Filter coffee is more polluting than coffee in capsules

A study conducted at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC) revealed that filter coffee is more polluting than coffee in capsules.

A team of researchers came to this conclusion by comparing the greenhouse gases emitted for all steps leading to the consumption of a cup of filtered, brewed (French press), capsule and instant (instant) coffee.

“The majority of the impacts in terms of greenhouse gases are largely attributable to what happens in the production of the coffee beans,” explains researcher and Professor Jean-Francois Boucher at UQAC.

Capsule coffee and instant coffee stand out because their preparation uses a precise amount to make coffee, much more than filter coffee.

According to the researcher, these results are surprising because when people think about the environmental impact of the capsules, they usually do so according to what they can perceive.

“We only see the tip of the iceberg,” he said. It is a visible part of our coffee consumption, which is very eloquent with the use of capsules, which often have to be thrown away or better yet, recycled. The big advantage of the capsule is that, like instant coffee, you take just the right amount for the coffee in the capsule, so you don’t take more than you need.”

But the calculations in this study are based on a single 280 milliliter cup of coffee.

“The consumer has a share to go, so in principle, if we consume more coffee connected to ideal methods, we have sacrificed the benefit”, maintains the professor.

Experts invite people to take this data into account when preparing their caffeinated drink to limit their impact on the environment.

“If we prefer filter coffee, we can be careful about the amount of coffee we put in it and switch to a form of coffee that requires less volume during consumption,” he concluded.