Community Chat

[YorkieonmyPillow]

The man who invented the coffee pods used by millions of Americans in their Keurig instant brewing machines has admitted he regrets ever coming up with the design.

In an interview with The Atlantic, John Sylvan, who came up with the idea for the coffee pods and the machine in the early 1990s, revealed that he 'feels bad' about the negative impact that the pods are having on the environment.

Sylvan, who no longer uses the plastic pods himself, also confessed he wishes he had never created them in the first place.

'I feel bad sometimes that I ever did it,' said Mr Sylvan, who sold his share of the company in 1997 for $50,000.

Keurig is currently thought to be one of the most popular at-home brewing systems in America. Last year the company sold 9.8 billion Keurig-brewed portion packs and earned $4.7billion.

The design is simple - a small plastic capsule containing ground beans that can be put into a machine to produce a cup of coffee at the touch of a button.

However despite the multi-billion pound success of the company nothing has been done to try and make the packaging of the popular Keurig pods recyclable.

And Mr Sylvan insists this will never happen.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2978220/Man-invented-plastic-Keurig-coffee-pods-admits-reg...

[Marianne1]

I wonder if he would still regret inventing them if he got more money from his invention?

Sorry, cynical Marianne is in the house.

[reese2]

That was also my first thought, Marianne!

[WenGirl42]

On 3/4/2015 Complicated said:

I wonder if he would still regret inventing them if he got more money from his invention?

Sorry, cynical Marianne is in the house.

I thought the same thing...

I also question the claim that "nothing has been done to try and make the packaging of the popular Keurig pods recyclable." I know there are brands of the pods that are recyclable...and if it's the Keurig brand pods specifically that he's talking about, well, at least there are now options for people to whom that matters. There really weren't at first, so strides have definitely been made.

[circles]

That was my thought too..Marianne....

[terrier3]

I think he's more sorry he only got $50,000.

I use Trader Joe's pods - they are recyclable.

[Margo Channing]

I bought my husband a $3. plastic filter to use on his Keurig and he makes regular coffee without the pods.

I can't help but think if his invention made him a millionaire he would have a different opinion!

[Free2be]

On 3/4/2015 terrier3 said:

I think he's more sorry he only got $50,000.

I use Trader Joe's pods - they are recyclable.

My thought, as well. There are many plastics that go to landfills, these are a drop in the bucket in comparison.

[Topaz Gem]

The inventor is probably getting a lot of flack from the environmentalists, so he issued this statement to appease them. I predict that eventually all the pods will be recyclable, end of problem.

[Lotus]

I won't use them for that reason. I try to do my part.

Why can't they sell the flavored coffee in little bags or something to transfer to the ""refill pods""?