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Can I recycle my Keurig K-Cups?

by Suzanne Dionne
(Woodbury, CT. USA)


QUESTION:

What exactly is the K-cup made of? What grade plastic is it?

ANSWER:

Good question. I have a Keurig B60 Special Edition myself and have opened up a K-Cup in the hope of being able to find some clue at to whether the plastic is recyclable. But I haven’t found anything – not the recyclable logo, nor a number.

In addition, it's tough separating the plastic cup from the foil lid and the filter material that is attached inside.

I have pretty much given up on being able to recycle the used K-Cups. It's frustrating, particularly when you see quite a pile of them building up in the garbage.

More and more now I use a re-usable filter basket. After each use I simply pour out the used coffee grinds, (for my compost), wash the filter and use it again next time.

The filter I use is the My K-Cup Coffee Filter.

Comments for
Can I recycle my Keurig K-Cups?

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 09, 2010
 New My-Kap K-Cup Lids
by: Anonymous

I tried these My-Kap K-Cup snap on lids and found them to be a was to re-use k-cups again and again! I found mine at http://www.coffee.org/products/reusablekcup.php

Truly a viable option for less waste and cheaper k-cup coffee!!
Jul 19, 2010
 My Kap - reuse your k cups!
by: Anonymous

Hey everyone,

I have bought the My Kap online at both Ebay and Amazon. It allows you to reuse your k-cups as many as 15 times. You simply remove the foil and rinse out the coffee. You can add whatever coffee you are feeling like and the 'my kap' acts as the foil previously on it. It works great! I have saved a lot of money and it feels better when I consider the environment.

Just remember to remove it before throwing out your k cup! I accidentally threw my first one in the garbage - thus having to buy more! ooops!
Jul 16, 2010
 K-Cups? What to do? Are They Safe?
by: Florenzo

PODS! PODS! PODS! That is the answer people.
Obtain a pod brewer that has a nylon reuseable filter basket. I use the StarBucks Barrista Solo
which is no longer on the market. However, check your local Craigslist. I paid $25 for mine, made a minor change to it and it has been blasting out
12 oz+ single cup regular, medium and bold cups of coffee for the entire household for over two years, and yes...pods are recycleable and no need to worry about carcinogens leaking or leeching out. Black and Decker is another brewer with a basket you might want to consider if you can not find the SB BS. You have to wonder with k cup.
Very thin walled plastic, anybody know what type of plastic? Anyway thin walled and has anywhere from 168 to 198 degree water pulverizing through it mixing with the obliterated grounds that must be finer than Turkish Grind to allow the 6 oz cup below recieve the watery drink in less than 50 seconds.
More on k cups at: http://liquidheavencoffee.blogspot.com
Jun 24, 2010
 response to Safe K-cups below
by: Anonymous

"Well the safe plastic #'s are 1, 2, 4,& 5."

If by "safe" you mean they are certified for direct food contact, that is incorrect. There are many different grades to each plastic resin. Most are available in "FDA Direct Food Contact" grades, but that does not mean that any product formed in these resins are safe for food consumption.

If by "safe" you are referring to being able to recycle them, again, it is not as easy as that. Both #3 Polyvinyl chloride, and #6 Polystyrene, can both be recycled very easily. PVC (#3) piping is many times extruded from post-consumer content material and Polystyrene (#6)is recycled in packaging films among other things.
Jun 13, 2010
 SAFE kcups ?
by: Anonymous

Well the safe plastic #'s are 1, 2, 4,& 5. WHAT are The KCUPs????
I see the waste, and HATE it. Ive been cleaning out my cups (about 6 a day) and putting them in the recycle bin, But now i KNOW its a waste of my time.

What now?

My husband And I drink WAY different strengths of coffee, His STRONG, mine regular. So this has been great, we each get what we want. How do you brew a reg. pot like that??
HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
Jun 13, 2010
 just recycle them anyway
by: Anonymous

I recycle them. I save them up all week and then on the weekend I pull them all apart, add the liner and coffee grinds to my compost and throw the washed cups in the recycle bin.
May 14, 2010
 Aternative Uses
by: Mimi

Until there's a solution to recycling K Cups, how about finding alternative uses for them instead?
I've been using mine to start seeds for my garden.
May 02, 2010
 reusing the k-cups
by: Sheri

I hate waste. I do, but I love my Keurig, and so do my roomies. We all have different favorite flavors and drink coffee at all different times of the day, so the Keurig is perfect for us.

