TORONTO, Canada – Club Coffee announces that it has earned Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certification for PῧrPod100 (www.PurPod100.com), the world’s first certified 100% compostable single-serve pod for coffee, tea and other hot beverages.
BPI certification requires that products be tested in approved independent laboratories and then be independently verified according to scientific standards ASTM D6400 and D6868.
“Third-party certification is important because it validates that PῧrPod100 breaks down in large-scale composting,” says John Pigott, Club Coffee CEO.
“Equally important, this external certification tells consumers that they can buy the right solution to the mounting problem of waste and its impact on the environment associated with single-serve formats. It also offers a solution for municipal governments who see a growing number of single-serve pods flooding their landfills.
Club Coffee developed PῧrPod100 in collaboration with the University of Guelph’s Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre (BDDC). University president Franco Vaccarino notes, “This is a wonderful example of how research and innovation at the University of Guelph makes a difference around the world. This successful partnership highlights how we use our discoveries to produce tangible solutions to real-life issues.”
Certification by the BPI confirms that PῧrPod100 is “industrially compostable,” meaning that it fully breaks down in large-scale commercial composting processes. Local governments across Canada are investing in composting processes to divert food and other organic waste to productive uses and away from landfills.
“Club Coffee is the first manufacturer to earn BPI certification for single-serve pods,” says Rhodes Yepsen, executive director, BPI. “Diverting products associated with food residuals away from disposal is complicated, and BPI certification is a critical piece of the process, ensuring that items will break down in a timely manner in the appropriate composting environment, and not have a negative impact on the quality of the finished compost.”
Club Coffee created PῧrPod100 in response to consumer concerns about the ever-increasing waste associated with traditional single-serve pods and the need for an alternative that would still deliver a great taste experience, while helping to protect the environment.
PῧrPod100 is compatible with most Keurig -style brewing systems, including the new Keurig 2.0 brewers. Its successful BPI certification was earned partly because of the pod’s innovative use of plant-based resins and its use of the coffee “chaff,” the coffee bean skin left over from the roasting process, in the pod’s distinctive design.
Club Coffee continues to work with Canadian and U.S. municipalities, composting manufacturers, well-known retailers and recognized food/coffee brands to provide consumers with access to products using PῧrPod100 technology.
“We support progressive change in the packaging value chain,” said James D. Downham, president and CEO, PAC Packaging Consortium. “As many companies are working to offer more sustainable solutions, the world’s first certified, fully compostable single-serve pod is a significant milestone in sustainable packaging that should be celebrated.”
The certification announcement is also being saluted by composting leaders. “Just like every manufacturing process, there are standards and production requirements at compost facilities to ensure compost product quality,” says Susan Antler, executive director, Compost Council of Canada.
“While each compost facility has specific criteria as to the types of organic residuals that will be accepted and processed, successfully undergoing certification testing for compostability is a reflection of Club Coffee’s leadership and commitment to the compost industry’s vision and efforts to recover organic residuals and produce quality compost products for soil health and vitality.”
“Certification of 100% compostable pods cuts through confusing single-serve coffee product claims,” says Club Coffee’s Pigott. “Until now, consumers have had no options other than adding single-serve pods to their garbage.
In today’s market, some pods claim to be partially biodegradable, while others tout some recyclability – but none of those claims are backed by independent third-party validation. In contrast, BPI certification of PῧrPod100 provides consumers with clear evidence that the only convenient and proven solution is certified 100% compostable pods filled with the high-quality coffee, tea and hot beverages that they expect from single-serve.”
