Recycling of Coffee Pods

A systematic method for collecting, transporting, processing, utilizing, recycling, and repurposing coffee waste. The method involves collecting coffee grounds from cafes, transporting them, and then using the transported grounds for construction, seed spraying, pH adjustment, or other purposes. This involves converting coffee waste into useful materials rather than landfilling or incinerating it. The method also involves devising new equipment and technologies to efficiently collect, transport, and process coffee waste at scale.

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Environmentally friendly recycling of coffee waste to increase its utility and minimize energy consumption. The method involves conditioning coffee grounds with high moisture content to activate particles, then pressing and dehydrating to lower moisture. Separated oil is converted into biodiesel. The dehydrated grounds are mixed with sawdust and further dried. This provides high-calorie pellet fuel or livestock bedding. The conditioning step activates the grounds before drying, reducing energy needed compared to starting from high moisture.

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Single-use coffee capsules that are biodegradable and compostable, while having a good barrier function with regard to oxygen and water vapor. The capsule contains a polymer formulation that includes polyhydroxybutyrates (PHB) and optionally silicates, vitamin E, and proteins. The capsule container is injection molded from this biodegradable polymer blend and filled with coffee powder. The capsule also has a biodegradable seal. The PHB-based capsules have barrier properties comparable to aluminum capsules but can biodegrade in industrial and home composting.

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Compostable packaging material for food capsules like coffee pods that can maintain integrity when subjected to heat and pressure while also being compatible with food contact. The material is made from a blend of coffee grounds and a binder like methylcellulose. This provides a compostable capsule for food packaging that can be used in high-temperature, high-pressure processing like coffee pod machines without degradation or migration issues. The capsules can be fully composted after use. The coffee-methylcellulose blend provides a balance of compostability, strength, and food contact suitability.

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Reusable single-serve coffee pod system that reduces landfill waste while maintaining flavor compared to disposable plastic pods. The system uses a reusable ring, lid, and disposable filter to make a pod that can be used in single-serve brewers. After brewing, the ring releases the filter for easy cleaning. The pod assembly apparatus facilitates filling and assembling the pods.

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Device for separating single-use coffee pods into recyclable components for recycling. The device features a handle with teeth that penetrate and separate the foil lid from the pod, and ridges that dislodge the coffee filter from the pod rim. This allows the plastic pod, foil, and filter to be individually recycled, while the coffee grounds can be composted.

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A coffee capsule that can be filled multiple times with coffee powder and reused, reducing waste and cost compared to disposable capsules. The capsule has a shell to hold the coffee and a sealing film covering the shell opening. A hoop compresses the film edge against the shell to seal it. This allows the capsule to be filled and sealed with coffee multiple times while still fitting capsule coffee machines.

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Recycling used coffee capsules into a new material for making products like injection molded parts without separating the components. The recycling process involves shredding the used capsules, mixing the resulting material with a coupling agent, and molding it into new products. The shredded capsules contain a mix of coffee, paper, polypropylene, and potentially aluminum. The coupling agent improves the properties of the recycled polypropylene. This allows direct reuse of the shredded capsules without separating the components or washing. The resulting recycled material can have properties suitable for molding applications.

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Recycling tool, module, and machine for recycling food capsules like coffee capsules without manual emptying. The tool has an internal screw and propeller that can be inserted into used capsules to extract the remaining product. The module houses the tool and allows capsule insertion. The machine has the module and containers to receive extracted product and empty capsules. The tool autonomously interacts with the capsule and product to enable recycling without user intervention.

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Reusable single-serve coffee pod system that is environmentally friendly and provides a better tasting cup of coffee. The pod system consists of a reusable open-bottomed ring and disposable filters. The filters are biodegradable and can be quickly and easily assembled and disposed of using a dedicated assembly station.

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A system for collecting and recycling coffee grounds from coffee shops to reduce waste and enable recycling. The system involves a coffee grounds solidification device that sequentially removes moisture, dries, and molds the grounds within the device. This reduces volume and allows easy collection. The device has sensors to monitor weight and moisture levels. A collection schedule is established based on weight data. The system also tracks coffee delivery vs consumption at shops to optimize collection. This allows stable supply to recyclers.

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A method to separate and recycle materials from waste coffee capsules in an environmentally friendly way. The method involves crushing, sieving, re-crushing, and electrostatic screening to separate aluminum, plastic, and coffee grounds from the capsules. The crushed capsules are sieved to remove coffee grounds. The remaining material is re-crushed to a smaller size. Electrostatic screening separates the conductive aluminum from non-conductive plastic. Multiple screening stages can be used. The recovered aluminum and plastic can be recycled. The coffee grounds can also be recycled after drying.

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A bag for collecting and recycling used coffee capsules that provides a reliable way to collect used coffee capsules such as aluminum capsules for recycling without requiring cleaning. The bag has a closure flap, an extension portion, and optionally compartments. The bag is made of plastic layers with cavities that isolate the capsules. The bag can be filled with used capsules, closed, and shipped to recycling centers.

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A device to clean and collect coffee grounds from reusable pods used in coffee machines like Keurig. The device fits over the pod and has a housing to catch the grounds and a lid with a filter. After brewing, the pods are emptied by tapping or rinsing them into the housing. The grounds fall through the filter into the housing and excess water drains out. The filter can be disposable or reusable.

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A coffee machine with a used capsule disposal assembly that enables extracting beverage from capsules and then opening and emptying them for recycling. The machine has a mechanism that moves used capsules to a cutting device that opens the capsule lid with a partial cut to allow access to the contents. It also has a scraping device to extract all the beverage from the capsule. The machine separates the opened capsules from unopened ones and collects the empty capsules for recycling. The extraction chamber is removable for cleaning. The cutting blade has an opening to prevent full lid detachment. The machine extracts, opens, empties and collects used coffee capsules for recycling.

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Device for separating single-serve infusion capsules like coffee pods into their recyclable components, such as plastic and aluminum, for recycling. The device has a base with an aperture to receive the capsule body and a plunger to push the capsule through the aperture. The base has a undulating surface surrounding the aperture that cause the capsule to deform and separate when pushed through.

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A device to easily and safely dismantle used coffee pods for recycling. The device has a handle, pod holder, and cutter. The pod holder securely holds the coffee pod while the cutter slices through the shell to open it. This allows the pod components to be separated and recycled. The cutter can be adjusted to cut just the shell or cut through the filter inside as well. An adapter is provided to accommodate smaller pods in the holder.

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Simple and efficient recycling of used coffee capsules, particularly aluminum capsules, by providing a shipping bag designed for collecting and transporting the damp waste in a sealed and liquid-tight manner. The bag has adhesive strips for closure to prevent leaks during shipping. This allows users to easily recycle used coffee capsules without the need for cleaning them.

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A device for compressing and discharging used coffee pods to reduce their size and make disposal easier. The device includes a chamber that holds the pod, a plunger that compresses the pod, and an ejection mechanism to discharge the compressed pod. The plunger is moved back and forth using a handle to compress the pod inside the chamber. Once compacted, the ejection mechanism pushes the compressed pod out of the chamber for disposal.

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