Design Life-Cycle
assess.design.(don't)consume
Samuel Piechota
Professor Cogdell
DES 040A
Word Count: 1599
Paper Coffee Filters
The coffee filter: a staple in the lives of many, used daily by the large number of coffee enjoyers who populate our world. The device itself offers a semi-porous membrane between ground coffee beans and the outer mechanism holding the filter so that water can be poured over the ground beans in order to create the delicious end result that is coffee. While there are many types of coffee filters ranging from metal to cloth, this essay will focus specifically on paper coffee filters and their environmental impact. Paper coffee filters are offered in conical and basket shapes as well as bleached or unbleached, the former of which is treated with chlorine. Throughout this essay, I will be discussing the raw materials that go into the production and use of coffee filters by examining the life cycle of the filters through use of various articles describing the process and materials used.
According to the German Patent and Trademark Office’s “The invention of the coffee filters,” the very first coffee filter was invented by Melitta Benz in 1908. A housewife from Dresden, Benz created the first filter by puncturing holes in the bottom of an overturned brass cup and placing blotting paper, taken from her son’s textbook, over top of the holes (German Patent and Trademarks Office). Previously, coffee during this era was brewed by pouring the ground coffee into hot water and waiting for it to come to rest on the bottom of the pot, leading to an unpleasant drinking experience (German Patent and Trademarks Office). In 1908, Benz was officially granted a patent for her design which utilized a “coffee filter with a domed underside, recessed bottom, and inclined flow holes” in addition to prefabricated filter paper (German Patent and Trademark Office). Eventually, Benz and her husband were able to expand their company into Melitta, a company that continues to be one of the main paper coffee filter producers/ suppliers around the world (German Patent and Trademark Office).
In terms of materials, paper coffee filters, like the ones produced by Melitta, generally come in three different styles: unbleached, bleached, and, most recently, bamboo. While all require some form of plant fiber in order to provide the bulk of the raw material, some key differences set the different styles apart. Bleached and unbleached filters start with wood pulp, which consists of wood fiber broken down into a paste using chemical treatment. According to Naturally: Wood’s “What is wood pulp?,” the process of created pulp involves wood chips which are “cooked at high temperatures in a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and sodium sulfide (Na2S)” in order to break down the raw mass into the paste that can then be used in filter paper creation. A seemingly more sustainable option, bamboo paper is created using a similar method of pulping before being formed into paper. Where bamboo paper differs is in the lack of chemicals used during the pulping process. According to Google Patent’s “US4857145A - Process for Making a Pulp from Bamboo,” the process of bamboo pulp creation involves cooking shredded bamboo in mixture of hot water and black liquor (a byproduct of the pulping process) at high pressures. One of the alternative methods to the usual chemical treatment for breaking down the raw material is known as beating. According to “Function and Manufacturing Beating Process Conclusion of Filter Paper” on the Hawah Scientific website, the process of beating involves using “physical methods to treat pulp fibers suspended in water to make them suitable for the production requirements of paper machines and to make the produced paper achieve the expected quality.” The process itself involves cutting and splitting the raw plant fibers in order to break them down into the same pulp quality as more widely used practices (Hawah Scientific).
Once the raw material has been broken down into a pulp, according to According to How It’s Made’s “How Coffee Filters Are Made,” the pulp is put into a paper making machine where it is spread out to be a 1-inch-thick sheet on the machine’s wire mesh belt. At this point in the process, the pulp has a water content of 80%, although this quickly changes once the pulp layer is run through heavy compression rollers, which squeeze out the residual water before another roller applies a texture to the paper, increasing surface area and helping filtration (How It’s Made). It is then laid out to dry on long steam rollers that quickly dry the newly made paper may be either sent a purifying process that may involve one of two methods or simply left us unbleached (How It’s Made). The first bleaching process is the conventional one and involves using chlorine to whiten the paper chemically, while the second process can be done using just oxygen according to Majesty Coffee’s “What is a Coffee Filter Made Of: In-Depth Material Guide.” While the method of bleaching does not change much aside from environmental impacts, unbleached filters do tend to have a more compromised flavor as they have not gone through the purification process that bleached filters have. Once processed and either bleached or unbleached, all filters paper goes through the same next steps to be turned into a full coffee filter and packaged for shipping. Machines fold and cut the filters to size before a roller embosses them with a seam to make the distinct coffee filter conical shape (How It’s Made). Finally, the finished filters are separated into stacks of 80 and placed into plastic bags before being sealed in their individual cardboard cartons (How It’s Made).
