Coffee Pods

Single-use coffee (or other beverage) pods and capsules do not belong in curbside recycling. The cups are too small to be sorted properly at a MRF or automated recycling facility.

Keurig's recent statement on recyclability can be viewed here. Their products are NOT recyclable curbside in all communities, including Cuyahoga County.

Other recycling options exist, including mail back programs:

• Participate in the Keurig K-Cycle Program. 
• Request a recycling bag from Nespresso for free and ship the capsules back to them. 
• Terracycle’s K-Cup and Coffee Capsules accepts any coffee or beverage capsule, K-cup, pack, pod or disc.

If you choose not to use a mail back program, consider removing the grounds and placing the grounds in a backyard compost pile or bin before discarding the coffee pod in the trash.

 

Compostable pods require a commercial composting service and are unlikely to break down in a backyard compost bin. Local commercial operations may not be equipped to process this type of compostable packaging, and you should check with your provider. Putting the wrong materials in the compost collection bin will disrupt the composting operation.

 

Earth 911 breaks down the recycling mystery of K-Cups and other coffee pods in an article originally posted in 2021 and updated in October 2022

Learn more about the plastic that can be recycled curbside in Cuyahoga County.

 

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Looking to recycle, donate or dispose of other items? Use the dark blue 'What Do I Do With?' search bar at the top of every page of this website. Allow location services or use the city drop-down to find opportunities in your local area.