There are approximately 40 million households in the U.S. that have a Keurig machine. Single-serve coffee brewing systems have become increasingly popular since the early 2000s, allowing consumers to make a single cup of coffee at a time by inserting a pod and pressing a button. However, this convenience has led to a significant waste issue. The polypropylene plastic used in Keurig’s single-use coffee pods, known as K-cups, is not easily recyclable. In fact, two of the largest recycling companies in the country do not accept K-cup pods, and it has been estimated that the number of K-cups in landfills could circle the globe 10 times.
In response to this plastic waste problem, a new coffee pod company called Cambio Roasters has launched a Keurig-compatible coffee pod made of aluminum, which is infinitely recyclable. Led by former Keurig employees, including founder and CEO Kevin Hartley, Cambio aims to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic K-cups. However, some experts are skeptical about whether aluminum pods will truly solve the issue of recyclability, given the challenges of the American recycling system.
Nespresso, another popular single-serve coffee company, has been using aluminum capsules for over 30 years and has recently increased the recycled content of their pods. While Nespresso pods are only compatible with Nespresso machines, Cambio pods are designed to work with Keurig models, allowing consumers to make a more sustainable choice without needing to purchase a new machine.
Despite the shift from plastic to aluminum, experts warn that the small size of coffee pods still presents challenges for recycling facilities. Cambio suggests stacking used pods together to create a larger piece of aluminum that can be processed by recycling machinery. The company is also working on a device to make this process easier for consumers.
Ultimately, the goal is to find a packaging solution that eliminates the need for consumers to take any additional steps for recycling. Keurig is currently testing a plant-based pod format that is expected to be certified compostable. Hartley acknowledges that this type of innovation is crucial in addressing the environmental impact of single-serve coffee pods.