While the overall variety of materials used in the creation of coffee filters is relatively low, the processes necessary to turn the raw materials into the end product ends up needing significant amounts of chemicals and energy that can be detrimental to the environment. Furthermore, the trees and/or bamboo required to produce the pulp needed for filter paper contributes to deforestation while all of the above require massive amounts of energy and fuel to continue the process. In the article “Exploring the impact: The life of a paper coffee filter” by CoffeeSock, the author describes some of these potential environemental impacts. One of the biggest ones that stood out was the fact that the chlorine compounds used in the manufacturing process have the potential to leak out into waterways and ecosystems, which could have highly detrimental effects on the flora and fauna in the surrounding area (CoffeeSock). Further still, the article goes on to describe how “According to a 2019 study published in the Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, the “discharge from chlorine-bleaching was ‘the most significant environmental issues’ in pulp and paper mills.”” (CoffeeSock). In addition, the inherent single use design of the coffee filter means large amounts of material are in constant demand which leads to consistent rates of deforestation, energy consumption, and chemical usage. All of which only continue to harm the planet and contribute to the greenhouse gases that we continue to pump into our atmosphere.
When looking at the life of a coffee filter in relation to the energy consumption during usage, more detrimental effects make themselves. Andrea L. Hicks’s article “Environmental Implications of Consumer Convenience: Coffee as a Case Study” examines the impacts of multiple different styles of coffee brewing, with paper coffee filters being one of them. The article shows that the energy usage required for a drip coffee style of coffee production (which often requires paper filters) is much higher than that of alternatives like coffee pods because of the energy required to grind the beans and heat the water before one can actually brew the coffee (Hicks). The inherent higher energy cost of hot water makes processes like drip coffee far more taxing because of the energy creation processes needed to satisfy the higher energy costs. This energy cost is inherently linked with paper coffee filters given that most of their usage comes from drip coffee.
That being said, there are some alternatives to paper coffee filters that already exist, as well as some that are being experimented with at the moment. One such alternative is the aluminum and plastic coffee pods mention in Hicks’s article (Hicks). The drawback here is that those pods are also single use and require large amount of plastic and aluminum, materials whose manufacturing processes are highly impactful and create large amounts of pollutants. CoffeeSock provides another alternative for those who still want to enjoy drip coffee but don’t want the one-time use of paper coffee filters (CoffeeSock). In a more experimental field, Raden Reza Rizkiansyah et al. in their article “Non-Wood paper from coffee pulp Waste: How its performance as coffee filter” test the idea of using the leftover coffee pulp from the brewing process as cellulose for making more paper coffee filters. Although these would still be taxing in the area of manufacturing, similar to regular paper filters, the recycling of coffee grounds would help keep more mass from going to the landfill while simultaneously cutting back on deforestation as the need for new trees would be reduced.
Overall, while paper coffee filters may seem deceptively simple at first glance, the coffee filter industry plays a much larger role in polluting the environment than I initially realized. Methods of extraction and manufacturing require a heavy cost of toxic chemicals and fuel which only further contribute to greenhouse gases and polluting our ecosystems. The aftermath of single use paper filters is far more than I once thought and, in the future, I will think twice about using paper filters for my caffeine needs.
Works Cited
“DPMA: Melitta Bentz´ Coffee Filters.” Deutsches Patent- Und Markenamt, 24 Apr. 2024, www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/ingeniouswomen/110jahrekaffeefilter/index.html#:~:text=On%20the%20other%20hand%2C%20this,office%20on%2020%20June%201908.
“What Is Pulp and Paper?: Naturally:Wood.” Naturally, 2 May 2024, www.naturallywood.com/products/pulp-and-paper/#:~:text=How%20is%20wood%20pulp%20made,it%20down%20to%20a%20pulp.
“US4857145A - Process for Making a Pulp from Bamboo.” Google Patents, Google, patents.google.com/patent/US4857145A/en. Accessed 4 June 2024.
