Construction materials company Lafarge Canada Inc. and Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc. have partnered to reduce the environmental footprint of both organizations by replacing a portion of Lafarge's fossil fuel energy at the Kamloops, BC, cement plant with used K-Cup® packs. Through the partnership, 70,000 pounds annually of used K-Cup packs will have a second life as an alternative fuel source rather than being sent to landfill.
K-Cup packs have been specifically identified and permitted as an alternative fuel for Lafarge’s Kamloops cement plant. Cement is the binder in concrete, the second most consumed material on the planet after water. The manufacturing of cement requires high heat and energy input, typically reached with fossil fuels. “As part of its worldwide Sustainability Ambitions to minimize fossil fuel use and their related greenhouse gas emissions, Lafarge is proud to be the recipient of used K-Cup packs, which are helping manufacture a critical building material,” comments Bob Cooper, Vice President of Cement for Lafarge in western Canada.
K-Cup packs are currently being collected by Van Houtte from its commercial accounts in the BC interior. Van Houtte is a subsidiary of Keurig Canada Inc., an affiliate of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. “Innovation is at the heart of our actions and addressing the environmental impact of Keurig brewing systems is a critical priority,” says Morten Schroder, Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc., District Manager British Columbia. “The partnership between Lafarge and Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc. is a great example of what is possible when like-minded companies start working together towards a common environmental goal.”
Keurig Green Mountain is committed to ensuring that 100% of its K-Cup packs are recyclable by 2020 and is pursuing multiples avenues to achieve this target.
As part of its community outreach, Lafarge is also welcoming the public to drop off used K-Cup packs at the plant, located at 9750 Shuswap Rd., Kamloops.
