A new coffee pod is brewing fresh ideas in a notoriously pollutive sector.
Cambio Roasters has deployed a worldwide first: a completely recyclable aluminum coffee pod for use in Keurig machines, Recycling Today reported.
The pods are available at 1,000 locations nationwide, including Walmart, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, and Giant Martin. You can also find them on the company website and Amazon.
Cambio Roasters, established in 2018 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, is keen to make change in the industry, as it says 40 million plastic coffee pods reach landfills or the ocean every day.
The aluminum pods also offer superior freshness and flavor to traditional porous plastic pods, the company says.
"Plastic coffee pods are notoriously problematic for the environment, with only 3% of them being successfully recycled into new products," the company stated. "In contrast, aluminum is infinitely recyclable and retains over 60 percent of the aluminum ever produced in circulation. This makes aluminum a superior choice for both sustainability and recycling efficiency."
The pods come with easy-peel lids and in a compostable package, too.
These kinds of changes are necessary to reduce the waste associated with mass production and failed recycling efforts. While plastic is marketed as recyclable, 72% of it has ended up in landfills or the environment, according to the MIT Technology Review. This spells disaster for the planet and our health, as plastic does not degrade but only breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces. These microplastics contaminate soil, air, and water and infiltrate our bodies, causing cancer and other diseases.
The solution is to make less plastic, with corporations that reap $700 billion every year in revenue from the industry needing to meet the demand of consumers who are fed up with these deadly trade-offs.
🗣️ When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you?
🔘 The way it looks 😍
🔘 The information it provides 🧐
🔘 The waste it produces 🗑️
🔘 I don't think about packaging at all 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
You can help by supporting brands such as Cambio Roasters and taking other steps to cut out plastic from your life.
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