Qoybr. “Function and Manufacturing Beating Process of Filter Paper.” Hawach, 18 Dec. 2023, www.hawachfilterpaper.com/function-and-manufacturing-beating-process-conclusion-of-filter-paper/.
Barlow, Tony. “What Is a Coffee Filter Made of: In-Depth Material Guide.” Majesty Coffee, Majesty Coffee, 27 Apr. 2023, majestycoffee.com/blogs/posts/what-is-a-coffee-filter-made-of.
“How Coffee Filters Are Made.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Apr. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qNeX1Wj1Qw.
“Exploring the Impact: The Life of a Paper Coffee Filter.” CoffeeSock, CoffeeSock, 16 July 2023, coffeesock.com/the-sock-life-1/2023/7/16/exploring-the-impact-the-life-of-a-paper-coffee-filter.
Hicks, Andrea L. “Environmental Implications of Consumer Convenience: Coffee as a Case Study.” Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 22, no. 1, 2018, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.12487.
Rizkiansyah, Raden Reza et al. “Non-Wood paper from coffee pulp Waste: How its performance as coffee filter.” Cleaner Materials, vol. 12, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clema.2024.100241.
Phillip Vuong
Professor Cogdell
Des 40A
June 5th, 2024
Energy of A Coffee Filter
Since the 1900s, coffee has been on the rise in the lives of everyday people, giving everyone the extra boost of energy many often need in the mornings. Once something exclusively sold in stores, has begun to be accessible to everyone, and that is, in part, thanks to coffee filters. The paper coffee filter is an essential aspect of coffee making, affecting the texture and very taste of coffee itself, and is often overlooked within the process. Melitta coffee filters have played a large role in the growth of the coffee industry, streamlining the coffee making process to many households. As one of the major coffee filter distributors, observing the energy utilization is essential in keeping companies accountable for their contribution to environmental change and health. The lifecycle of the coffee filter lies in its energy utilization, in the gathering of resources, to the transportation, and the disposal of coffee filters. This paper will be following the energy utilization in the creation of coffee filters from the beginning, to when it ends up being used in a cup of coffee at the end of its life-cycle.
Originally founded in 1908 by Melitta Bentz, Melitta coffee filters had been invented through experimenting with different filtration methods, eventually Bentz used a piece of blotting paper to separate the coffee grounds from the cup, creating the first filter. The company quickly grew, and by the 1920s, they had gained widespread popularity. Over the decades, Melitta expanded its product line to include various coffee-related products, with pots, filter cones, and plastic filters being some of their inventions [1]. As more coffee filters were produced as competition, it should be noted that “the singular-use nature of coffee filters became an environmental concern” as they would be a source of waste within the environment, and would usually not be recyclable due to the oil trapped within the papers. Furthermore, there would be a shortage of wood Fiber within the pulp and paper industry as the material became more popular [2].
Melitta paper coffee filters are primarily composed of biodegradable paper sourced from virgin pulp, derived from managed forests. They offer white, naturally brown, and bamboo each processed differently in the production chain. Their bamboo filters are primarily composed of 40% bamboo instead of paper. Naturally, all paper filters are brown in color, as such these filters are unprocessed compared to the white paper filter, which achieves its color through a bleaching process using chlorine, though Melitta coffee filters are chlorine free [3]. Unbleached paper is generally less environmentally straining, as it requires less processing to produce [4]. The resources to create these filters use trees, specifically wood pulp, originating from the logging and milling processes. The pulp is made into thin sheets, which are processed and cut to be the iconic coffee filter shapes [5]. The gathering of wood pulp and the formation of paper filters is quite energy intensive, requiring many different machinery to be used, each consuming energy. Regarding the renewability of this energy, the pulp is gathered from recycled materials or sustainably managed sources and processed using water sustainability, in hopes of reducing the carbon footprint, according to their site [6].
