Until now, coffee capsules posed recycling dilemmas as they were not classified as packaging by law, requiring disposal at recycling centers or specific collection points. This has changed with the entry into force of the European Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (EU Regulation 2025/40).
This regulation, directly applicable in all member states, expressly includes capsules, both plastic and aluminum, as packaging. Therefore, from now on, they can be discarded in the yellow bin as they are after making coffee, without needing to be emptied or separated from the grounds.
The separation of coffee and capsule will take place at treatment plants. This task falls to the capsule producers, who must invest in recovery and material separation processes through their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. Consumers already contribute to financing this process through a portion of the purchase price of the capsules.
It is reminded that the yellow bin is exclusively for packaging. Plastic or metal items that are not packaging, such as toys or kitchen utensils, must be taken to the recycling center.
