Keurig Is Launching a Plastic-Free Alternative to K-Cups—Here's What to Know

Whether you have one at work or at home, Keurig coffee machines make it so, so easy to serve yourself a single cup of coffee. But the coffee pods they use (better known as K-Cups) are made with plastic and are a hassle to properly recycle.

Finally, Keurig will start testing a sustainable solution to K-Cups this fall—as well as a way to easily recycle your standard pods. The company recently announced that their new K-Rounds for their upcoming Keurig Alta machine will be “certified compostable” and be 100% plastic-free and plant-based.

“The unique plastic- and aluminum-free design of K-Rounds allows for brewing at both high pressure for espresso-based drinks and low pressure for drip coffee, cold or hot, so consumers can enjoy a variety of coffeehouse drinks without coffeehouse prices,” the company writes in a news release. 

K-Rounds plastic-free pods will be available in different sizes for specific types of coffee beverages. Each compostable round, made with coffee and bound by seaweed, will be marked with a code that the Keurig Alta brewer can automatically read to control the pressure and “to get the full flavor, aroma and richness of each coffee variety.” After each use, K-Rounds can be disposed of like coffee grounds.

“[They] are expected to be certified compostable, as the company is currently working through the certification process,” Keurig explains.

Trials for testing these products are expected for this fall, and consumers can sign up for Keurig updates for the chance to be selected as one of the first to test these new innovations. 

Don't worry: this new machine and pods will not make your K-Cup stash useless. The new Keurig Alta machine will also accept plastic pods—and the coffee giant is even looking to start a program where buyers can ship out their used plastic pods so they can be properly recycled. 

“K-Cup pods are made from recyclable polypropylene (also known as #5 plastic), which is widely accepted in communities across North America, although not all communities that accept polypropylene accept K-Cup pods,” Keurig states in a separate release.

We’re loving the sustainable changes the company is planning to make to reduce waste in millions of households. If you’re feeling inspired, take a look at these simple ways to lower your waste in the kitchen.