According to Melitta, both of “the production facilities and administrative sites consume a total of 367 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy,” which is a reduction by 13.5 percent of what it was in the prior year, 2021 [7]. According to Business Observer, the company has taken many various efforts in reducing their energy usage, namely changing the temperature of the on-site storage facility to be regulated at 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 68 to 72, opting to provide their workers with the proper attire for comfortability. This change allowed for the reduction of electricity usage by 22%. They further installed water-saving fixtures throughout the facility, in their efforts to avoid waste [8]. The company claims to create around 4 million paper filters per day [9].
Melitta actively addresses their environmental impact through a series of sustainability goals outlined in their “energy concept of the future.” The company hopes to achieve climate neutrality for all fossil fuel combustion and purchased energy, namely electricity, by 2025. By 2030, Melitta plans to reduce the energy consumption associated with transportation directly caused by their company. By 2045, they aspire to significantly lower emissions stemming from preliminary work and third party services [10]. These targets reflect their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and promoting environmental sustainability within its operations and supply chain. The company details their product life cycle, breaking down manufacturing, use, and end of life time criteria in their mission statement; each aspect breaking down the percentage weight that each contributing factor holds on their plans for the future. The listing describes resources in terms of products, production, packaging, and social aspects as well as the energy efficiency, product safety, and lifetime, all being specific issues to be targeted and addressed [11].
Although Melitta does not explicitly state how much of their product transportation is based on land, sea, or sky, they do list their energy consumption through renewable sources, like biofuels, and non-renewable sources like natural gas, heating, LPG, petrol, diesel, etc. They report that, in 2022, the consumption of energy from non-renewable sources was 189,995,442 kWh with their total consumption of renewable energy lying at 686,773 kWh. It should be noted that their reported numbers from 2021 and 2020 show an improvement in some aspects of fuel consumption; renewable energy consumption had decreased by 20,000,000 kWh when compared to 2020. Comparatively, consumption of renewable sources has increased by 200,000 kWh from 2020 to 2022. The company contributes a fair share of their energy reduction to the switch to a more renewable source of energy, with paper mills in Celupa, Brazil, being equipped with a biomass power plant [12]. As of 2010, Melitta’s main paper filter manufacturing operation is located in Clearwater, Florida, though they distribute their factories to a multitude of other locations, such as China and Mexico [13]. The company has divisions, each focused on the regulation and distribution of their resources to different regions, North America, and Canada. The North American division is centered around the sales and marketing coffee filters and coffee brewing systems, distributing to retail channels located in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, whilst the Canadian distributes to all retail channels across Canada [14]. With each vehicle Focusing on transportation alone, the company set its goals to become climate neutral from emissions directly contributed to transportation by the company or commissioned by the company by 2030 [15].
Using the coffee filters involves using a coffee making machine, which brews the water. Although the coffee filter itself uses no energy, the process of brewing coffee does involve electrical energy. Using a single serve coffee pod, for instance, consumes about 0.02 kWh of electricity, with the amount of energy used to roast coffee being 1,621 kJ per coffee [16].
After the product is made, transported, and used, it becomes disposed of. Melitta is aware of the environmental impacts of their products, and as such have placed a large focus creating a sustainable resource that is environmentally degradable. The company holds many certifications, like the rainforest alliance, fairtrade certification, quality assurance international certification, and FSSC 22000 (the food Safety System Certification). The company describes “all cardboard, corrugated, plastic and paper waste generated in the plant is recycled,” [17]. The end of lifetime category within the company’s mission statement focuses specifically on the product and the packaging, rating the quality of both within an environmental perspective, with focus on recyclability and disposability specifically. The company lists the product at 70%, and the packaging at 30% [18]. The product, rated at a high level, is likely indicative of the recyclability of the product as a whole, with most of the company’s paper filters being biodegradable. The packaging is at a lower level, indicating that the company is aware of their area of improvements within packaging their products in a more environmentally sustainable capacity. The company describes that by 2025, their goals hope to have implemented the “Ellen MAcArthur Foundation New Plastics Commitment within their packaging system, making them manufactured from recycled and/or sustainable materials” to leave a better impact on the environment [19].
To summarize, Melitta filters are made from biodegradable materials sourced from renewable forests, with efforts to reduce environmental impact through energy-efficient manufacturing processes and sustainability goals. These goals include achieving climate neutrality by 2025 and reducing emissions from transportation and third-party services by 2045. Meelitta’s commitment to environmental responsibility is further reflected in their focus on recyclability and sustainability in product packaging. All these efforts combine to mitigate their environmental footprint.
