Figures from Podback, the coffee pod recycling service, show that Ipswich residents care about recycling (and love coffee!)
Since the scheme launched in January 2022, 4,336 households in Ipswich have signed up to recycle their used plastic and aluminium coffee pods, recycling around two million pods so far.
Ipswich Borough Council were one of the first local authorities in the UK to join the Podback scheme and had the fastest rate of registrations in the UK with 1,200 households signing up in the first week alone with thousands now supporting the service.
The millions of coffee pods collected so far total 21 tonnes of repurposed materials - plastic, aluminium and even the used coffee grounds are recycled.
Councillor Philip Smart, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for the Environment and Waste, says:
“The Podback scheme for recycling used coffee pods has proved extremely popular in Ipswich. We are so pleased that thousands of residents have supported this simple yet effective scheme in its first year of operation. Together we have ensured that millions of coffee pods have already been recycled, ensuring that tonnes of plastic, aluminium and coffee grounds are repurposed. Thank you.”
Executive Director of Podback, Rick Hindley adds:
“Ipswich residents have been so enthusiastic in their support for coffee pod recycling. By recycling so many pods in a year they are definitely showing the rest of the UK how easy it is to recycle used coffee pods, setting great example for local authorities around the country to follow. We’d like to thank everyone for recycling and encourage anyone who isn’t already signed up to start today!”
Podback is a simple concept, with individuals signing up to Podback, to receive their free recycling bags, and then putting them out for collection with any colour bin on their normal collection day.
The pods are then sent to Podback for sorting and recycling in the UK. Plastic pods going to West Yorkshire and aluminium pods to Cheshire. The coffee grounds are used to create energy (biogas) and soil improver with the recycled packaging used in new construction materials and furniture.
To find out more about the scheme visit: https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/podback or take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) online at: https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/content/podback-faqs
