As coffee pods are not suitable for recycling through traditional means, they have to be collected separately.
Podback users will be able to bring in aluminium and plastic coffee pods in Podback bags to be returned through the toYou parcel returns service. Bags are available through the Podback website.
Beth Fowler, senior manager of healthy and sustainable choices at Asda, said: “We’re always looking for ways to support customers to make sustainable choices when shopping with us.
“The partnership with Podback is one of many workstreams across Asda’s ESG strategy including broader commitments on packaging reduction, recyclability and recycled content. By offering the collection and recycling service with Asda toYou and Podback, we hope that we can make recycling more convenient than ever when shopping with Asda.”
The scheme was first set up by Nestle and beverage company Jacobs Douwe Egberts in 2021 in an effort to make coffee pod recycling easy in the UK.
The coffee pods are dismantled with the coffee grounds being processed using anaerobic digestion and the aluminium or plastic being recycled for use in items such as drinks cans, building materials and garden furniture.
Rick Hindley, executive director at Podback, added: “Our partnership with Asda marks an exciting step forward in Podback’s mission to make sure every coffee pod enjoyed is recycled. Our customers tell us that they want easy and convenient ways to recycle, and the nationwide network of Asda toYou drop-off points means they can now drop their pods off for recycling as part of their regular visit to the supermarket.”
Customers can look for their closest drop-off point (including Asda stores) using the Podback recycle point checker here.
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