How Can Coffee Pollute Our Water?
Nearly 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. An industry that big has some measure of impact on the environment. Today, we will specifically take a look at how certain aspects of the coffee industry can impact water quality and what is being done to avoid negative consequences coffee may have on our waterways.
Coffee Farming:
According to the EPA, in 2015, 22 million tons of fertilizers were used in the United States for crop production. Agrochemicals have caused quite a commotion in the United States and around the world. Some say fertilizers and pesticides are a requirement in farming, and we wouldn’t be able to feed people without them. However, they’ve also been noted as bad for human health and can negatively impact animals and the environment.
Like many crops, agrochemicals (fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides) are applied to conventional coffee plants and surrounding soil to protect the coffee from bugs and optimize plant growth. Oftentimes, the excess agrochemicals are washed away as runoff during irrigation and rainstorms. The chemicals then enter bodies of water (i.e. rivers) and cause negative impacts. The nutrient pollution from the agrochemicals exploits the oxygen in the water that the existing fish and plants would typically need to survive, and causes the ecosystem to die. This process is called eutrophication.
This is an image of what eutrophication may look like. There is significant build-up of algae on top of the water.
Eutrophication can be avoided. Our ecosystems can be saved! There are farms that responsibly care for their coffee while being considerate of the environment. Purchasing certified Organic, Smithsonian Bird Friendly, and Rainforest Alliance coffee supports farms that avoid agrochemicals and work in harmony with nature.
Coffee Processing:
There are different ways of separating the coffee bean from the fruit. The main process of concern when considering water pollution is wet mill processing. When visiting a coffee plantation in Jamaica, the guide explained to us the process of wet milling and the potential repercussions of malpractice when wet milling. The process starts by shaking the coffee fruit to separate the skin from the coffee berries. Next, the fruit is floated to pick out the undesirables. Then, the good cherries are taken to a fermentation tank to further break down the fruit pulp from the coffee bean. Afterwards, the beans are taken out to dry in the sun in a bed.
This is what coffee looks like before it goes through the wet-mill process.
So far, I haven’t described any issues with the process. The main concern is the disposal of the water from the fermentation tank. The tank contains high levels of nutrients and sugars that can lead to eutrophication as described in the previous section. If the tank is dumped completely at one time, there will be too much nutrients entering streams and other bodies of water for organisms to survive.
However, if the fermentation tank is released in controlled increments over time, the nutrient content will discharge at a level that’s manageable for the surrounding ecosystem. The plantation we visited had figured out a way to drain the fermentation tank at a rate (in small increments) that was not detrimental to the surrounding streams. Many coffee plantations follow this practice, and manage the wet mill process in a sustainable manner.
Plastic Disposal:
It’s hard to tell how much plastic is actually in our waterways and the ocean. National Geographic notes that there was an estimated 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean in 2015 and calculates that the plastic will accumulate to nearly 600 million metric tons by 2040. Plastics in our water kill marine life and can end up in the food we eat. The coffee industry is not solely to blame for this, but there are many aspects of the coffee industry that contribute to the issue -- from the coffee pods we purchase from the grocery store to the lattes we get at the cafe.
When making a cup of coffee at home, there are multiple brew methods that may be used -- each requiring their own supplies. At-home brewing supplies of concern are mainly coffee pods, coffee filters, and the packaging of beans, milk, sugar, and other items.
To limit plastics in home-brewing:
Use a metal or fabric filter for pour-overs and drip machines
Get rid of coffee makers that use pods
Get reusable coffee pods
Use a french press
Drink your coffee black
If you must have sugar or milk, recycle the containers when finished
When going to a cafe, it’s hard to avoid single-use plastics -- especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Single-use items such as stirrers, lids, straws, and cups (even paper cups are plastic lined) contribute to the plastic crisis.
A cup may appear innocent but will accumulate into a major source of pollution over time.
To limit plastics when going out for coffee:
Bring your own reusable cup
Order your drink without a straw
Get your drink without a sleeve and bring your own reusable sleeve
Avoid stirrers -- use wooden ones if necessary
Recycle items when you can
There is Hope!
Even though there is potential for unethical practices in the coffee industry, we can do our part to limit our impact and to support coffee companies that are striving for sustainability. Do your research on where you get your coffee from to see if the farmers are performing sustainable practices. If you tend to lean towards single-use plastics, try out some of the suggestions to limit your plastics use. By making one simple change in our daily lives, we can make a difference!
