Espresso Knowledge #84 - Compostable coffee pod makes for environmentally friendly tasty brew

Chemist Zac Hudson has created a fully compostable coffee pod that breaks down in 35 days.

Every year, billions of single-use coffee pods end up in landfill. Plastic ones remain stable for centuries.

Most compostable pods hold few coffee grounds, and expose them to air, making for weak, stale brews. These pods feel like traditional plastic of regular pods. Customers can't differentiate and have been slow to adopt compostable pods.

NEXE coffee pod's outer jacket is made of bamboo. The pod looks and feels natural. The inner capsule is made of bioplastic. It holds lots of coffee grounds, and keeps out moisture, making fresh coffee. Bioplastics are made from wood or plants. Traditional plastics are made from fossil fuels. The NEXE bioplastic , developed by Hudson, breaks into carbon dioxide, water and organic material – leaving no plastic behind.

Currently compatible with Keurig K-Cup systems, NEXE will produce Nespresso-compatible pods shortly.

Original article:

UBC chemist helps create new compostable coffee pod