For over a year now, our team diligently researched the market to find a solution to our plastic packaging and find an alternative to the current waste cycles. While the fight against single use plastics must be approached from all sides, we are excited to announce that all of Pachamama Coffee’s products will be packaged using Biotrē 2.0 technology.
With this new packaging we wanted to give our customers better choices to reduce their single use waste and push forward our commitments to better business. We are thrilled to have found an option to join the fight to end single use waste.
Biotre 2.0: What is it and why is it better?
Our team concluded the best option on the market is the Biotrē 2.0 coffee bags. This packaging option is solely made out of plant based and renewable resources that allow it to break down more readily, and quicker than any plastic products.
The outside of the bag is made completely from wood pulp, which breaks down in a home compost pile within 12 weeks. The interior layer is made of a non-biodegradable film composed of 100% plant based renewable resources. This means that rather than sourcing from petroleum based plastic, the Biotrē 2.0 bag ensures a cleaner method to keep your coffee fresher for longer. Featuring a degassing valve and resealable tin tie, this exact model is the best of both worlds; equally designed to keep your coffee at its freshest with smart, sustainable design.
While Biotrē 2.0 may not be fully compostable yet, we believe that this is the best step we can take to continue our fight forging a more sustainable future for coffee farmers and coffee consumers.
“Home Compostable”: What does this mean and how is it different from municipal/industrial composting?
Industrial compostable is when municipal districts pick up greenwaste one a week along with trash and recycling. Green waste such as lawn clippings, leaves, food waste, etc. is taken to be processed into compost. Check your local municipal website to see if your city does industrial composting and what benefits citizens can enjoy!
Home compost is when you compost at home, rather than relying on city pick up. Instead of throwing it into the waste bin for compost you can do this process in your own backyard. In a healthy compost pile, the Biotrē 2.0 bag will biodegrade in around 100 days.
How to compost the Biotrē 2.0 bag at home:
- Remove the degassing valve and tin tie from the bag. The degassing valve and tin tie are unfortunately not recyclable, but we suggest reusing the tin tie!
- Now that the bag is free from the non-biodegradable items add it to your compost pile.
TIP: This bag is considered “browns” which includes dry materials like paper, sawdust, cardboard, and leaves. A healthy compost bin should have a ratio of “greens” (food scraps, coffee grounds, and lawn clippings) and “browns.” We recommend a ratio of 2:1, greens to browns. Your local municipality should have backyard composting instructions if you live in a special climate.
- You should be regularly turning your compost to introduce fresh air to the organisms breaking down the organic matter. Watch as the bag and label re-enter the nitrogen cycle to be used up in your garden!
- After the bag has been composted, you will see the bioplastic liner. Simply pull that liner from your compost pile and dispose of it in the trash.
TIP: Did you know that small pieces of trash (like the degassing valve, tin tie, and bioplastic liner) can be consolidated and captured into bigger materials like bottles or small plastic bags? Stuffing smaller trash into a tied bag or bottle prevents it from entering waterways and ultimately finding its way to the ocean.
If you don’t have a yard or access to a home compost pile, get to know your local community gardens, urban farms, neighbors and even certain non-profits committed to diverting compostable materials away from the landfill.
Here in Sacramento where our HQ is located, we have partnered with ReSoil Sac, an organization that works with businesses, community partners and individuals to collect compostable items to reduce waste in the community and create healthy compost for farms, community gardens and individuals. We will have drop off bins at our cafés for customers to drop off their used bags. These drop off bins ensure our customers have readily available options to think globally and act locally!
When you compost locally you keep healthy soil options in your community. It helps keep organic matter out of landfills and allows a new life to be breathed into the old. This is what the future of our neighborhoods and communities will look like, building new life cycles where everything has value.
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The outer layers are made from wood pulp and cellulose from wood pulp.
Biotrē 2.0 product bags have been shown to break down into healthy compost in 12 weeks when tested using conditions from a test method called ASTM D6868. 1 the interior, sealable layer on Biotre® 2.0 is made of a plant-based, renewable resource, sugar cane.
