Alpla has collaborated with materials producer Golden Compound to create a new range of fully-biodegradable coffee capsules, which are suitable for Nespresso coffee machines.
The capsules are made from Golden Compound’s ‘Green’ material, which is derived from ground natural fibres from sunflower seed shells.
The capsule, filter fleece and lid are all biodegradable, and can be thrown by consumers into their home compost, where they will naturally decompose within six months.
Sunflower seeds shells used for the capsules are by-products of the food industry, and thus represent an efficient use of resources which does not create an extra carbon burden.
Once composted, the capsules produce humus, the organic matter in soil generated by plant materials, and the used coffee granules themselves are a valuable source of nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
According to Alpla, the quality of coffee inside the capsules is also retained by the capsules in a similar manner to plastic capsule packaging.
The first company to utilise the capsules is Austrian coffee producer Amann Kaffee.
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