VELIBRE S BIODEGRADABLE RATIONALE Why Velibre is the world s most sustainable capsule product
The Velibre BioPlastic Capsule of Today The Velibre capsule is made entirely of raw materials that biodegrade in soil or home compost. It is unique. The outer aroma barrier pouch and lid are cellulose based and are also completely 100% biodegradable.
The Velibre BioPlastic Capsule of Today In addition all the Velibre packaging/capsule our components are: 100% free of industrially compostable only plastics, e.g. PLA. 100% free of genetically modified raw materials. 100% not based on raw materials that are in competition with food such as with corn or maize.
Packaging Material Message Prepacked coffee capsules require a minimal amount of packaging to ensure functionality and aroma protection. The Velibre development process will apply the 4R + B principle: Reduce and eliminate packaging materials where possible as waste not generated does not need to be disposed of. Reuse: difficult for the capsules themselves, however we apply this principle indirectly by striving towards using a maximum amount of renewable resources.
Packaging Material Message (cont) Recycle: Our capsule material is generally recyclable. We will work on closed loop collection systems especially with our business customers. Recover: thermal treatment (incineration) of capsules to recover heat and/or energy which is the preferred waste treatment option in many countries. Biodegrade at ambient temperature in soil or even better in sweet or marine water as last possible means of waste treatment in areas where proper waste treatment systems are not in place.
Packaging Material Message (cont) Requirements for raw materials used in Velibre s capsules: Biodegradation Today: Soil degradable at ambient temperature, but in the future we will move to water- /marine- degradable materials as they become more commercially available Biocontent: As high as possible, but, not based on GMO- modified raw materials and not based on raw materials that are in competition with food (e.g. starch, corn)
Composting v Compostable Plastics The Velibre capsules are not specifically designed to work in industrial composting facilities. Composting in a waste treatment sense actually means industrial composting at 50 60 C in an aerobic (with oxygen) environment within a certain period of time. The goal of this process is to convert biomass (e.g. food waste) into humus and minerals, which can be used to increase the fertility of soil, e.g. when brought out on farmland or in gardens.
Composting v Compostable Plastics (cont) Compostable plastics have the ability to fragment and be biodegraded by more than 90% in an industrial composting facility within 12 weeks, but: Composting facilites sort out any kind of plastics as much as possible BEFORE the composting step (e.g. plastic bags, plastic capsules, etc) because the value of compost is decreased by plastic contamination. Composting facility operators cannot differentiate between normal or compostable plastics. Therefore it is unlikely that compostable coffee capsules will EVER get into a composting facility!
Composting v Compostable Plastics (cont) Most compostable plastic products are based on a bioplastic called PLA which can biodegrade at industrial composting conditions, but it will not biodegrade at ambient temperatures. Compostable plastics do NOT get converted into humus and minerals. This is because the biodegradation products are only Carbondioxide and water as end products of biodegradation, i.e. there is no value for the compost.
Composting v Compostable Plastics (cont) Compostable PLA- based capsules are NOT a sustainable solution for the waste problem attributed to coffee capsules. Compostable is a marketing story rather than a solution. PLA capsules get sorted out with other plastics at composting facilities to get incinerated. In less developed countries they might end up in the environment where they are as durable as normal plastics.
The Velibre Paper Capsule of Tomorrow The Velibre paper capsule offers a revolutionary alternative for the entire coffee capsule market. It is a world s first alternative made entirely from raw materials that biodegrade in soil/home compost within 4 weeks. It is unique. It is the only capsule in the world which can be placed in the brown waste bin. This makes the disposal solution issue massively easy for the consumer to manage.
The Velibre Paper Capsule is The Future The Velibre paper capsule is the only capsule which offers a long term sustainable environmental solution.