Keurig® marks 10 years of K-Cup® pod recycling in British Columbia with new consumer education campaign
Canada NewsWire
VANCOUVER, BC, April 8, 2026
VANCOUVER, BC, April 8, 2026 /CNW/ - Keurig Dr Pepper Canada is marking 10 years since British Columbia became the first province in Canada to accept properly prepared K-Cup® pods in its residential recycling program. To mark this milestone, the company is launching a new consumer education campaign to encourage British Columbians to recycle their pods correctly as part of its ongoing commitment to making everyday coffee moments more responsible.
"For millions of Canadians, brewing a cup of coffee with Keurig is part of the daily routine. In British Columbia, that routine has included recycling K-Cup® pods at home for the past decade. Recycling coffee pods should feel just as natural as making a cup of coffee," said Cynthia Shanks, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs at Keurig Dr Pepper Canada. "British Columbia was the first place where consumers could recycle their K-Cup® pods at home, and it helped shape how we think about education, design and our role as a producer."
Following acceptance in British Columbia, Keurig worked with Recycle BC on audits and assessments completed between 2018 and 2020 to better understand how consumers were preparing their K-Cup® pods for recycling and how consumer education influenced the adoption of "recycle-right" behaviors. The proportion of pods that were emptied properly increased from 61% to 66% during the course of the study (Keurig-Recycle BC Joint Study, 2020). Those learnings helped inform how Keurig approaches recycling education and collaboration across Canada.
"British Columbia made an early decision to build a recycling system that could evolve, not just operate," said Sam Baker, Executive Director of Recycle BC. "With intentional system design, modernizing infrastructure and responsibly expanding material acceptance, including small-format items, the system has consistently delivered strong residential plastic recovery performance while continuing to invest in circular outcomes."
Today, approximately 75 percent of Canadians can recycle K-Cup® pods at home, with acceptance in British Columbia, Québec and Ontario. As additional provinces transition to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Keurig expects that access to continue growing, approaching 90 percent by 2027.
To support that progress, Keurig is rolling out its Brewing a Better Tomorrow consumer education campaign, reminding Canadians to peel off the lid, empty the grounds and recycle the pod. With K-Cup® pods now featuring an easy-peel lid, preparing them for recycling is quicker and easier than ever.
ABOUT KEURIG DR PEPPER CANADA
Keurig Dr Pepper Canada is a leading beverage company, with a portfolio of more than 70 owned, licensed, and partner brands and powerful distribution capabilities to provide a beverage for every need, anytime, anywhere. We hold leadership positions in categories including coffee, tea, soft drinks, juice and mixers, and have the #1 single-serve coffee brewing system in the country. Our innovative partnership model builds emerging growth platforms in categories such as premium coffee, energy, sports hydration and non-alcoholic beer. Our iconic brands include Canada Dry®, Van Houtte®, Keurig®, Crush®, Dr Pepper®, Mott's® Clamato®, Mott'sFruitsations®, Timothy's®, Atypique®, and Snapple®. Driven by a purpose to Drink Well. Do Good., our 1,500 employees aim to enhance the experience of every beverage occasion and to make a positive impact for people, communities, and the planet. For more information, visit keurigdrpepper.ca and follow us on LinkedIn.
ABOUT RECYCLE BC
Recycle BC is a not-for-profit organization responsible for residential packaging and paper product recycling throughout British Columbia, servicing over two million households — or more than 99 percent of BC — through curbside, multi-family and depot services. Recycle BC ensures packaging and paper products are collected from residential households and recycling depots, sorted and responsibly managed and recycled.
Recycle BC provides recycling services either directly to communities or by working in partnership with local governments, First Nations, private companies and other not-for-profit organizations. The program is funded by businesses that supply packaging and paper products to BC residents. The organization also educates the public on proper recycling practices to support a cleaner, more sustainable environment. Learn more at RecycleBC.ca.
SOURCE Keurig Dr Pepper Canada