Table 3 Weight of each pod component with data source. *Weights and percentages used in the SimaPro model (data from Ecoinvent 3.4 [allocation, cut-off by classification–unit] and US-EI 2.2 libraries)53.
From: Life Cycle Assessment of Compostable Coffee Pods: A US University Based Case Study
Product (1p) | Component* | Type | Dataset with database source | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plastic coffee pod Total: 3.0213 g (3.0223 g by scale) | Shell total: 1.7908 g + 0.7841 g (ring) = 2.5749 g (85.22%) | Materials | Polypropylene (GLO) Polypropylene, granulate {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 2.5749 | g |
Processes | Injection molding (US) Injection moulding/US- US-EI U | 2.5749 | g | ||
Lid total: 0.2462 g (8.15%) | Materials | Aluminum (24%) (GLO) Aluminium, primary, cast alloy slab from continuous casting {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.0591 | g | |
PET coating (12%) (GLO) Polyethylene terephthalate, granulate, amorphous {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.0295 | g | |||
LDPE (50%) (GLO) Polyethylene, low density, granulate {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.1231 | g | |||
Printing ink (14%) (GLO) Printing ink, offset, without solvent, in 47.5% solution state {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.0345 | g | |||
Processes | Sheet rolling (only for Al) (US) Sheet rolling, aluminium/US- US-EI U | 0.0591 | g | ||
Calendaring (sheet coating process -PET & LDPE) US Calendering, rigid sheets/US- US-EI U | 0.1526 | g | |||
Extrusion (sheet coating process -PET) (US) Extrusion, plastic film/US- US-EI U | 0.1526 | g | |||
Filter Total: 0.2002 g (6.63%) | Materials | Kraft paper, bleached (79%) (GLO) Kraft paper, bleached {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.1582 | g | |
LDPE (21%) (GLO) Polyethylene, low density, granulate {GLO}| market for | Cut-off, U | 0.042 | g | |||
Processes | Extrusion, plastic film (for LDPE) (US) Extrusion, plastic film/US- US-EI U | 0.042 | g | ||
Transportation mi to km: 1.60934 | Company X 9.1 mi (14.645 km) (US) Transport, lorry 7.5-16t, EURO5/US- US-EI U + dry weight of coffee pod | = 14.645 × 3.0213 = 44.25 | gkm | ||
Landfill (Meadow Branch Landfill, Athens TN) -59.4 mi (95.595 km) Transport, municipal waste collection, lorry 21t/US* US-EI U For the wet weight scenario, water weight of 8 g was added Tap water, at user/US- US-EI U | = 95.595 × 3.0213 = 288.82 = 95.595 × (3.0213+8) = 95.595 × 11.0213 = 1053.58 | gkm | |||
Compostable coffee pod Total: 3.0622 g (3.0619 g by scale) | Lid Total: 0.2504 g (8.18%) | Materials | CompostCopy -Polylactide, granulate, at plant/GLO US-EI U (90%) | = 0.22536 | g |
Kraft paper, unbleached, at plant/US- US-EI U (10%) | = 0.02504 | g | |||
Processes (Only for PLA) | Extrusion, plastic film/US- US-EI U | = 0.22536 | g | ||
Calendering, rigid sheets/US- US-EI U | = 0.22536 | g | |||
Ring Total: 2.6828 g (87.61%) | Materials | CompostCopy -Polylactide, granulate, at plant/GLO US-EI U | 2.6828 | g | |
Processes | Injection moulding/US- US-EI U | 2.6828 | g | ||
Mesh Total: 0.1290 g (4.21%) | Materials | CompostCopy -Polylactide, granulate, at plant/GLO US-EI U | 0.1290 | g | |
Processes | Extrusion, plastic film/US- US-EI U | 0.1290 | g | ||
Transportation mi to km: 1.60934 | Company A Lincoln, CA -2439 mi (3925.18 km) (US) Transport, lorry 7.5-16t, EURO5/US- US-EI U | = 3925.18 × 3.0622 = 12019.68 | gkm | ||
Landfill (Meadow Branch Landfill, Athens TN) -59.4 mi (95.595 km) Transport, municipal waste collection, lorry 21t/US* US-EI U For the wet weight scenario, water weight of 11 g was added Tap water, at user/US- US-EI U | = 95.595 × 3.0622 = 292.73 = 95.595 × (3.0622+11) = 95.595 × 14.06 = 1344.07 | gkm | |||
Compost Cherokee Trail, Knoxville, TN 37920 -3.9 mi (6.276 km) | = 6.276 × 3.0622 = 19.21 | gkm | |||
