The Italian National Packaging Consortium (Conai) recently announced an adjustment to its environmental contribution fees (CAC-fees allocated for packaging waste environmental protection):
Effective July 1, the fee for general compostable bioplastic packaging increased from the previous rate of €130 per tonne to €246 per tonne.
**Exclusive Low-Rate Tier for Compostable Coffee Products**
In addition to the general price hike, the packaging industry has introduced a specific, differentiated fee policy.
Conai established these special rules after consulting with Biorepack, the national consortium for the recycling of compostable bioplastic packaging in Italy.
This special policy applies to EN13432-certified biodegradable/compostable plastic capsules and pods used for coffee and beverages. The exclusive environmental contribution fee for this category is set at a flat rate of €45 per tonne-significantly lower than the rate for standard bioplastic packaging.
Conai stated that the current special rate of €45 per tonne is a pilot scheme. The pilot will run for a minimum of 12 months. Upon its conclusion, the competent authorities will re-evaluate and adjust the fee standards based on actual recycling statistics.
The new regulations take effect on August 12, 2026. Implementation aligns with new provisions in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The regulation explicitly classifies coffee capsules and pods that can be disposed of together with coffee grounds as "packaging" subject to regulatory oversight.
**Core Objective of the Policy**
Industry consensus suggests that Conai established this lower special rate to prevent compostable bioplastic capsules from losing market competitiveness.
After all, current environmental fees for aluminum coffee capsules (with a short-term promotional rate of €12/tonne, rising to €120/tonne on October 1, 2026) and paper coffee capsules (€45/tonne) are relatively low.
If compostable bioplastic capsules were subject to the standard high rate of €246/tonne, their market competitiveness would be severely undermined. Establishing a special low-rate tier balances environmental costs with the healthy development of the industry. Biorepack's Official Interpretation of the Policy.
Carmine Pagnozzi, Director General of Biorepack, has expressed support for this differentiated fee policy.
Consumers can dispose of used capsules-along with the coffee grounds inside-directly into organic waste bins. This significantly simplifies the end-of-life processing for the product, allowing the entire assembly to be recovered and utilized as a resource through organic recycling.
Pagnozzi added: "The differentiated environmental contribution fee structure fully reflects the recovery and processing efficiency of these products; it aligns perfectly with circular economy principles and the EU's environmental goals of reducing landfilling and incineration."
According to Biorepack statistics, approximately 5 billion coffee capsules of various types (not limited to plastic) enter the Italian market annually, generating a combined total of 50,000 tonnes of waste from the capsule shells and coffee grounds.
A single compostable plastic capsule weighs approximately 3 grams, while the coffee grounds inside weigh about 7 grams.
Mandatory Requirements under the PPWR
The PPWR establishes strict compliance requirements for permeable coffee pods: by February 12, 2028, they must meet the standard for full compostability under industrial composting conditions.
However, for impermeable coffee capsules, EU regulations do not set a unified, mandatory compostability requirement across the Union; instead, individual member states are authorized to formulate their own relevant control rules.
