Dunkin' Donuts Pushes Shareholders To Think Twice About K-Cup Waste

Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. recently made changes to their flagship Dunkin' Donuts menu by replacing the classic Coffee Coolatta and pledging to remove artificial coloring from its products by 2018. Now some of the company's shareholders are urging it to re-evaluate the use of K-Cup single-use beverage pods and consider their environmental impact.

The proposal was submitted by Dale Wannen, president of Sustainvest Asset Management LLC, to assess and consider the environmental and financial impact of Keurig Green Mountain Inc.'s K-Cup pods and to create goals to discontinue single-use pods or find alternatives, according to a proxy filing.

However, Dunkin's board has advised shareholders to vote against the proposal. According to the company, Keurig's existing commitment to making 100 percent of K-Cup pods recyclable by 2020 renders any independent effort by Dunkin' unnecessary.

To read about 10 drinks that might be harming the planet, click here.