Bibliography:
ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS). (2018, May 19). Made in the bay: #1 selling coffee filter in the U.S. comes from Clearwater. ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS). <https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/made-in-the-bay-1-selling-coffee-filter-in-the-us-comes-from-clearwater>
CoffeeSock. (2023, July 16). Exploring the impact: The life of a paper coffee filter. <https://coffeesock.com/the-sock-life-1/2023/7/16/exploring-the-impact-the-life-of-a-paper-coffee-filter>
Hicks L. Andrea. “Environmental Implications of Consumer Convenience: Coffee as a Case Study. Journal of Industrial Ecology Volume 22, Issue I. (2017, January 22). Date retrieved: June 4th, 2024. <https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12487>
Nemeth, B. (2021, March 6). The great paper coffee filters debate: Bleached vs unbleached. Perfect Daily Grind. <https://perfectdailygrind.com/2017/08/the-great-paper-coffee-filters-debate-bleached-vs-unbleached>
“Melitta: Annual report”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
“Melitta: Climate” Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
“Melitta: Enjoyment and Responsibility”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.co.uk/about-melitta/enjoyment-and-responsibility/>
“Melitta: Integrating Sustainability Into Our Business Strategy”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta-professional.com/2021_we-at-melitta_nachhaltigkeit_en-us.html>
“Melitta: Product and Suply Chain Responsibility) n.d. <https://www.melitta-group.com/en/Product-and-supply-chain-responsibility-4327.html>
“Melitta: Journey Through Time”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.com/en/Melitta-Journey-through-Time-541.html>
Rizkiansyah R. Raden, Mardiyati Yati, Hariyanto Arief, Steven Steven, Dirgantara Tatacipta, “Non-Wood Paper From Coffee Pulp Waste: How its Performance As Coffee Filter” (2023, December 12) ScienceDirect (12). Date Retrieved: 2024, June 4th. Web:<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277239762400025X>
Walsh, Alex, “Filter Family”, (March 25, 2010) Business Observer. Web <https://www.businessobserverfl.com/news/2010/mar/25/filter-family/>
[1] “Melitta: Journey Through Time”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.com/en/Melitta-Journey-through-Time-541.html>
[2]Rizkiansyah R. Raden, Mardiyati Yati, Hariyanto Arief, Steven Steven, Dirgantara Tatacipta, “Non-Wood Paper From Coffee Pulp Waste: How its Performance As Coffee Filter” (2023, December 12) ScienceDirect (12). Date Retrieved: 2024, June 4th. Web:<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277239762400025X>
[3] “Melitta: Integrating Sustainability Into Our Business Strategy”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta-professional.com/2021_we-at-melitta_nachhaltigkeit_en-us.html>
[4] Nemeth, B. (2021, March 6). The great paper coffee filters debate: Bleached vs unbleached. Perfect Daily Grind. <https://perfectdailygrind.com/2017/08/the-great-paper-coffee-filters-debate-bleached-vs-unbleached
[5] CoffeeSock. (2023, July 16). Exploring the impact: The life of a paper coffee filter. <https://coffeesock.com/the-sock-life-1/2023/7/16/exploring-the-impact-the-life-of-a-paper-coffee-filter>
[6] “Melitta: Product and Suply Chain Responsibility) n.d. <https://www.melitta-group.com/en/Product-and-supply-chain-responsibility-4327.html>
[7] “Melitta: Climate” Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
[8] Walsh, Alex, “Filter Family”, (March 25, 2010) Business Observer. Web <https://www.businessobserverfl.com/news/2010/mar/25/filter-family/>
[9] ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS). (2018, May 19). Made in the bay: #1 selling coffee filter in the U.S. comes from Clearwater. ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS). <https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/made-in-the-bay-1-selling-coffee-filter-in-the-us-comes-from-clearwater>
[10] “Melitta: Annual report”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
[11] “Melitta: Enjoyment and Responsibility”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.co.uk/about-melitta/enjoyment-and-responsibility/>
[12] “Melitta: Climate” Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
[13] Walsh, Alex, “Filter Family”, (March 25, 2010) Business Observer. Web <https://www.businessobserverfl.com/news/2010/mar/25/filter-family/>
[14]“Melitta: Company information”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.com/en/Company-Information-636.html#:~:text=Melitta%20coffee%20filters%20are%20manufactured,leading%20brand%20of%20coffee%20filter>
[15] “Melitta: Climate” Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://report.melitta-group.com/annual-report-2022/sustainability-report/regenerative-value-creation/climate.html>
