Written by Calvin Lakhan, Ph.D, Co-Investigator: “The Waste Wiki” – Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University
Recently, the esteemed academic journal Nature, published a study by University of Tennessee – Knoxville, which undertook a Life Cycle Assessment of compostable coffee pods. This study specifically examined the economic and environmental viability of compostable pods, relative to more conventional alternatives made from plastics.
The study found that compostable coffee pods readily broke down when included as part of the organics stream, resulting in both a cost savings of 21% relative to disposal, in addition to *improving* the quality and value of the compost.
These findings largely echo what was observed in a York University study conducted in the fall of 2018, which found that compostable coffee pods readily broke down in existing composting facilities in Ontario, and resulted in superior economic and environmental outcomes when compared to plastic and aluminum pods.
Why these findings are of particular importance in an Ontario context, is that detractors of compostable pods (which include the City of Toronto, Environmental Defense etc), continue to question the viability of compostable pods in existing composting facilities, and have even gone so far as to claim that the majority of compostable pods are being landfilled. Not only is this not true, but it adds further confusion to the conversation surrounding what materials are suitable for the green bin program.
The University of Tennessee study adds further credence to our initial findings, and adds some much needed clarity to a topic that is increasingly becoming politicized.
For any questions, comments or concerns regarding the York University study, please contact [email protected].
