TIPA has launched a ‘fully compostable’ coffee capsule lid, in collaboration with technology company ATI.
ATI said its patent-protected lidding material fits ‘all compostable coffee capsules and coffee filling lines’.
The lid has been made possible with the use of TIPA’s high-barrier laminate, which it says, at end of life, once placed in a compost bin, composts into nutrient-rich soil within a few months.
The material is also suitable for all capsule variations, including the Nespresso system.
TIPA said the solution addresses issues such as poor sealing properties, delamination, inconsistent flow – or no flow at all, no barrier protection and materials migrating into the coffee.
The new lid is plant-based and certified by OK Biobased in their official laboratories, achieving the highest accreditation of 4 stars, which it says ensures the carbon content of the product is at least 80 percent, meaning the carbon is derived from renewable raw materials.
Both ATI and TIPA said the lids are fully compostable and can be disposed of in food waste bins, as described in protocol EN 13432 – aligning with the UK’s Plastics Pact, which advocates for all coffee capsules to be made from compostable materials.
Similarly, the EU, through its upcoming packaging regulation (PPWR), mandates that coffee capsules be compostable in countries where they can be collected in food waste bins.
Daphna Nissenbaum, chief executive, TIPA, said: “Whilst compostable coffee capsules have been on the market for several years, the market is yet to develop effective lids to complement the capsules. Within this collaboration with ATI, TIPA has delivered a superior solution to the coffee market. The compostable coffee capsule lids ensure that there is a fully compostable and circular solution for coffee lovers, whilst giving brands eco-friendly solutions developed by experts.”
Mark Klep, chief executive, ATI, said: “Over the last thirteen years we have been pioneering the developments of laboratory-certified, durable and fully compostable packaging solutions. Our latest achievement of a patented coffee capsule lidding material developed with OTR and WVTR, in partnership with TIPA, is a milestone for sustainability in the coffee industry.”