Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Podback and the services we provide
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Podback Scheme
Podback is a nationwide coffee pod recycling service. Created in partnership with the biggest names in coffee pod systems, Nespresso, Nescafe Dolce Gusto and Tassimo, to give people who enjoy the quality and taste of coffee pods simple and easy ways to recycle them.
Kerbside - With Kerbside you simply fill your Podback recycling bag with used pods and leave it outside with your other waste and recycling on your normal waste collection day.
You get your kerbside recycling bags by registering for this service. Find out if kerbside is available in your area here.
Drop Off - With Drop Off you can take your filled Podback recycling bag to your nearest Collect+ store. Collect+ partner with local stores around the UK offering a place to drop-off your recycling bags.
You will need a label to return your Podback bag. These can be printed at home or in any Collect+ store for free*.
Recycling bags for Drop Off are available from participating brand websites and Ocado.com, and at the Customer Service desk in Morrisons supermarkets. We are also in discussions with other retailers to make bags more widely available where pods are sold.
Please note that not all Collect+ stores currently have the facility to print labels in store.
Currently the following brands are supporting the scheme: Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, L’OR, CruKafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee.
The ambition is to expand the programme to include all coffee brands that use plastic or aluminium pods in the UK. Find out more about Podback.
Podback’s mission is to create simple and easy ways to recycle coffee pods, whatever the brand.
Podback wants to make the scheme even bigger and better. That is why Podback is asking all brands and retailers in the UK, that place plastic or aluminium beverage pods on the market, to join so that the scheme has maximum coverage.
All aluminium and plastic pods from participating brands: Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, L’OR, CruKafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee are accepted and can be recycled through the Podback programme.
This includes other types of drink pods such as hot chocolate and tea.
Find out more about Podback.
We are working to increase the number of councils offering kerbside collections, but the set up and roll out of these services will take time. In the meantime please use our Drop Off collection service. To find out more about this service click here.
While pods are technically recyclable, because of their size and weight they cannot be easily sorted and processed within the UK’s existing waste infrastructure.
We want to make pods as easy as possible to recycle, which is why we have launched Podback.
Yes, the service covers the whole of the UK including Northern Ireland.
No, the service will initially cover the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, but we are already looking at how and when we will expand to the Republic of Ireland in the future.
The recycling bag you need depends on the recycling collection route you are using.
The bags for kerbside are available through the website, if this service is available in your area. You will need to register to receive these bags. Find out if kerbside is available in your area here.
The bags for Drop Off (Collect +) are available free from Podback member brand websites, and at the customer service desks of Morrisons supermarkets nationwide. We are working to add more retailers to our bag distribution network.
Yes, you can recycle any type of Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, L’OR, CruKafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee drinks pods. This includes hot chocolate and tea pods.
Pod Journey
After collection, the coffee pods are taken to a specialist reprocessing plant in the UK to separate the packaging from the used coffee grounds. The coffee grounds are used to create soil improver and renewable energy. The plastic and aluminium will be transformed into new products such as beverage cans, car components or plastic garden furniture and building products.
Aluminium pods are reprocessed at Tandom Metallurgical Group Ltd. in Congleton, near Stoke-on-Trent. Plastic pods are reprocessed by Bright Green Plastics in West Yorkshire.
Podback uses different types of bags depending on the collection service – kerbside or drop off. The bags must be able to store used pods in the home without leaking, and then must be able to withstand the demands of the journey they from your household to the reprocessing plant.
The bags supplied by Podback for aluminium pods Collect+ and kerbside collections (aluminium and plastic pods) are recycled by a facility in East Yorkshire which specialises in recycling flexible plastics, such as food wrappers and films. The facility produces plastic pellets which are used in a wide range of manufacturing industries.
The green bags used for plastic pods sent through Collect+ are not currently recyclable. Due to the high moisture content in some of these pods, these bags need to be more robust and have an additional layer of material. These bags are currently baled and sent for energy recovery.
