FAQ Coffee Packaging Coffee Makers
What material is the new bag made of?
The new coffee bag is made of 100% LDPE (low density polyethylene) and is therefore a mono-plastic.
How do I dispose of the coffee bag correctly?
Mono-plastic is fully recyclable when disposed of properly. Therefore, the goal must be that the bag does not end up in the incinerator, but is recycled instead. This reduces CO₂ emissions and uses resources efficiently.
In Germany, the bag can simply be disposed of in the yellow sack.
In Switzerland, there are private companies at the municipal and cantonal level that organize collection (in sacks or at collection points). Find out what the situation is like in your area.
Note: Switzerland is working on a nationwide collection and recycling system called "Collection 2025". Currently, there is no uniform system in place here.
How do I dispose of the coffee bag if I don't have plastic collection?
If the bag ends up in household waste, it is not automatically incinerated. As a rule, separation also takes place here, but it is not quite as efficient.
The old packaging was made partly of paper. Isn't it more sustainable than if it were made only of plastic?
Well, yes and no. The old coffee bag was made of what is called a composite material. This means that a layer of plastic was applied to and bonded with the inside of the paper. This created a heterogeneous material consisting of two different materials. The major problem with these composite materials is that they generally cannot be returned to the cycle. This problem also exists when recycling other composite materials, regardless of which material combinations they consist of.
Therefore, a bag made of mono-plastic is theoretically more sustainable. However, the calculation only works if we assume a high recycling rate. If the bag goes directly into incineration, a bag made of a paper-plastic blend is better for the environment.
For more details on this topic, see our blog post: Our new, "sustainable" packaging.
The label is made of paper. So the packaging is no longer made of mono-plastic?
Well, yes and no. The paper label is glued on and is not permanently bonded to the plastic like in a composite material. During the recycling process, it detaches and is separated from the plastic as slag. The bag without the label can therefore be completely recycled. This approach is not perfect, but for us it is the most practical and sensible solution after considering the alternatives for our internal processes.
Is this the best and most sustainable coffee packaging?
No. But we continue to consider how we can improve our packaging in the future and reduce its retention.
