Recycle your coffee pods at household recycling centres

From today (1 October), Wiltshire Council will be offering coffee pod recycling at its household recycling centres (HRCs) in partnership with Podback.

Aluminium and plastic coffee pods, used in pod system coffee machines, should be collected separately and taken to HRCs on residents' next trip and deposited in the separate plastic and aluminium Podback recycling bins.

Plastic and aluminium pods need to be collected separately, as they are recycled at different facilities. All the pods collected by Podback are recycled in the UK. They are shredded to remove the coffee, then the plastic and aluminium are used to create new products, including packaging, car components and building products. The coffee grounds will be treated by anaerobic digestion to create renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.

Podback is a not-for-profit recycling service, created and funded by the UK's leading coffee pod systems - NESCAFE Dolce Gusto, Tassimo and Nespresso, and over 25 coffee pod brands and national retailers.

Cllr Dominic Muns, Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment, said: "We're really excited to be working with Podback to introduce another recycling stream at our household recycling centres. It's great that residents will now be able to use their coffee machines happy in the knowledge that their used pods can be recycled into new products and renewable energy.

"This innovation aligns with our pledge to help the county become carbon neutral, which is a key priority for us."

Podback Executive Director, Rick Hindley, said: "It's great to be able to expand the Podback service to Wiltshire Council's household recycling centres. We want to make coffee pod recycling as easy as possible, and this new service enables residents to drop off pods when convenient, alongside other recyclables, and helps to reduce waste and increase recycling."