I try to at least do a little to make the impact of using this a bit less damaging (though the Keurig is not a "green" product by any means)

What I do is reuse the k-cups once (any more than that and too many holes are the in the filter and you'll get grounds in your cup)

We put the cups into a basket after we use them to dry a bit, and every couple of days I'll take the cups we used (the caffinated ones) and peel off the tops, knock the grounds into a bowl (for compost or herb planters) and wash out the cups and leave them to dry. Then I use those as needed for decaf coffee at night.

I hope they come up with a solution to the environmental impact. I hate feeling guilty drinking coffee, especially when this system meets the needs of our household so perfectly.
Apr 22, 2010
 K-Cups not recycleable
by: Anonymous

According to a representative of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., K-Cups are not recycleable. "The current structure of the K-Cup includes Oxygen and moisture barrier materials in order to maintain coffee freshness. As a result, the K-Cup is not recyclable."
Apr 20, 2010
 There is an answer
by: Anonymous

Simply use the EZ Cup system. You purchase an EZ refillable cup, as well as filters. You simply insert the filter, add your coffee, slip the top back on, and you're done. I use it all the time and love it! Along with the benefits of not polluting the earth, you can use your favorite coffee or tea anytime.
Apr 18, 2010
 Keurig Environmental Statement
by: Anonymous

http://www.keurig.com/environmental_policy.asp
Apr 15, 2010
 Are they able to be recycled?
by: Clare

I am reading and reading. There are a lot of neg. things about this machine I love. I want to recycle. I have recycle pickup. I don't have to seperate. Are they recyclable? Are these harmful to me? Are they harmful to the enviorment? Thank you. DO I get an email with the replies?
Apr 05, 2010
 im upset at YOU
by: Anonymous

actually, they did think of it, are are currently working to make it biodegradable. the reason it is not biodegradable is because cancer seems to be a bigger issue at the moment than a k-cup in the trash. GMCR, the parent company of Keurig, has been working to find a plastic that will not melt/deform due to the intense heat and pressure from the machine. if you want your k-cup to melt into your hot cup of coffee then you're in luck they already have the technology for that. to sum up, GMCR is a very green company and does a lot of great things for the environment so try looking them up and read a little. they are in business to make money. saving the environment one k-cup at a time must come after.
Mar 24, 2010
 K-Cup Recycling
by: Anonymous

I currently recycle every week. I was wondering as well if the k-cup was recyclsble. Thanks to this forum it has helped me. The chip brand sun chip just came out with that new chip bag made from plants that is totally bio-degradable. Im sure if the Kuereg company is not too lazy they can invent s totslly bio-degradable k-cup. Im actually upset that such a big company did
NOT think this through when inventing this machine, or they just did not care about the invironment.
Mar 02, 2010
 Love the coffee....hate the waste
by: Anonymous

My mother got a Keurig at work, and when she did they were told that they would also get a recycling bin for them from the company.... so there must be something out there. I have one at home. LOVE IT. Don't love the waste tho.
Feb 16, 2010
 TOO OLD FOR THIS
by: Anonymous

I AM 75 YEARS OLD, ALL I WANTED WAS A GOOD CUP OF HOT COFFEE. MY KEURIG GIVES ME THIS, BUT SINCE I HAVE BEEN READING THESE COMMENTS, I HAVE BECOME VERY CONCERNED, HAD I READ THEM FIRST, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS MACHINE. I LOVE THE COFFEE, BUT I REALLY HAD PLANNED TO LIVE TO BE 100
Feb 13, 2010
 Save Money
by: Anonymous

I used to use up to 6 k-cups a day. Now I just use 1. After I brew the fist cup I remove the foil top, empty the grounds, refill with fresh cofee, put a little aluminum foil over the top, and brew as usual. I line up the hole in the bottom and use the same aluminum top several times. I throw the k cup out when I've had my fill of coffee for the day. I do have the reusable my-cup, but coffee doesn't taste nearly as good as when I use this method.
Jan 31, 2010
 Re-use your K-cups...
by: Anonymous

