FCC Environment and Podback up their recycling game with separate bins for aluminium & plastic pods across HWRCs

FCC Environment and Podback are expanding aluminium and plastic coffee pod recycling services across England and Wales. This collaboration follows a pilot program that collected 14 tonnes of used pods within six months.

Introduction of separate recycling bins

The initiative will introduce dedicated recycling bins for aluminium and plastic pods at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) throughout both countries. These bins will be conveniently located for easy access, making the recycling process more straightforward. Wigan, Luton, and Nuneaton in England are the initial beneficiaries of this scheme, with additional locations set to join soon.

“Our pilots over the last year with FCC have proved successful and have received positive feedback from residents using the service. We hope offering people another option to recycle their used pods will help to make recycling even more convenient and accessible and increase rates of recycling overall in these new locations. We have an active pipeline for local authority [authorities] wanting to include Podback at their recycling centres and look forward to announcing more soon,” said Rick Hindley, executive director of Podback.

Under the partnership, Podback will supply recycling bins and signage and oversee the collection and processing logistics across the UK. Residents can easily separate their aluminium and plastic coffee pods at home and drop them off directly into designated bins during regular visits to household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). The process eliminates the need for special Podback bags.

Aim of the initiative

This initiative ensures that used pods are recycled domestically within the UK, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. The separated aluminium is repurposed into beverage cans and car components, while the plastic is recycled into packaging crates, building materials, and various other applications, contributing to a more sustainable future.

In parallel, excess coffee grounds undergo anaerobic digestion, producing renewable biogas and enhancing soil quality. Podback also commits to sharing tonnage data and pod destination details with the local authority WasteDataFlow, thereby improving transparency in recycling data. The partnership between FCC Environment and Podback marks a substantial stride in advancing accessible and sustainable coffee pod recycling throughout England and Wales.