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.
If you live in an area with a Kerbside service provided by your local authority, you will receive a supply of bags and instructions once you have signed up.
The bags for the Drop-Off service provided through Collect+ are available from Podback member brands, branches of Morrisons Supermarkets and Ocado. For more details about the Drop-Off service please see the Drop-Off section
There are currently 16 Podback brand members. All pods from these member brands can be recycled through the service.
Our ambition is to expand the programme to include all coffee brands that use plastic or aluminium pods in the UK. You can click here to find out more about Podback.
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.
Plastic and aluminium pods are recyclable, but because they are small and lightweight, and contain organic material, they are not easy to collect for recycling using current collection and sorting processes. For this reason they usually end up in the waste stream of material recycling facilities.
Through Podback, pods are collected and reprocessed to recover the plastic, aluminium and coffee, and the materials are given a second life.
Click here to watch our video which explains the recycling journey of your coffee pods.
Yes, the Podback service covers the whole of the UK including Northern Ireland.
Yes, the drop-off service is available in the Isle of Man.
Not yet. Currently, our focus is on making pod recycling available to households across the UK. However, we are looking at ways that we could offer our service to businesses and are in active discussions with potential partners.
The recycling service available depends on where you live. Use our postcode checker to find the options available to you, and follow the instructions to get started.
For all services, you will need to use Podback recycling bags.
If you live in an area with a Kerbside service provided by your local authority, you will receive a supply of bags and instructions once you have signed up.
The bags for the Drop-Off service provided through Collect+ are available from Podback member brands, branches of Morrisons Supermarkets and Ocado.
For more details click here to visit the Drop-Off section.
(Please note that not all Collect+ stores currently have the facility to print labels in store.)
Podback collects and recycles plastic and aluminium beverage pods sold by our member brands, this includes coffee, tea, milk and hot chocolate pods.
You can find out more about the Podback member brands on our About Us page: click here
Yes you can. Podback collects and recycles plastic and aluminium beverage pods sold by our member brands. This includes coffee, tea, milk and hot chocolate pods.
Visit our About Us page to find out if you can recycle your brand of pods
Podback has been created to give lovers of pod coffee simple and easy ways to recycle; so that every pod enjoyed, is recycled.
This mission is supported by our our member brands which, together, make up over 80% of the UK beverage pod market.
We are keen to expand membership of Podback further, and are calling on all coffee pod brands to get involved and create a single recycling solution for pods across the UK.
We know that the easiest way for people to recycle their pods is as part of their local council's recycling service, so it is a priority for Podback to increase the number of councils offering kerbside collection.
However, the roll-out of these services can be a lengthy process which is why we also offer the Drop-Off service through Collect+. For more details about this service please click here to visit the Drop-Off section
Not yet. Currently Podback is only available within the UK, including Northern Ireland. But we are looking at how and when we will expand to the Republic of Ireland and hope to have further details available soon.
Yes. Podback is available within the UK, including the Channel Islands.
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.
There is no need to empty your pods, but please drain any remaining liquid from them before putting them in your recycling bag.
The coffee grains are removed at the recycling facility and treated by anaerobic digestion to create renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.
You can watch our short film which explains how pods are recycled by Podback.
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.
- Cheltenham Borough Council
- Chichester District Council
- City of Wolverhampton Council
- Conwy County Borough Council
- Exeter City Council
- Ipswich Borough Council
- Oxford City Council
- South Derbyshire District Council
- London Borough of Waltham Forest
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.