Canada: new alternative fuels initiative introduced at Joliette cement plant

Holcim Canada and Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc, a subsidiary of Keurig Canada Inc, have introduced a new service to recover the energy content of used K-Cup® packs from institutional and commercial clients of Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc for use at Holcim's Joliette cement plant.

Once collected from customers, the packs are sent to the Holcim Canada Joliette cement plant where they are processed and reused as alternative fuel for the plant. The initiative both keeps the used K-Cup® packs from entering landfills and helps reduce the plant's reliance on traditional fuel sources. A ton of K-Cup® packs produces 30 per cent less CO2 than the fossil fuels it replaces.*

This new partnership is in line with Holcim Canada’s goal of reducing its environmental impact and continuously looks for ways to advance sustainable environmental practices.  "We have a responsibility to drive sustainability and by providing innovative solutions, the opportunity to enable the industry to operate more sustainably. Using alternative fuels is an important and effective tool to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and improve our CO2 profile. Reclaiming used K-Cup® packs helps us to meet the ambitious objectives we've set," said Robert Houde, General Manager of Geocycle, the Holcim Canada division responsible for alternative fuels.

"The partnership between Holcim Canada and Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc. is a creative example of what is possible when like-minded companies start working together towards a common environmental goal," commented Stéphane Glorieux, President of Keurig Canada Inc., Canadian business unit of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

* Source: "Plant K-Cup® Waste Options" internal study by Keurig Green Mountain Inc., November 2013.