Keurig Coffee Machines
Keurig coffee machines are ubiquitous in office kitchens as well as homes around the world. Keurig’s signature “K-Cups” are found everywhere, ranging from supermarkets, convenience stores, and even online. However, the K-Cup has drastic effects within the environment, and a handful of companies and nonprofits have cracked down on K-Cups’ environmental sustainability. The lifecycle of a K-cup is important to analyze when considering its overall environmental impact. The plastic cup is produced from oil in factory that utilizes a substantial amount of energy, directly contributing to global warming. The K-Cup is then lined with coffee filter and filled with coffee, finally sealed by a plastic foil top. The K-Cup’s are packed together in box
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Additionally, in 2011, the hashtag “#killthekcup” circulated around Twitter. Using more recent data, Green Mountain produced 8.3 billion K-Cups in 2013, equivalent to 10.5 wraps around the Equator. When asked to comment on the media uproar, Keurig claimed that protests were misguided, and although K-Cups to generate significant waste, single-serve coffee makers use fewer grounds and less water than a traditional drip machines. However, even Keurig acknowledges that greenhouse gas emissions associated with quick method is higher than those associated with brewing the same amount of coffee the old-fashioned way …show more content…
These pods are made primarily with plastic, and while most experts (including the FDA) state that plastics are perfectly safe when used for food, there is fear. The main fear is projected at a certain type of plastic called BPA, which can cause disruption in hormone functions, especially estrogen. Up until about 7 years ago the FDA claimed the BPA was perfectly safe. However, it recently took back that claim, stating multiple concerns of negative effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in infants. With these recent concerns, there has been more debate on the safety of plastics in general and what affects they truly have when used with foods. A 2011 study, conducted by the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that the majority of plastic products trigger negative estrogen effects. Therefore, passing almost boiling water through plastic pods, and then mixing it with acidic coffee grounds may be a cause for concern (Oatman).
Currently, Green Mountain only makes about 5% of its cups with recyclable plastic. The other 95% are made up of a #6 composite plastic, which is nonrecyclable in most places around the world. For the 5% that can be recycled, the aluminum lid must be separated from the plastic cup, which then must be emptied, in order for the materials to successfully make it through the recycling process. Even if the materials make it through the recycling process, Darby
Additionally, in 2011, the hashtag “#killthekcup” circulated around Twitter. Using more recent data, Green Mountain produced 8.3 billion K-Cups in 2013, equivalent to 10.5 wraps around the Equator. When asked to comment on the media uproar, Keurig claimed that protests were misguided, and although K-Cups to generate significant waste, single-serve coffee makers use fewer grounds and less water than a traditional drip machines. However, even Keurig acknowledges that greenhouse gas emissions associated with quick method is higher than those associated with brewing the same amount of coffee the old-fashioned way …show more content…
These pods are made primarily with plastic, and while most experts (including the FDA) state that plastics are perfectly safe when used for food, there is fear. The main fear is projected at a certain type of plastic called BPA, which can cause disruption in hormone functions, especially estrogen. Up until about 7 years ago the FDA claimed the BPA was perfectly safe. However, it recently took back that claim, stating multiple concerns of negative effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in infants. With these recent concerns, there has been more debate on the safety of plastics in general and what affects they truly have when used with foods. A 2011 study, conducted by the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that the majority of plastic products trigger negative estrogen effects. Therefore, passing almost boiling water through plastic pods, and then mixing it with acidic coffee grounds may be a cause for concern (Oatman).
Currently, Green Mountain only makes about 5% of its cups with recyclable plastic. The other 95% are made up of a #6 composite plastic, which is nonrecyclable in most places around the world. For the 5% that can be recycled, the aluminum lid must be separated from the plastic cup, which then must be emptied, in order for the materials to successfully make it through the recycling process. Even if the materials make it through the recycling process, Darby