Coffee lovers may soon be able to make their daily espresso using a greener pod, based on a new compostable design unveiled by a Southampton-based plastics company

Biome Bioplastics will today unveil a series of coffee pods made from natural plastics based on plant starches and tree by-products that it hopes will be able to replace the increasingly popular capsules used in the latest generation of coffee makers.

According to the company, more than nine billion single-serve coffee and drink cartridges are sent to landfill in the USA every year, despite efforts by brands such as Nespresso to encourage recycling.

The UK market for coffee-pod machines is also growing, with usage reportedly up 45 per cent in the 12 months to February 2013.

Biome said it has developed a range of compostable materials that are then converted into the pods by manufacturing partners and before being sold by a number of coffee brands.

The company refused to disclose which companies it is working with to manufacture the new design. However, BusinessGreen understands the pods are already available for sale in the US with a number of American brands such as Rogers Family Coffee having pioneered the use of the new material.

Paul Mines, chief executive of Biome Bioplastics, said he hoped the new designs would help improve the environmental standards of coffee pod machines, without compromising on the convenience they offer.

“Single-serve coffee pods are an excellent example of the fundamental role that packaging plays in delivering quality and convenience in the food service sector”, he said in a statement. “The challenge is to reduce environmental impact through packaging optimisation without impacting on food quality or safety, or inconveniencing the customer. Bioplastics are an important part of the solution.”