What No One Will Tell You About Coffee Capsules - NO HARM DONE
Coffee capsules are increasing in popularity. You probably have one in your home or office. After all, what’s not to like? You can simply pop a pod into the machine and quickly make a delicious cup of coffee in a few seconds. Unfortunately, coffee capsules are causing big problems for the environment. Let’s learn more about the coffee capsule waste problem.
The Popularity of Coffee Capsules
Coffee capsules first became popular in the early 2010’s. While not initially made for home use, coffee pod machines eventually made their way into many homes and sales skyrocketed. As a result, the sale of coffee capsules skyrocketed as well. Keurig alone sold 10 billion coffee capsules in 2018.
Kill the k-cup is a popular video on youtube
The Problem with Coffee Capsules
The problem is that coffee capsules are very wasteful. One coffee pod only has enough grounds for one cup of coffee. After that, they are useless. This means the plastic cup and the aluminum lid are all thrown away. These capsules wind up in landfills.
Research shows that every minute about 39,000 pods are made worldwide, while up to 29,000 are dumped in landfill sites.
Unfortunately, coffee capsules are not biodegradable so they contribute to ever increasing landfills, endanger wildlife, and pollute the environment instead of breaking down and mixing with the soil. The contribution of capsules can end up poisoning our bodies as we intake the water they end up in, the fish that accidentally eat (micro)plastics and the soil from which vegetables grow.
The Solution for Coffee Capsules
Recycling coffee capsules is an option, but unfortunately, not all capsules are recyclable. And even if the capsule is recyclable, there are problems with its size. Since the capsules are so small, they are often overlooked in recycling facilities and thrown away.
The best environmental solution for coffee pods is to use compostable capsules. These capsules are fully biodegradable and can be placed in your compost heap or bin.
If you don’t have a composting bin, you can take the capsules to a public composting facility in your area. This way you know that your capsules are not harming the environment or accidentally being passed over.
Here at NO HARM DONE, we only use compostable coffee capsules because we want you to enjoy your coffee guilt free and to also help the environment. It’s a win-win!
Here are some compostable coffees that may interest you:
