In Austria, two companies are marketing the world’s first biodegradable coffee capsule.
HomeGolden Compound, maker of the material, and packaging giant Alpla Austria jointly developed the capsules using organic materials, including sunflower seed shells.
The pods are biodegradable in garden compost within six months. The composting capsule yields humus, the organic component of soil, while the waste coffee grinds contain potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen—all considered plant nutrients.