Cardiff Council launches kerbside coffee pod recycling service with Podback

Cardiff Council has launched a new recycling service for used coffee pods, in partnership with Podback.  Residents will be able to sign up for the new service from today (17th April) and will be able to recycle plastic and aluminium coffee pods as part of the Council’s bookable recycling service. Collections will begin on 2^nd May.

The new service supports the Council’s aims to reduce waste, increase recycling, save resources and give materials a second life.  Pods collected through the new service will be recycled in the UK, with plastic and aluminium being used to make new products, including packaging and car components, and the coffee grounds used to create renewable energy and soil improver.

Cardiff is the largest single local authority service launched by Podback to date, and increases the number of households able to recycle coffee pods at the kerbside across the UK to 810,000. 

Rick Hindley, Podback Executive Director said: “We are excited to welcome Cardiff residents to Podback.  Research we carried out found that more than half of the coffee pod drinkers in Wales were not aware that pods can be recycled¹; so we hope to change that and help Cardiff improve their recycling performance.  We hope that Podback will quickly become established as part of Cardiff residents’ recycling routine.”

Podback is a not-for-profit recycling service created by the leading manufacturers of coffee pod systems, Nestle and Jacobs Douwe Egberts, and funded by coffee pod brands.  Cardiff residents signing up for the service will be provided with Podback recycling bags and instructions on how to use the scheme.  They will be able to book a collection for the full bags via the Council’s website, whilst residents living in flats can participate by using the Podback drop-off service, provided through Yodel.

Ends

1. Research conducted on behalf of Podback found that 20% of households in Wales regularly use pods at home, but more than half (61%) of coffee pod drinkers are unaware of a recycling service for pods.  75% said they would use a recycling service if it was provided by the local council. The polling was conducted by YouGov and Resource Futures on behalf of Podback, May 2022. Total sample size for both was 2049 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).