Morrisons, Podback trials recycling points for coffee machine pods in UK

UK – Supermarket chain Morrisons has partnered with pod recycling service Podback to trial the introduction of recycling points for coffee machine pods.

The move, which will be trialed in 29 stores, will make Morrisons the first UK supermarket to announce such an easy and convenient drop-off service.

Under the service, customers can collect their Podback recycling bags, fill them with their used pods, and recycle them in a dedicated bin situated at the front of the Morrisons store.

Morrisons said that customers are reminded that the bags are color-coded to represent the separation between aluminium and plastic pods.

The coffee machine pods are separated and delivered to different recycling processing plants in the UK.

Podpack will then convert the aluminium pods into aluminium ingots for new products like beverage cans, while the plastic pods will be turned into building products, crates, and other plastic items.

In addition, the used coffee grounds undergo anaerobic digestion to make biogas and soil improver.

Morrisons Sustainable Packaging and Plastics manager Natasha Cook said: “We’re excited to be launching this trial with Podback as we look to make it even easier for our customers who want to brew fresh coffee at home to recycle their used coffee pods.”

Additionally, the supermarket chain is set to become a Podback member. It will enable the firm to recycle its own-brand pods through the scheme, along with 24 other pod brands across the coffee sector.

Podback executive director Rick Hindley added: “Morrisons was the first supermarket to become a supporter of Podback and we’re thrilled that they’re now set to become a member; enabling their own brand pods to be recycled through the service and working with us to further improve access to coffee pod recycling by trialing a new drop-off system.

“This is another exciting step forward towards providing consumers with easy and convenient ways to recycle their used coffee pods.”

Morrisons was said to be the first supermarket to support Podback and remain the only one to provide free coffee pod recycling bags for its consumers to collect in all its locations.

Last year, Sainsbury’s revamped its entire own-brand coffee pod range packaging to aluminium, hoping to facilitate home recycling and spare ten million pieces of plastic from landfill every year.

The company considered the transition a step towards its goal of halving its own-brand plastic packaging by 2025, alongside other packaging redesigns in its 1L refillable handwash pouches and double-length toilet rolls – said to save 28 and 84 tonnes of plastic a year, respectively.

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