27/04/23

A new council recycling service, funded by Podback, has been launched in Cardiff which gives resident's living in houses across the city, the opportunity to recycle their plastic or aluminium coffee pods used in most coffee machines.

The new on-demand collection system requires residents to sign up to the scheme via the Podback website - https://www.podback.org/. A roll of 13 bags will be delivered to the property by Podback with instructions of how to use the scheme.

When a bag is full, residents are asked to book a kerbside collection by visitingwww.cardiff.gov.uk/podback. Kerbside collections will take place in Cardiff from May 2^nd.

Cllr Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at Cardiff council, said: "Since the scheme was launched in Cardiff on April 17^th, over 1,000 households have signed up to the scheme so far, which is very encouraging. Recycling items which are made from multiple materials is often difficult, so is great to see the manufacturers of these products taking the initiative to put processes in place so that they can be recycled. The council will continue to work with ‘waste producers' so we can continue to find new ways to recycle more of Cardiff's waste."

The pods collected through the new service will be recycled in the UK, with plastic and aluminium being used to make new products, including packaging and car components with the coffee grounds used to create renewable energy and soil improver.

Rick Hindley, Podback Executive Director said: "We are excited to welcome Cardiff residents to Podback. Research we carried out found that more than half of the coffee pod drinkers in Wales were not aware that pods can be recycled, so we hope to change that, and help Cardiff improve their recycling performance. Where Podback is operating in other local authorities it has been warmly received by residents, so we hope that Podback will quickly become established as part of Cardiff residents' recycling routine."

To find out more about signing up for the new Podback service and what coffee pods can be recycled please visit:www.podback.org