[16]Hicks L. Andrea. “Environmental Implications of Consumer Convenience: Coffee as a Case Study. Journal of Industrial Ecology Volume 22, Issue I. (2017, January 22). Date retrieved: June 4th, 2024. <https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12487>
[17] “Melitta: Integrating Sustainability Into Our Business Strategy”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta-professional.com/2021_we-at-melitta_nachhaltigkeit_en-us.html>
[18] “Melitta: Enjoyment and Responsibility”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta.co.uk/about-melitta/enjoyment-and-responsibility/>
[19] “Melitta: Integrating Sustainability Into Our Business Strategy”, Melitta Group, n.d. Web <https://www.melitta-professional.com/2021_we-at-melitta_nachhaltigkeit_en-us.html>
Elliot Dodge
Samuel Pietchoa, Phillip Vuong
DES 040A
Professor Christina Cogdell
Disposable Coffee Filters: Waste and Emissions throughout their Life Cycle
Introduction
Coffee as a beverage is a worldwide phenomenon. Individuals indulge in the drink once, twice, maybe three times per day, due to the energizing and focus-enhancing effects of Coffee. People can craft their beverage in a variety of ways, using aeropresses, moka pots, french press, espresso, and more. This paper is concerned with the method of making drip coffee; specifically, the use of the filters. Across the United States, an estimated 100 million coffee filters are used and disposed of daily. Coffee filters are primarily made of different forms of fibrous materials, such as manila hemp, eucalyptus, and various wood pulps (Molnar, 17). In the case of wood pulps, they either are bleached, resulting in a white color, or unbleached with a more natural brown color (Molnar, 17). In this paper, waste and emissions will be discussed in regards to the life cycle of disposable coffee filters, from the acquisition of raw materials to recycling and waste management of the used filters.
Raw Material Acquisition and Manufacturing:
The fibers used to construct coffee filters are typically sourced from wood pulp mills. In the European paper pulp industry, an estimated 11 million tons of waste is produced annually (Monte et. al., 298). The solid waste generally consists of recycled paper, ash, chlorinated organic compounds, and trace amounts of heavy metals (Monte et. al., 298). Sludges from the wood and treatment chemicals sometimes contaminate the water (Monte et. al., 298). As for air pollution, a 2020 report stated that the European Pulp industry produced 63 million tons of CO2 (Onarheim). In areas local to the production of wood pulps, communities are subject to poorer air quality as a result. During the manufacturing process, the pulp is subject to a series of processes similar to papermaking. In this process, water is used and disposed of in the pressing and washing, then for the filter to be dried using thermal drying (Molnar, 23-24). In this process, there was not readily available data regarding the production of waste; however, according to Melitta, a prominent coffee filter company, their process of production is in line with UN standards of environmental and labor sustainability (Melitta).
Transportation:
Wood pulps, paper filters, and the subsequent waste after the filter is used is transported in a variety of ways. Wood pulps are typically transported on transoceanic cargo, lorry, and train (González-Garcia, 3532). Transoceanic transportation on cargo ships contributes to more than 53% of eutrophying emissions in the process of wood pulp transport (González-Garcia, 3535). Additionally, the second most prominent transport method is via lorry, which accounts for 44% of the eutrophying emissions (González-Garcia, 3536). Other methods of wood pulp transportation include via electric/diesel trains, which emit less, however cannot compensate for the transport of the total wood pulp produced annually. This transportation is powered in large part by crude oils, and the process depletes a significant amount of oil (González-Garcia, 3537). Furthermore, the air emissions caused by the transportation of wood pulp has contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer and smog in areas local to the transportation. From manufacturer to store shelves, paper filters are typically transported via lorries as well, with many traveling hundreds of km at a time (González-Garcia 3532). Filters can be bought in store or online, with online transport typically done via lorries or aircraft. As for buying in-store, people can walk, bike, drive, or take some other form of small-scale transport. After the use of the filter, they are typically transported to either landfills or composts via garbage trucks. These trucks historically have emitted a lot of harmful smog, however, more developed nations like the US have employed natural gas powered trucks to reduce the air emissions (WM).