However, following successful trials in 2022, we will be introducing a new bag for plastic pods sent through Collect+, which is fully recyclable by our reprocessor in East Yorkshire. We expect that all Podback bags will be recycled in this way by early 2023.
Drop Off / Collect+
The bags for Drop Off are available via participating brand websites and Ocado.com and at the customer service desks of Morrisons supermarkets nationwide. We are working to add more retailers to our bag distribution network.
You can find your nearest Collect+ drop location here.
If you don't have a printer, select the Print in Store option when arranging a label. You will be emailed a barcode, present the barcode to the store assistant using your mobile device. They will print the label for you for FREE.
You can generate a barcode to return your Aluminium pods bag here, or your Plastic pods bag here.
The quantity of pods will depend on the brand of pods you use.
Please fill the recycling bag to the dotted line, ensuring used pods are drained of any liquid.
If you use both aluminium and plastic pods you cannot put them in the same bag, you will need to use separate bags. This is so they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. You can put any participating brand’s pods in the appropriate bag.
The teal-coloured bag marked P is for plastic coffee pods or the white bag marked A is for aluminium coffee pods.
No, the coffee grounds are removed from the pods at the reprocessor. The coffee is then used as a soil improver and to create renewable energy.
Please drain any remaining liquid from your used pod before adding it to your recycling bag.
No. Please only use the bags you are supplied with for Collect +. These bags have been designed to withstand the various stages of the logistics from drop off to the reprocessor, so it is important that the correct bags are used for this service.
Only if they are made of the same material. If you use both aluminium and plastic pods you cannot put them in the same bag, you will need to use separate bags. This is so they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. You can put any participating brand’s pods in the appropriate bag.
The teal-coloured bag marked P is for plastic coffee pods or the white bag marked A is for aluminium coffee pods.
Kerbside
The bags for kerbside are available through podback.org, if this service is available in your area. You will need to register with Podback in order to get the bags. You will then be sent a roll of bags for recycling your aluminium or plastic coffee pods. You can find out if kerbside is available in you area here.
Please review the guidance provided by your council and on their website. Each council’s services are run slightly differently, and your collection day may differ from another council.
Click here to order an additional roll of kerbside collection bags.
We are working to increase the number of councils offering kerbside collections, but the set up and roll out of these services will take time. In the meantime please use our Drop Off collection service. To find out more about this service click here.
The quantity of pods will depend on the brand of pods you use.
Please fill the recycling bag to the dotted line, ensuring used pods are drained of any liquid.
Your bags will then be sent to you within 7 - 10 working days. Once you have your bags, you can start using them straight away. Simply follow the instructions and place the bag out for collection along with your other waste and recycling containers on your normal collection day.
Simply contact us and we will ensure that your details are removed from the Podback register and we will let you know what to do with any spare bags/drainage caddy (where relevant).
If you use both aluminium and plastic pods you cannot put them in the same bag, you will need to use separate bags. This is so they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. You can put any participating brand’s pods in the appropriate bag. The teal-coloured bag marked P is for plastic coffee pods or the white bag marked A is for aluminium coffee pods.
No, the coffee grounds are removed from the pods at the reprocessor. The coffee is then used as a soil improver and to create renewable energy.
Please drain any remaining liquid from your used pod before adding it to your recycling bag.
If you live in a flat or use a shared bin you can still recycle your pods. Please contact your local authority to find out more about the collection arrangements.
If you cannot access a kerbside service, find out other ways to recycle your pods.
No. Please only use the bags you are supplied with for kerbside. The Collect + bags have been designed to withstand the various stages of the logistics from drop off to the reprocessor. This is not a requirement for kerbside collections.
No. To take part in the Podback kerbside recycling collection scheme you must use the recycling bags provided for free by Podback. Register and order kerbside bags here.
The Podback kerbside bags help local authority crews identify the bags quickly and put them in the relevant container on the collection vehicle. It also helps them to be sorted for reprocessing more easily.
The following local authorities provide a Podback kerbside collection service. Find out more about how the Podback service works in these areas:
Recycling Bags
The quantity of pods will depend on the brand of pods you use.