I just found this product while researching different coffee brewers, and while trying to find out about recycling K-cups as well:

http://www.my-kap.com

I haven't used it, but it seems kinda brilliant, assuming you want to take the time to re-load, rather than just buy & throw away every time.
Jan 30, 2010
 BPA-free coffee makers
by: Nick (CoffeeDetective)

Inspired, in part, by this thread and others like it on this site, I have started work on a whole new site devoted to the dangers we face from many of the plastics in our homes. Thanks everyone for the inspiration!

I have a ton of pages to write, but have just uploaded one on the topic of BPA-free coffee makers.
Jan 25, 2010
 plastic in your coffee
by: coffee in Baltimore

All plastic is bad for you, because nothing that goes in to making plastic should ever go into your body. it's all toxic, in small amounts yes, but small amounts consistently over time adds up to a lot.

Hot water and plastic going into you every day is going to cause high levels of xenoestrogens being stored in your fat, so you will get fat easier, more likely to get cancer etc. BPA is just one of the many bad things in plastic. We know BPA is bad because some people bothered to study it, but don't think just because we haven't studdied all the otehr junk in plastic that all the other parts aren't bad for you too.

What would be a great idea is a reusable K-kup that is glass (pyrex?) or maybe stainless steel. That wouldn't be too difficult to produce would it? Although it does kind of defeat the whole point of the K-cup - ie. laziness.
Jan 23, 2010
 reuse K cups
by: Cheryl

I just reused my K cup after rinsing it out and adding my own coffee. I filled the cup about 2/3 full and cut a small of aluminum foil and fit it firmly around the top of the cup. I've only done this one time, but it worked perfectly.
Dec 28, 2009
 BPA?
by: boo boo

who cares about bpa just drive your fossil fuel burning subaru to a tree saving convention while enjoying your burning carsonogenic green herb.... oh yeah and vote for "change" yeah thats the ticket :} seriously ther are way bigger issues to worry about.. like global warming oh nevermind!! Happy New Year to all..
Dec 25, 2009
 Cancer Free and Living Life
by: Cancer Free

For Sale: One Brand New Keurig Office Pro Never Used. Since It causes Cancer I will not be using it. Thanks to all the posters for the heads up. Purity is a way of life. Smoke Pot and live well.
Nov 19, 2009
 Comments from Keurig and Green Mountain
by: Anonymous

It looks like Keurig and Green Mountain are still working on recyclable alternatives to their K-cups but there is not ETA on when that would take place. They were very responsive in getting back to me but looks like there are no biodegradable or recyclable K-cups that they use. You may find more info on their efforts at the link below...

It looks like the good old "brewing a pot of coffee" is one of those "green" alternatives for the time being even though K-cups appear to offer good batch-to-batch consistency. I realize in our lazy society (or "I am always so busy" excuse for not being cleaner on the land we live on) may not want to brew pots of coffee though in the name of cleaner environment.

http://www.gmcr.com/csr/ProtectingTheEnvironment/TheKeurigSingleCupBrewingSystem.aspx
Oct 02, 2009
 Or try the K-Cup Perfect Pod Holster
by: Nick (CoffeeDetective)

Instead of using and throwing away K-Cups every day, another alternative is to buy the Pod Holster. It's plastic, but you use it over and over again. With the Perfect Pod Holster you use coffee pods, the same ones you would use in a pod brewer. You stuff the coffee pod into the Pod Holster and then put the holster into your Keurig Brewer. It's the same size as a K-Cup.

The advantage is that instead of throwing away unrecyclable K-Cups by the dozen, you can add the used coffee pods to your compost. Even if you don't do any composting, the used pod is recyclable, unlike the K-Cup.

