A report conducted in the coffee sector, to measure companies' approach to sustainability, develop awareness of the entrepreneurial path and the concrete actions to be taken.
We are committed to ensuring that the future is not compromised by the present.
The simplest and smallest daily gestures are where a difference can be made in reducing our impact on the environment.
After all, sustainability is a journey and not a point of arrival.
The path we have chosen to undertake at SpecialCoffee is made up of commitment and choices.
Ultimately, the pleasure of an espresso is not only a choice of quality and taste, but also a sustainable one.
Undertaking mindful, daily practices increasingly linked to the correct management of waste recycling also implies the knowledge of some terms that unknowingly concern our actions.
We often hear about biodegradable, compostable, recyclable and non-recyclable materials.
But what are the differences?
What does biodegradable mean?
Before giving the definition of compostable, it is necessary to clarify the concept of biodegradable.
Biodegradable are those materials that have the ability to decompose in nature thanks to the action of microorganisms and bacteria combined with sunlight or other natural atmospheric agents.
Depending on the presence or absence of oxygen, degradation can occur in an aerobic or anaerobic manner.
This process must take place within six months and the resulting elements can be absorbed into the soil in the form of water, carbon dioxide, mineral salts, and other elements.
Definition of compostable
Compostable is a material that, after degrading, is transformed into compost, a substance rich in nutritional properties usually used as a fertilizer to enrich the soil.
According to European legislation, in order for a product to be labeled “compostable” it must be biodegradable within just 3 months and must pass the ecotoxicity tests as proof that it cannot have any negative effect on the environment. A classic example of compost is pruning waste, fruit and vegetable scraps.
The difference between biodegradable and compostable?
A waste, to be defined compostable, must inevitably be biodegradable while, on the contrary, a biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable because, for example, it may not disintegrate sufficiently during a composting cycle.
The main difference between the two terms is therefore essentially in the times of degradation.
Furthermore, what is compostable returns to the earth as a nutrient in the form of compost, while the biodegradable returns to nature in the form of mineral salts and other simple elements.
Meaning of recyclable
Recyclable materials are those waste materials that can be used again in production processes. Examples are glass, paper and cardboard, aluminum, plastic and wood.
Dividing waste correctly, through a conscious differentiated narrative, makes it possible to transform these waste elements into a resource, giving them new life, thus reducing the materials that end up in landfills.
Recyclable plastics such as polyethylene are the most sustainable for the environment, health and the economy. Their production, use and regeneration cycle represents an important step towards a truly circular productive, social and human system.
Non-recyclable materials
The expression dry non-recyclable waste (or undifferentiated waste or residual dry waste) refers to that part of municipal solid waste which, due to its nature, cannot be sent for recycling, but must be disposed of in landfills, in a waste-to-energy plant or a plant where fuel derived from waste is produced.
Some examples of non-recyclable dry waste are: diapers, sanitary towels, cotton buds, cotton, plastic objects that are not packaging, objects composed of various materials that cannot be easily separated, tax receipts, ceramics, ballpoint pens, dirty paper, sponges.
The compostable pod, SpecialCoffee’s commitment
The pod has always been SpecialCoffee’s portioned coffee.
Good and sustainable
A quality choice, because the extraction process is the closest to the traditional espresso method.
A commitment to the environment, because it is the most eco-friendly single-serve coffee.
However, SpecialCoffee’s commitment to the environment has led to take a further step forward with respect to the fundamental objective of product sustainability by choosing to package the coffee with Compofilt® compostable certified filter paper: a fabric made of 100% natural fibers, tested and certified to be thrown away after use, to help respect the environment and the health of consumers.
Compostable, to be recovered in the workforce.
Thus the pod, being made of completely compostable materials (it is known that coffee is an excellent contribution to the land of plants), can become an excellent material for composting.
Without forgetting that the other pod packaging is recyclable
- the sachet is recovered in the plastic (C/LDPE90)
- the box-dispenser is recovered in the paper
Without any doubt about disposal.
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