BBC News:
When it comes to making a cup of coffee, capsules have a reputation for being environmentally unfriendly, as they are often hard to recycle.
But new research by the University of Quebec in Canada suggests that pods may not be as wasteful as preparing coffee using a traditional coffee maker.
The study gives new insight on the climate impact of the world’s most popular drink: it is estimated that two billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide, with the average American drinking three cups a day.
While coffee is prepared in a variety of ways, coffee capsules have risen in popularity since their invention some four decades ago. The market value of coffee pods grew 24% from 2021 to 2022, bringing in $12.33bn (£9.92bn) globally.
Despite their popularity, capsules have long divided coffee drinkers who are conscious of the effect their caffeine habit has on the environment.
The small plastic or aluminium pods have been criticised for being energy-intensive to produce and for causing “unnecessary waste”. The German city of Hamburg even went as far as banning their use from state-run buildings in 2016.
However, researchers now say that pods may not be as wasteful as other ways of making coffee, especially when looking at the broader life cycle of a single cup.
