Carbon footprint of different coffee brewing methods

Abstract

Roasted and ground coffee in Italy is currently dominating in consumption and revenues. However, the portioned coffee market is recording continuous and constant growth notwithstanding a great concern about the unnecessary consumption of non-renewable resources and huge generation of often aluminum-polluted wastes. The aim of this work was to assess the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of a 40-mL cup of coffee, prepared using different brewing methods (i.e., a 3-cup Moka pot, and three single-serving coffee machines) and distinct formats (i.e., 250-g vacuum flexible bags, 44-mm Easy Serving Espresso pods, and Nespresso®-type capsules), in compliance with the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2050 standard method. The production of one cup of coffee gave rise to 45-57 or 47-59 g CO2e when using the Moka pot heated by an induction- or gas-fired stove, 74-96 g CO2e when using the espresso coffee machine, 72-92 g CO2e when using the pod coffee machine, and 57-73 g CO2e when using the capsule coffee machine, whether the post-consumer wastes were incinerated or disposed of in landfills. Moreover, by using coffee pods or capsules, the contribution of the packaging material production and post-consumer waste disposal increased up to represent the secondary share of the overall GHG emissions. Based on these estimates, the environmentally aware consumer should be conscious that the preparation of a cup of coffee with a coffee pod or capsule machine would result in extra emissions of 27.6 or 12.6 g CO2e with respect to those emitted with an induction Moka pot, respectively. By referring to the current Italian consumption of 80-million coffee cups per day, such extra GHG emissions would equal to those emitted by a Euro 5 city car (ca. 100 g CO2e/km) traveling around the Earth's equator as many as 551 or 252 times per day, respectively.