The coffee industry is under more pressure than ever to offer sustainable solutions, as well as deliver a high quality product to the end customer. When it comes to packaging, the challenge is reducing your environmental footprint without compromising on quality, freshness or food safety, while still keeping your operations profitable.
Enter PCR plastics.
Post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in coffee bags, and other packaging, give plastic waste a second life, turning used plastics into new products. But while PCR has clear environmental upside, using it for food contact packaging (like coffee) raises some questions. Is it safe? Will it hold up? And is it actually better for the planet?
What is PCR plastic?
It’s made from plastic that’s already been used by consumers, collected through recycling programs and processed to make it safe and usable again. The benefit? Less reliance on virgin plastic and more waste diverted from landfill.
Here’s how it compares:
- Post-Industrial Recycled (PIR): Factory offcuts and production waste that never made it to a consumer. Clean, but not post-use.
- Ocean-bound PCR: Collected near coastlines to stop it entering the ocean. Great for impact, but more complex for food-grade use.
- Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR): Used by real people, recycled, and reprocessed. The real climate-friendly MVP.
Is PCR safe for coffee?
Food safety is non-negotiable when you’re packaging coffee. Your bag needs to protect flavour and freshness, without letting any unwanted extras sneak in. The challenge with PCR is that the material can carry traces of what it used to be, including inks, adhesives, residues.
That’s where certified processes come in. With proper treatment and testing, PCR plastic can be cleaned and approved for use in food-safe packaging. You just have to make sure it’s
Look for certifications like BRC accreditation (EcoBarista’s Mono PCR Soft Plastics Recyclable Coffee Bag is BRC accredited as food safe.
Why using PCR in coffee bags is the path forward
The coffee industry isn’t just about producing a great end product (product). It’s about doing it with integrity – for people and the planet.
Choosing certified PCR materials for packaging means:
- Cutting down on emissions
- Reducing virgin plastic use
- Meeting sustainability requirements
- Building trust with your customers
Why is recycling a great end of life option?
Recycling isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s one of the most accessible and effective ways to reduce waste and make packaging more sustainable. Recycling is familiar and widely available for most people. And when the right infrastructure is in place, it works.
By keeping high quality soft plastics in circulation instead of sending them to landfill, we’re helping to reduce the need for virgin plastic, cutting down on emissions and supporting a more circular economy. It turns waste into something useful, again and again.
For roasters, choosing a recyclable bag (and helping your customers understand how to recycle it) is a simple, practical step that adds up to real impact over time.
How can these bags be recycled?
We designed our Mono PCR Soft Plastic Bags with the future of soft plastics recycling in mind. Because they’re made from a single high-quality plastic (mono-material) with PCR material, they have a much better chance of being successfully processed through soft plastics recycling streams, especially as infrastructure improves across Australia.
While the big players in soft plastics recycling are still getting back on their feet, there are smaller programs already operating in parts of the country. Depending on where you are, you might have access to services like Curby, RecycleSmart, TerraCycle or Reground.
What PCR coffee bag options are available?
Our Mono PCR Soft Plastic Bag is a good example of PCR done right.
- Made with PCR content
- Recyclable in available soft plastics recycling streams
- Keeps coffee fresh with a high barrier layer
- Durable and sturdy
- Certified food safe
- Custom printable
If you’re looking for a way to reduce your environmental impact without messing with your coffee quality, this bag is a strong option. Got questions? Let’s talk! We’re always up for a chat about beans, bags and making the coffee industry better.
