Can coffee bags recyclable

Coffee have to be packaged in airtight laminated bags to ensure the roast quality and freshness are retained.  Coffee packaging is essential part of the coffee supply chain.  And the quality and sustainability of coffee packaging is an important role in the coffee supple chain.

As more and more consumers are aware of the negative impact of pollution on the planet. For the speciality coffee roaster, switching to eco-friendly packaging is a trend. If you are a brand owner, you might be wondering about how your customers could recycle coffee bags. So when they are done with your coffee bags, can they recycle them or simply throw them in the trash? Most importantly, is it eco-friendly to throw coffee bags in the trash? 

What material of coffee bag can be recycled?

For packing coffee, normally there is three types of packing material.

First , it is regular plastic material. The coffee bag is contain a plastic film layer that cannot be recycled when combined with an outer layer of paper. So, in this case, the best thing the customers can do is throw it in the trash.

If you wish that the customers can easily recycle the coffee bags, you will need to consider using kraft coffee bags. But if using single layer kraft paper bag to pack coffee, it can't keep the coffee fresh.

Biodegradable/compostable material is nice option to recycle coffee bags. We can use compostable PLA instead of the normal plastic to make coffee bags. The kraft paper with PLA layer inside the bag, this type of bag can keep the coffee fresh better than single layer bag.

Customers can throw it in the compostable facility after used these kind of biodegradable and compostable coffee bags. The coffee bag can be degraded under a certain conditions.

The third type of material can be recycled. It is LDPE plastic bag. Coffee bag can be made from polyethylene which is flexibility, durability. It is popular among roasters. Like compostable PLA, LDPE bags require treatment at specialised recycling centres. Once sorted, they are put through machines that transform the material into pellets for reuse or to make other LDPE products.

Eco friendly coffee packaging made of compostable material, recyclable material and PCR material can be recycled. All of these sustainable coffee bags are environmentally friendly and food safe.