raise awareness and engage the consumer in this shared responsibility. But we are already studying to recognize and thank our consumer for sharing this responsibility with us,” he says to coffee in the press Cecilia Seravalli, Sustainability manager at Nespresso Brasil, according to whom there is already a pilot project in this regard.

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