As Keurig® Single-Cup brewing systems grow in popularity, the environmental impact of the K-Cup® waste stream is one of the most significant environmental challenges we face.

There are three packaging elements within the K-Cup — the cup itself, a layer of filter paper and an aluminum foil top. The polyethylene coating of the filter and foil — as well as the process of heat-sealing the various elements — prevents oxygen, light and moisture from degrading the coffee and spoiling the product. Without the barrier these materials provide, we could not maintain the quality and freshness of the coffee in the K-Cups, which means that all the resources and effort put into growing and roasting great coffee would be wasted.

From a disposal perspective, however, the packaging is not as advantageous. The heat-sealing makes it difficult to separate the K-Cup into individual components after use. Further, in most markets today, it is unlikely that any of these three materials would be recyclable in their original forms. These issues effectively rule out the possibility of recycling used K-Cups.

Finding a more sustainable approach to this packaging challenge is a big priority for us, as is developing a better understanding of the product’s environmental performance over the course of its lifespan.

Life cycle analysis provides a method of comparing the environmental performance of a product or service throughout its life: from raw material production, to manufacturing, distribution, use, disposal, and all intervening transportation steps. This holistic assessment can sometimes lead to counter-intuitive results. For example, a recent study compared the environmental performance of a one-gallon bulk milk container to using four individual quarts. One might think that bulk packaging would be environmentally preferable because it provides the most product in the least amount of packaging. However, the study found that if five percent of the milk in the bulk container was wasted or spoiled, it would have been environmentally preferable to package the milk in four individual quarts.

So how is this relevant to coffee? We don’t yet understand the life cycle analysis of the K-Cup as it compares to traditional coffee packaging. However, the above analysis raises the possibility that single-serve products can save energy and natural resources when compared to larger bulk products, if using single-serve products means that less of the product goes to waste. This certainly doesn’t lessen our commitment to finding more sustainable packaging, but the theory has made for some interesting discussion here. At this time we intend to do a life cycle analysis of the K-Cup and our 10/12-ounce bag as we strive to better understand the environmental impact of our coffee packaging.

We are working to improve the environmental characteristics of the K-Cup system itself, as well as mitigate its impact. We are actively researching alternatives to the petroleum-based materials that make up the K-Cup. One alternative is bio-polymers, which are made from substances like corn. Although the cup wouldn’t necessarily be recyclable it would then be made from a renewable resource and be more sustainable than the existing cup we now use. We also offer a reusable K-Cup that is filled by the consumer, easily cleaned, and compatible with all Keurig home brewers, with the exception of the original B100. We also try to compensate for the negative impacts of the K-Cup by linking the K-Cups to our Fair Trade Certified coffees, which are often our most sustainably sourced coffees.

We are looking at ways to improve all of our coffee packaging, while still maintaining the freshness and quality that consumers have come to expect from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. We have made some strides in this area. In June of last year, we launched the first all-natural hot beverage paper cups. This revolutionary eco-friendly cup is lined with a bio-plastic made from corn, making it the only hot beverage cup made from fully renewable materials.