Get the Perfect Pod Holster from Amazon...
Aug 16, 2009
 k-cups
by: Anonymous

We compost the coffee grounds (and some times the paper filter). Works wonders. Unfortunately, the plastic cup is not recyclable.
Aug 14, 2009
 love the garden idea
by: Anonymous

What an excellent idea for the seeds! I'm going to try it myself for a mini herb garden! BTW to all those complaining about the cancer causing material from plastic, how many containers of liquids have been bought over the years and still now that get hot in trucks and then cool down that we drink? How many old plastic pipes are there in places that may contain funky chemicals that we don't know about? How many plastic items get heated in microwaves, dried, and then we put water or food on them? How good besides wonderfully tasting is coffee for you anyway? How many people live to be over 80 over the past number of years and have used plastic forever?? There are bigger things to worry about! How many smokers are worried about plastic and not cigarettes or how many people are eating junk food while typing about health issues?!
Aug 03, 2009
 Is reuse of k-cups possible?
by: Anonymous

I also have a Keurig coffee maker but due to limited
income;I have been out for several wks.I have the
filter that came with the machine but it(as many of you have said)makes mt cup of coffee taste like water.Ugh!Is there a remedy for this or a cheaper
solution other than buying the k-cap?I don't have extra money for that either.FYI:I contacted Keurig
regarding the reusable filter making my coffee taste
like water.Their response was "You are using too fine of a coffee grind".Baloney!I've tried several
different grinds and they all come out tasting like water.Any suggestions?
Feb 26, 2009
 Wonderful Solution!
by: Anonymous

In response to the question about a mesh bag with coffee in it to go in "my-kcup"---

Yes! There is a great coffee named Baronet who makes biodegradable pod that serve this purpose. Check them out online.
Feb 06, 2009
 Do your research.
by: Anonymous

"The idea that hot water going through plastic causes cancer is a wife's tale. Check Snopes and you will find that it is false."

And Trans-Fats are actually "cool" fats that don't do any harm right? You really should do your research before you post a misinformed comment that can hurt other people. I like how that one user actually posted a research article.

The K-brewer was probably patented and produced before the issue of BPA emerged and I doubt that the sections touching the water are really BPA free. The Coffee portion is BPA free, but what about the water that's used to make the coffee?

I was going to buy a K-brewer, but will look elsewhere.
Jan 19, 2009
 Try My-Kaps
by: Nick (The Coffee Detective)

Someone has come up with a reusable lid that you can use on your K-Cups.

So...once you have used the K-Cup for the first time, you take off the foil lid, remove the used coffee and rinse the filter.

Then you add fresh coffee to the empty K-Cup and replace the old foil lid with something called a My-Kap. Then you put the K-Cup in your brewer in the same way as usual.

Using the My-Kap means you can use the same K-Cup ten or more times.

And you're still filtering your coffee through the original paper filter.

You can buy My-Kaps here...
Jan 19, 2009
 paper filter
by: DADEO

What I am looking for is a paper filter that fits into the re-usable K-cup device. The device comes with a mesh filter but that let thru the oils and fine sediment. I form a filter over a medicine bottle and put it in the wire baket and cut off the part that extends over. It works well but there's got to be an easier way. Does anybody know of a filter company that makes one?
Dec 30, 2008
 Re: BPA free K-cups
by: Scott M

I contacted Green Mountain also and got this response. The K-Cups are BPA Free. There is some BPA in the brewer itself, but it does not come into contact with the coffee.

I sent them a follow up question, "Does the water that gets super heated come into contact with BPA material?" I am awaiting an answer. My wife will not open the brewer box until this question is answered.
Dec 29, 2008
 K-Cups are BPA-free.
by: Nick (The Coffee Detective)

I contacted Green Mountain Coffee regarding the plastics they use in the manufacture of K-Cups, and here is what they told me:

>>The K-cups are a multi-layer composition. PE/EVOH/PS.

The cups are not recyclable...although we always strive for new and better materials.

