Customers can claim cash from Keurig K-cup coffee pod court settlement

NEW YORK -- Customers who bought Keurig K-cup coffee pods in the last several years may be able to claim some cash from a court settlement.

However, to claim the money, you must file by Monday, Jan. 9.

Keurig announced in 2016 that it would start making recyclable pods, but most waste management companies don't accept K-cups because they're too small and often dirty.

According to a Greenpeace report, only one recycling facility in the United States accepts the K-cups.

"This is a false advertising," said Kathleen Smith. "If your product truly cannot be recycled in most places you need to change your labeling.

In 2018, she took her grievance a step further and hired a lawyer to file a class action lawsuit.

"We started investigating and learned that, in fact, contrary to the company's representations, the pods were not recyclable in any meaningful fashion," said Howard Hirsch with Lexington Law Group. "This is an example in our view of what's called green washing, where companies mislead consumers about environmental attributes of their products."

Last year, with no admission of wrongdoing, Keurig agreed to pay $10 million to settle a class action lawsuit and update labeling on its packaging to communicate that K-cups are "not recycled in all communities."

Keurig told ABC News that they stand by the original wording on the packaging and that "clearly communicating how to recycle our K-cup pods where accepted is a responsibility that we take seriously."

The company has modified language and elements on product packaging which they say will make recycling more convenient.

If you bought the coffee pods labeled "recyclable" between June 8, 2016 and August 8, 2022, consumers can submit claims to the website or by mail to receive between $5 to $36 for the claim, depending on valid proof of purchase.