From multimaterial to monomaterial: An LCA of flexible coffee packaging
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT While flexible food packaging plays a vital role in food preservation and waste reduction, there are growing concerns and regulatory pressures regarding its environmental footprint, particularly its production and end-of-life management. To quantify these impacts and guide more sustainable design, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a crucial tool.This study presents a comparative LCA of a multimaterial coffee package and two monomaterial alternatives (polyethylene and polypropylene). The analysis adopted a “cradle-to-gate-with-end-of-life” framework, following ISO 14040/44 guidelines, to evaluate a current baseline scenario and future end-of-life scenarios for 2030 and 2035 based on European recycling targets.The results indicate that monomaterial designs offer substantial environmental benefits, including a 50% reduction in carbon footprint and lower impacts in most of the impact categories. Projections show that even with improved future recycling technologies, the multimaterial package’s impacts would still exceed those of the monomaterial versions, confirming the benefits of packaging designed for improved recyclability.A trade-off in barrier properties is observed with monomaterial structures; however, their environmental advantages highlight their potential as a sustainable alternative. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the development of monomaterial packaging is a promising pathway toward achieving sustainability goals, and that LCA is essential for guiding future innovation.
Authors: Matteo Cigada, Rosi Barrale, Giovanni Dotelli
Institution: Politecnico di Milano
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,150
Funder: Politecnico di Milano
OpenAlex ID: W7141267854