Vermont Business Magazine The Recycling Partnership has announced that Keurig Green Mountain, Inc is joining its diverse circle of members. Both organizations share a vision to enact system-wide solutions to the recycling challenges of today, working across materials and the supply chain for a bright, sustainable recovery future. Keurig, based in Waterbury, Vermont, is a personal beverage system company that has revolutionized the way consumers create and enjoy beverages.
“At Keurig, we’re taking meaningful steps to transition to a recyclable K-Cup pod well before our 2020 goal of having 100% of our pods be recyclable,” said Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer at Keurig. “We’re also working beyond our product packaging to address challenges related to all small-item recovery in the recycling infrastructure and to improve end-market demand for reclaimed materials. These efforts take cross-industry collaboration. The transformative work of The Recycling Partnership is a perfect match for our ambitions.”
An Update on Recyclability of Keurig PodsApril 15, 2016
As Keurig’s Chief Sustainability Officer, today, I’m proud that three out of the four pod types available for our Keurig® 2.0 hot system brewer are recyclable and an increasing number of our K-Cup®pods will transition to a recyclable format each year between now and 2020. That said, we don’t want to simply make our packaging recyclable, we also want to ensure that our new K-Cup® pod design can be effectively recycled in the majority of community programs. That’s why our teams have been working on a three-part approach that considers the reduction of product waste holistically. Our focus is on 1) product design, including selecting pod materials, 2)recycling infrastructure, ranging from household access to recycling, to recyclers’ ability to sort material and 3) end-market development. All three areas contribute to success in a complex recycling system. Ultimately, there are many small plastics products and packages – many of which are made from valuable materials – that could have a second life as part of a durable good. Beyond improving collection of our own pods, we are collaborating with the recycling community and with other brand owners to improve the collection, sorting and processing of small items. We will continue to provide progress updates along our journey and encourage interested consumers to find more information about how to recycle our products; make use of a zip-code based recycling tool; and, learn more about our pod take-back programs at KeurigRecycling.com. - Monique Oxender, |
Formed in 2003 in Falls Church, VA, The Partnership works directly with communities across the country to overcome barriers to gold-standard recycling through a mix of operational, educational, and fiscal support. To date, The Partnership’s efforts have directly touched 72 communities representing more than 1.2 million households and counting. The group has leveraged the distribution of 165,000 curbside recycling carts, which are projected to increase material collected by 251,500 tons – with an economic value of $18 million – over the next decade.
“When Keurig called to say they were joining us on our journey to make recycling better, there was a palpable air of budding potential,” says Keefe Harrison, Executive Director of The Recycling Partnership. “That news marked an outstanding next step in a year full of promise, adding resources and energy to further our proven approach and grand plans for the future. Hang on everyone, because as action-packed and productive as we have been to date, we’re just getting started!”
Earlier this month The Partnership closed its latest round of residential single stream cart grants, through which the organization helps local recycling programs realize their full potential. New city partners will be announced in the weeks to come. Beyond that, The Partnership has begun meaningful work in Massachusetts, testing a powerful new campaign that integrates strong social marketing principles and proven operational tactics to reduce resident confusion, boosting participation and improving material quality.
About The Recycling Partnership
The Recycling Partnership (recyclingpartnership.org) is a dynamic industry collaboration focused on systematically and measurably improving curbside recycling in the United States. Working with community and industry partners nationwide, our strength lies in our best-in-class operational and technical support, proven community outreach approaches, and highly-leveraged seed grants to communities.
About Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc has 6,000 employees worldwide and reported $4.5 billion in revenues in 2015. It recently was taken over by JAB Holdings in a $13.9 billion deal ("JAB completes acquisition of Keurig Green Mountain"). Keurig says it is reimagining how beverages can be created, personalized, and enjoyed, fresh-made in homes and workplaces. We are a personal beverage system company revolutionizing the beverage experience through the power of innovative technology and strategic brand partnerships. With an expanding family of more than 80 beloved brands and more than 575 beverage varieties, our Keurig® hot and Keurig® KOLD™ beverage systems deliver great taste, convenience, and choice at the push of a button. As a company founded on social responsibility, we are committed to using the power of business to brew a better world through our work to build resilient supply chains, sustainable products, thriving communities, and a water-secure world. Keurig is now a private business owned by an investment group led by JAB Holding Co. For more information visit:
FALLS CHURCH, Va. & WATERBURY, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Recycling Partnership 4.18.2016