Regard BPA.....our K-cups are BPA Free. <<

Nick
Dec 28, 2008
 Not sure it's false
by: Anonymous

According to Consumer Reports:

-[CR Discussion of bisphenol A]-

...[A] new study, published in the Sept. 17, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was based on analysis conducted at the universities of Essex and Plymouth in the U.K. and at the University of Iowa. Scientists analyzed U.S. government data (collected from 2002-2004) on urine samples of 1,455 Americans 18 to 74. They found that higher urinary concentrations of BPA were associated with increased prevalence of not only diabetes and heart disease, but of related liver enzyme abnormalities as well. The JAMA researchers note that their results do not prove causation, and independent follow-up studies are needed, but they come in the wake of evidence from animal studies suggesting adverse health effects from even low-dose exposures.

Since Consumer Reports first warned about BPA in baby bottles in 1999, evidence of BPA’s toxic potential has continued to build. In Consumers Union’s statement for the FDA meeting, Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., Senior Scientist and Policy Analyst, repeated calls for a more scientifically sound assessment and urged the FDA to eliminate BPA in food and beverage containers.

“The safety of BPA, at current exposure levels in the U.S. population, has not been demonstrated and the government is giving consumers contradictory messages about the level of concern,” said Dr. Rangan. “BPA is metabolized quickly and yet constant, elevated levels are circulating in most Americans. This indicates that consumers are constantly exposed to BPA.”

“A margin of safety exists that is adequate to protect consumers, including infants and children, at the current levels of exposure,” Laura Tarantino, a senior Food and Drug Administration scientist, told the expert panel on Tuesday, in remarks reported by the Associated Press.

But in tests conducted for Consumer Reports magazine, BPA has been found leaching from baby bottles and certain types of large containers of bottled water. Studies by other groups have reported elevated levels in canned foods and infant formula.

And the authors of the just-released JAMA study point out that exposure to BPA among the general U.S. population is likely to exceed limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency for the "reference dose," or the daily exposure that is not likely to cause harmful effects.

-[End of quote from CR article]-

I therefore think it is best to be cautious until we have more info from actual researchers - and not just anonymous tipsters on the Internet, who may be plastics workers or investors for all we know, or government officials who might be motivated to protect the industries that lobby them.

I wish Keurigs had paper filters and a non-leaded metal (such as stainless steel) filter holder, so we could enjoy coffee from it. I'm not planning to make any coffee with it for now, because of the plastics / bisphenol A concern.
Dec 25, 2008
 Plastic?
by: Anonymous

The idea that hot water going through plastic causes cancer is a wife's tale. Check Snopes and you will find that it is false.
Dec 24, 2008
 Carcinogens??
by: Doug

This is all very intersting. I have been drinking Keurig-made coffee for about five years, and never gave this issue any thought until a few days ago. My brother posed the question to me: "Don't you think pouring piping hot water through cheap plastic can cause cancer?" Certainly, you wouldn't put food on a plastic dish and heat it up in the microwave.

My internet search has revealed very little on this, and nothing that I would consider to be academic much less empirical in nature. It does cause me concern, though, especially in that I drink 5 to 10 cups of coffee and tea (the Celestial and Bigelow teas are fantastic!) made from these K-cups each day, every work day, and have done so for many years.

Is anyone out there aware of any scientific studies or lawsuits respecting the foregoing? I'll check back, please let me know, because it stands to reason that maybe I should change my choice of beverage.
Nov 20, 2008
 Bisphenol A in Keurig K-Cups?
by: Anonymous2

This echos the previous person's concern but I would like to know if there is any Bisphenol A in the plastic used in making the K-Cups? How can one find out? Lastly, is there any obligation on the part of manufacturers to report the kind of plastic that is being used? It'd be horrible if I was drinking BPA that leeched from the cups!
Nov 02, 2008
 Health Status on using a Keurig
by: Anonymous

Does anyone know anything about possible health risks associated with using a Keurig? The water is afterall stored in a hard plastic container...and then you pipe that water through a plastic filter cup at extremely hot temperature...and I think heating plastic is what brings out the carcinogens...right? I mean I hope it's not true(!) But does anyone know anything about the plastics they use?
Oct 14, 2008
 Re-use for Keurig K-Cups
by: Cheryl

I plan to reuse at least a few of my K-Cups. I cut the foil top off but left the paper filter in. I will start garden seeds in them for next year. The hole already punched in the bottom will allow for water to drain. We'll see how it goes. If it works out, I will give them out to all my gradening friends.

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