Transporting coffee safely from origin to the end consumer requires various packaging solutions, including green and roasted coffee bags. Although it plays an essential role in the supply chain, packaging creates a significant waste problem in the coffee industry.
Studies have found that plastics in packaging account for almost half of global plastic waste, and very little is recycled or disposed of properly. So, as global coffee consumption continues to grow, the amount of packaging and associated waste will only increase.
In 2018, the World Bank predicted that by 2050, without major changes to waste management and reduction practices, global waste would increase by 70% compared to current levels, with plastics accounting for nearly a quarter.
As sustainability continues to be a driving force in the coffee industry, the push to reduce packaging waste at every stage of the supply chain only becomes more prominent. While the focus is often on roasted coffee bags, minimising green coffee packaging waste is equally important.
I spoke to Hanuman Jain, the CEO of green coffee packaging manufacturer Ecotact, to find out how roasters and traders can invest in a circular economy model and reduce green coffee packaging waste.
You may also like our article on why green coffee packaging plays an important role in dealing with shipping delays.
The environmental costs of coffee packaging
Research estimates that the global packaging industry is responsible for around 47% of plastic usage. Although 15% of these plastics are collected for recycling, only 9% of them are processed for recycling.
The coffee industry is a significant contributor to this plastic waste, given its extensive use of roasted and green coffee packaging.
“There is a lot of movement of coffee, from the farm to the final consumer, and different types of packaging are used across the supply chain,” says Hanuman Jain, the CEO of Ecotact, a manufacturer and supplier of green coffee packaging solutions. “The onus is on the coffee industry to minimise wastage in any form, whether packaging or overall freight. Coffee is not a localised product, so its impact is global.”
Recent studies found that coffee packaging accounts for 3% of the supply chain’s carbon footprint. This is a seemingly small figure, but it becomes significant once you account for the size of the global coffee industry and its projected growth.
Without proper sourcing, production, and disposal of roasted and green coffee bags, packaging waste is likely to be sent to landfill – where it can take up to 450 years to degrade. Given this lengthy timeframe, the impact of packaging waste on the environment can be devastating, harming wildlife and polluting the air and water sources.
A spotlight on roasted coffee packaging waste
Roasted coffee packaging is often the main focus when discussing reducing waste in the coffee industry. This is largely because it is closest to the end of the supply chain, which ultimately shifts the responsibility to dispose of it correctly onto the consumer.
“Many roasted coffee bags also don’t include eco-friendly materials, so we tend to zero in on improving the sustainability of this packaging,” Hanuman tells me.
Moreover, roasted coffee packaging typically contains multiple materials, including several different types of plastic and paper. To dispose of each one correctly, consumers need to separate the materials – a task that many may not be aware of or have the time to do.
In recent years, the push to improve sustainability in the coffee industry has led packaging manufacturers to develop more environmentally friendly solutions. A growing number of roasted coffee bags are now recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, or reusable, helping contribute to a circular economy model in the supply chain.
Sustainability issues with traditional green coffee bags
It’s important to remember that roasted coffee packaging is just one piece of a much larger packaging waste puzzle. By focusing primarily on waste management at the consumer end of the supply chain, green coffee bags are often overlooked.
Hanuman suggests this may be because jute and burlap bags were traditionally used to transport and store green coffee.
“Burlap, in particular, is highly sustainable because it’s easily repurposed and recycled,” he says. “Whereas smaller bags for roasted coffee are not easy to recycle, so they pose significant environmental concerns.”
However, using green coffee bags made from natural materials like burlap alone typically doesn’t provide enough protection to preserve quality and freshness during transit, especially if shipping delays occur. To add additional layers of protection, exporters use plastic packaging liners.
“Plastic increases the shelf life of green coffee, reduces costs, and provides easy transportation,” explains Hanuman. “Ecotact sells hermetic plastic liners for 60kg bags, one-tonne bags, shiploads, and containers.”
Although plastic liners are necessary for quality and flavour preservation, they inevitably increase the waste produced in the coffee supply chain. Without adopting a holistic approach to reducing packaging waste, roasters and traders may lose sight of their role in addressing this challenge.
“Multiple types of packaging are used in the green coffee industry, but the main focus should be on the kinds of packaging that raise the most significant sustainability issues,” Hanuman says.
How packaging manufacturers are prioritising a circular economy
While roasters and traders need to commit to minimising their waste production, packaging manufacturers must also fulfill their obligations. In recent years, more have started to offer alternatives like bio-based plastic packaging made from 100% renewable and recyclable resources.
Additionally, some manufacturers have invested in more durable green coffee bags that can be reused multiple times before being recycled. Ecotact’s reusable Ship Shield container liners, for example, reduce the number of smaller plastic bags needed, saving around 27kg of plastic entering the waste cycle.
Hanuman mentions how the company is also taking further action by participating in initiatives like the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee (C4CEC), a global collaborative platform founded by the Lavazza Foundation that promotes circular economy principles in the coffee industry that aligns with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
“We became an active participant and member of C4CEC in early 2024,” explains Hanuman. “Every month, all the members meet and collaborate on new programmes.
“We took the initiative to be part of the C4CEC and encouraged members to focus on green coffee shipping and packaging because most members are involved in roasting,” he adds.
Reducing green coffee packaging waste is becoming easier
Many companies like TerraCycle have recently launched free programmes to make recycling capsules and roasted coffee bags more accessible. Most of these initiatives, however, are targeted towards consumers, meaning more needs to be done to support roasters and traders with their sustainability efforts.
Ecotact recently started its own recycling programme in partnership with TerraCycle to simplify recycling green coffee packaging. To participate, roasters can order an Ecotact Recycling Box, fill it with used Ecotact bags, and return it using the prepaid shipping label.
“Roasters and importers can participate in a circular economy model by sending us their green coffee bags through our recycling programme in North America, Australia, and the UK,” says Hanuman. “We will also expand the initiative into Japan this year.”
Accessibility is key
Effective waste reduction begins with packaging companies, which have a responsibility to educate everyone in the supply chain about available recycling programmes. Moreover, they should be affordable and accessible to encourage active participation as much as possible.
Hanuman says Ecotact absorbs most of the costs of recycling to incentivise more roasters and traders to participate. The company recently expanded the programme to include one-tonne liners and accepts pallet loads of used packaging in the US and UK.
“Some larger importers and roasters have large amounts of used bags that they want to recycle, and we found that the boxes we were providing weren’t big enough to contain them,” he tells me. “In response, we expanded our recycling initiative to suit a range of needs.”
The coffee industry is a significant contributor to the persistent problem of packaging waste. While the focus is often on roasted coffee bags, green coffee packaging also plays a huge role, and roasters and traders need to do more to minimise their waste.
“Participating in recycling programmes should not be out of fear, but a voluntary effort,” Hanuman concludes. “We all have a social responsibility, and every one of us needs to do our bit in the supply chain.”
Accessibility and collaboration are critical to successfully reducing green coffee packaging waste. Manufacturers lead the charge, while roasters and traders play a key role.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how long green coffee stays fresh for.
Photo credits: Ecotact
Perfect Daily Grind
Please note: Ecotact is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.
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