A six-month trial will introduce dedicated Podback-branded recycling units in 30 Co-op stores across southwest England, alongside the retailer’s three sustainability showcase stores in Leeds, Soham and Northampton.
Customers will be able to use the new drop-off points simply by filling Podback recycling bags with used coffee pods and depositing them at the designated in-store units. Podback will then collect the bags for processing.
Scott McHarg, Head of Co-op & Property Sustainability, commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Podback.
“Recycling is a topic that our member-owners are extremely passionate about and this new trial is another way we can make it easier for our customers to do the right thing for the planet when shopping in our stores.”
Participating locations can be found using Podback’s online Recycle Checker, and bags can be ordered directly from Podback’s website or obtained through participating coffee brands.
Coffee pod recycling
The scheme accepts both plastic and aluminium pods from Podback’s member brands.
Coffee pod recycling requires specialised processes because the mix of materials used in pods makes them difficult to handle through conventional household recycling.
Pods are first shredded so that the coffee grounds can be separated from the aluminium or plastic casing.
The grounds are then transformed into useful products such as renewable energy and soil improver.
Once separated, the remaining aluminium and plastic are sent through dedicated recycling streams, where they are recovered and used in the manufacture of new items including drink cans, industrial packaging, garden furniture and building materials.
Rick Hindley, Executive Director at Podback, added: “Our mission is to give lovers of pod coffee simple and convenient ways to recycle, and Podback customers throughout the UK have responded positively to the introduction of drop-off points in retail locations because it’s easy to combine recycling with their regular routines.
“This is another exciting step towards expanding our nationwide recycling network, and we look forward to seeing how this new service develops over the coming months.”
Co-op becomes the latest national retailer to join Podback’s fast-growing drop-off network, which this year has expanded to include more than 1,100 retail locations and 260 local authority recycling centres across the country.
The idea of coffee pods and sustainability is bizarre to me. There are about 200 ways to make coffee that don’t need a pod.