Please fill the recycling bag to the dotted line, ensuring used pods are drained of any liquid.
No. Used pods will only be accepted in designated Podback bags, whether that be at a drop off point, or kerbside collection. We have to take every step to ensure plastic and aluminium pods reach the reprocessor, and the bags have been designed to withstand the demands of each collection route.
No, the coffee grounds are removed from the pods at the reprocessor. The coffee is then used as a soil improver and to create renewable energy.
Please drain any remaining liquid from your used pod before adding it to your recycling bag.
Podback uses different types of bags depending on the collection service – kerbside or drop off. The bags must be able to store used pods in the home without leaking, and then must be able to withstand the demands of the journey they from your household to the reprocessing plant.
The bags supplied by Podback for aluminium pods Collect+ and kerbside collections (aluminium and plastic pods) are recycled by a facility in East Yorkshire which specialises in recycling flexible plastics, such as food wrappers and films. The facility produces plastic pellets which are used in a wide range of manufacturing industries.
The green bags used for plastic pods sent through Collect+ are not currently recyclable. Due to the high moisture content in some of these pods, these bags need to be more robust and have an additional layer of material. These bags are currently baled and sent for energy recovery.
However, following successful trials in 2022, we will be introducing a new bag for plastic pods sent through Collect+, which is fully recyclable by our reprocessor in East Yorkshire. We expect that all Podback bags will be recycled in this way by early 2023.
Environmental Impact
- Coffee is a very personal taste and Podback believes that every consumer should have the choice to drink it in their favourite way, whether this is through instant, roasted, ground or more recently pods. Podback is focused on making this choice for consumers as sustainable as possible by offering them an easy way to recycle their coffee pods.
- Nespresso has conducted life cycle analysis studies of different types of coffee, which show that that one of the biggest environmental impacts comes from the way it is prepared. These studies show that coffee pods are more sustainable compared to other methods, because they only use the exact amount of coffee beans, water and energy required to brew one cup.
- However, Podback knows that more needs to be done to ensure that all pod packaging is captured and recycled, which is exactly why Podback has been launched.
The carbon footprint of the service is very important to us. We are working with Podback and partners to ensure the service is as efficient as possible.
Kerbside collections - There are two different bags, a white one for aluminium and green one for plastic. Aluminium and plastic pods MUST be kept separate to that they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. The bags help the collection crews identify the types of coffee pods and put them in the relevant container on the collection vehicle.
Drop Off collections using Collect+ - There are two different Collect+ bags, a white one for aluminium and a green one for plastic. Aluminium and plastic pods MUST be kept separate to that they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. These have been designed with special seals to prevent any liquid leaking out when they are sent through the Collect+ system.
Council Recycling Centres
All aluminium and plastic pods from participating brands: Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, L’OR, CruKafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee are accepted and can be recycled through the Podback programme. This includes coffee, hot chocolate and tea pods.
No, the different types of pods must be kept separate so they can be sent to the correct reprocessing facility. At the Recycling Centre there are two different containers which are clearly marked 'Plastic' and 'Aluminium'. If you use both aluminium and plastic pods please save these separately and empty them into the correct container.
No, this isn’t necessary. The coffee grounds are removed from the pods at the reprocessor. The coffee is then used as a soil improver and to create renewable energy.
Simply collect and store your pods at home until you’re ready to take them to the recycling centre (Household Waste & Recycling Centre). The Podback containers for Aluminium and Plastic pods will be clearly signed. Simply empty your pods loose (don’t bag them) into the appropriate container. Please only put pods into the containers, we can’t accept empty bags or product packaging.
Yes, you can recycle any type of Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, L’OR, CruKafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee drinks pods. This includes hot chocolate and tea pods.
No, please only put your loose pods into the containers. Empty bags and other packaging could mean the pods cannot be recycled due to contamination. Bags and product packaging should be reused, disposed of or recycled using the relevant local facilities. Please check with your local authority for details of how to recycle these items.