Keurig Dr Pepper Canada and Circular Materials are encouraging consumers to recycle their plastic K-Cup pods at home via Ontario’s Blue Box Program.
Since 2023, Ontario’s Blue Box Program has been fully funded and operated by producers, rather than municipalities and taxpayers. Circular Materials has also provided an expanded, standardized list of accepted products, including coffee pods made from recyclable plastics, plastic films, hot and cold beverage cups, toothpaste tubes, deodorant packaging, and more.
Now Keurig Dr Pepper believes that approximately 75% of Canadians can recycle their K-Cup pods – single-serve, polypropylene pods intended specifically for Keurig machines – under the Blue Box system. The pods have reportedly been designed for recycling; for example, the inclusion of an easy-peel lid with a built-in tab.
Through a province-wide education campaign, KDP Canada and Circular Materials will guide consumers through the recycling process: peeling off the pod’s lid, emptying the coffee grounds, and placing the used plastic in the Blue Box.
The companies hope to support consumer education on best recycling practices and encourage confident participation in the programme.
“The inclusion of empty K-Cup pods, and other recyclable plastic single-serve coffee packaging, demonstrates what can be achieved when producers and stakeholders work together to improve recycling for Ontarians and support strong environmental goals,” said Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials. “By expanding the list of items that can be put in Ontario’s recycling system to include empty K-Cup pods, we’re giving residents the clarity and convenience they’ve been asking for, while helping producers meet their sustainability commitments.”
“At Keurig Dr Pepper Canada, we believe sustainability happens when innovation and collaboration intersect,” added Ryan Bahadur, interim president at Keurig Dr Pepper Canada. “Ontario’s modernized Blue Box program and the acceptance of K-Cup pods mark a significant step towards greater harmonization and a more circular economy for Canadians. We’re proud to be contributing to practical, scalable solutions that make recycling at home easier.”
In a similar development, Nespresso Canada and Éco Entreprises Québec previously announced that the ‘green bag’ coffee capsule recycling programme would be expanded across all Quebec municipalities. Consumers are urged to fill their green bags with empty capsules and place them in a residential recycling bin; the aluminium pods are recycled, while the coffee grounds are used in the province’s biomethanization process.
Elsewhere, UK retailer Co-op has partnered with Podback in a six-month trial for in-store recycling units. Both plastic and aluminium pods from Podback’s member brands can be dropped off at the designated recycling points to be collected for recycling.
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