Use and Recycling
Coffee Filters are used by those who make drip coffee, typically grinding beans down, putting them in a filter-lined carafe, and then pouring water overtop until they have the desired beverage size. In general, the average amount of grams of CO2 produced per cup of coffee across its life cycle is anywhere between 23-84g (Brommer et. al., 217). On average, a study found that drip coffee using coffee filters produces significantly higher kg of CO2 per .275L of coffee (Hicks, 86). In addition, the process of making drip coffee is expected to rise in annual CO2 emissions by 2054 (Hicks, 88). Something to consider is that the filter has a relatively small impact on the emissions caused in this report; however, the use of the filter enables users to make drip coffee in that method, thus it is important to recognize the enabling which filters cause. After this process, the coffee filter, depending on if it is bleached or not, should go into a compost or landfill. In the compost, they biodegrade eventually, taking 6-8 months to decompose (Pogoy).
Waste Management
The paper pulp industry disposes their waste in a variety of ways. The wood wastes end up in recycling and landfills, organic compounds and paper/cardboard wastes end in recycling most often (Cibelli et. al., 1620). When wastes end in landfills, the main method of disposal is through incineration, and while it is arguably the most efficient and effective method of removing organic waste, it requires unsustainable amounts of energy, and produces toxic levels of emissions (Monte et. al., 298). There have been ulterior methods of waste management proposed, such as gasification; however, they are not technologically feasible yet due to the lack of understanding towards the chemical properties of the biosludge created from the pulp industry (González-Garcia, 301-303). That being said, the biosludge has been occasionally converted to fertilizers, biofuels, and even cat litter (González-Garcia, 305-306). As said earlier, the organic waste created from the filter itself ends up in landfills or composts. In composts, the waste can be converted into biofuels, although there is not yet the available infrastructure and technology to proceed with this process on a global scale (Ehrlich). The filters do not need to be processed or treated chemically in order for this process to occur necessarily, they just have to be organized and dried out for the fuel to become accessible (Ehrlich). If the filters are not composted, then they are subject to incineration, which as for the wood pulp industry produces harmful amounts of carbon emissions and methane, and requires a substantial amount of energy.
Shortcomings of Research
This paper was constructed with few articles which directly concerned waste and emissions of coffee filters. I had to draw from and assume statistics which came from coffee filter adjacent articles, such as ones describing different methods of coffee brewing and their carbon impact. Furthermore, the research into the paper pulp industry was gathered from articles generally concerning paper production within Sweden and other Baltic countries, as opposed to a worldwide scale. Research regarding total amounts of water contaminants was unavailable for many stages within the life cycle, excluding the raw material acquisition and manufacturing process. Lastly, the Waste Management section of the paper was written using general information gathered about composts and landfills, so some assumptions were made.
Conclusions
Ultimately, this paper delved into the waste and emissions throughout the full product life cycle of disposable coffee filters. The Coffee Filter industry sources their raw materials from paper pulp mills, where timber is pulped and that pulp is then used as a secondary raw material in the process of manufacturing the paper filters. The majority of the waste and emissions are produced during the raw material acquisition process, with 11 million tons of waste being produced by pulping. During the manufacturing, machines uphold most of the work, and water is used to wet the paper, and as water is removed, the filter dries and it is able to be constructed into the filter paper we know. Transportation of the filters and other materials contributes largely to emissions, with plane, lorry, and cargo ships responsible for heavy carbon emissions. From there, the coffee filters are bought, used, and thrown away into landfills or composts. In landfills, they become incinerated, releasing large amounts of variable emissions into the atmosphere, and consuming substantial energy. In compost, however, there are prospective hopes that coffee filters among other organic wastes could be converted into biofuels which would reduce carbon emissions and move our global society in the direction of sustainability. That being said, it would require much more technological advancements to produce that plan.
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