Leeds launches new coffee pod recycling trial at three household waste centres
A new trial is brewing in Leeds to recycle used coffee pods at three household waste recycling centres.
Leeds City Council has partnered with Podback, a not-for-profit coffee pod recycling service, to trial coffee pod recycling at household waste recycling centres at Kirkstall, Wetherby and Yeadon.
The centres now include Podback containers at each site, one to collect aluminium pods and one for plastic pods.
Used pods should be dropped into the containers loose and in their entirety, ready to be collected and recycled at dedicated Podback facilities in the UK.
Any remaining coffee grounds or residue left in the pods will be treated by anaerobic digestion locally in Yorkshire to create renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.
Coun Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “We are really excited to start the new year by working with Podback to recycle coffee pods at our household waste recycling centres.
“The timing is ideal, as people may have received a coffee-maker as a gift for Christmas so now they can recycle the pods easily and help the environment at the same time.
“We are very pleased to be offering this service to people in Leeds and working with Podback on this trial.”
Podback executive director Rick Hindley said: “It’s great to be able to expand the Podback service by trialling it at three of Leeds City Council’s 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 helping to reduce waste and increase recycling.”