Balearic Islands to prohibit the sale of non-recyclable coffee capsules

The Balearic Government has presented a draft law aimed at reducing the environmental impact of certain products and promoting their reuse or recycling. Among the measures included is the ban on the sale of non-recyclable (plastic or aluminum) coffee capsules from 2020.

Coffee and capsules

If this law is approved, the commercialization of compostable capsules would be only allowed, similar to those from Cafés Novell, Mercadona or Expressate, or those whose manufacturer or marketer guarantees their correct collection and recycling, as Nespresso or Starbucks do.

At the moment, the measure would be limited to the Balearic islands, although it seems that other regional governments could end up adopting similar rules.

At present, this category represents 16% of total coffee sales in supermarkets and contributes 43.7% of its income.

Other products affected by the Balearic law would be the single-use glasses and plates.

Source: Alimarket