Alpla grounds waste with compostable coffee capsule

A biodegradable coffee capsule that consumers can dispose of in their home compost has been developed by Austrian converter Alpla in cooperation with materials manufacturer Golden Compound.

The capsule is made from Golden Compound green material, which comprises an organically based material and ground natural fibres from sunflower seed shells.

Sunflower seed shells are used as a reinforcing material. They are a by-product of the food industry and not in competition with food production. Composting the capsule generates humus while the coffee grounds contain plant nutrients such as potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen.

The capsule and filter fleece are biodegradable in the garden compost within six months, claims Golden Compound, and are free from aluminium and genetically modified organisms. Alpla provides the capsule and the garden compostable lid.

The first user is coffee roaster Amann Kaffee from Vorarlberg, Austria, which is presenting the new product at Fakuma in Germany this week.

Says Alpla, the oxygen barrier of the capsule is comparable with conventional plastics such as PP-EVOH-PP. The monolayer coffee capsule is therefore aroma-proof without the need for outer packaging.

Golden Compound has been producing materials with up to 70 per cent ground natural fibres from sunflower seed shells since 2014.