Biodegradability

A product is considered biodegradable if microorganisms can dissolve the material into its elementary components such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and other constituents.

In contrast to the clear-cut meaning of “compostable”, the term “biodegradable” is rather vague since any material will eventually degrade over time. Therefore, it is important to specify the environmental conditions necessary for optimal biodegradation.

This process can be easily illustrated by a felled tree trunk lying on asphalt. In principle, it is biodegradable, but because of the lack of suitable degradation conditions, the trunk will probably remain intact for several years or even decades. However, if it were first shredded and the chips distributed in a garden, complete decomposition by microorganisms can occur much faster.

Another everyday example is that of an orange peel, which is basically biodegradable. Without suitable degradation conditions – for example, if the orange peel were to lie on a bed of snow during winter – the peel will probably remain intact until spring, since it could not be integrated into the mineral material cycle. However, if the orange peel were composted at warm temperatures in a humid environment, full decomposition would result rather quickly.

Disposal and recycling

Production of Sirocco capsules and the paper aroma seal is carbon neutral and free of any aluminum and plastics. Therefore, you can dispose of them at home with a clear conscience. The carbon-neutral capsule packs themselves are a mix of recycled and new cardboard and are totally recyclable. For successful composting, organic waste must be at the right temperature and have the right amount of moisture and oxygen. There are millions of minuscule microbes in a mound of organic waste which work to transform it into compost. Yet, conditions are not always optimal for adding capsules to a household compost.

In response to inquiries, various waste disposal facilities have informed us that they generally do not accept coffee capsules for recycling due to the high risk of intermixing biodegradable and conventional capsules.

Therefore, we recommend disposing of the capsules at home.