Traditional coffee decaffeination processes have a major flaw...they are not sustainable. The green coffee beans are soaked in a solvent that displaces the caffeine. The problem is that the solvent used is often a chemical, such as, methylene chloride, and that many of these chemicals are known carcinogens. The Hermsen Corporation of Bremen, Germany, has developed a 100% natural decaffeination process that uses harmless carbon dioxide (CO2) as the solvent. The CO2 gently removes caffeine without any need for dangerous chemicals, high temperatures, or high pressures, which can deform the delicate chemistry of the coffee beans. Hermsen's plant is designed with sustainability in mind. They produce their own power with no emissions and the water they consume is completely pristine when it's returned to the local waterways. CO2 decaffeination guarantees that Total Quality is not compromised even during this extra step.