Sainsbury’s marks coffee pods as recyclable at kerbside
Aluminium coffee pods, according to Sainsbury’s, are “widely believed” to be too small to be captured for recycling at the kerbside, except through specialised schemes.
According to the store, it “challenged” the sector and discovered that waste management businesses had facilities that could gather and recycle these smaller products if they were free of coffee grounds.
“We’re always searching for new ways to help our customers live more sustainably at home, and essential to that is making sure any changes are minimal and easy to implement,” Claire Hughes, director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s, said.
“That’s why we decided to debunk the myth that aluminium coffee pods can’t be recycled, and with customers more concerned than ever about the environment, it seemed like a natural place to start.
“While we may be the first merchant to designate our own-brand coffee pods as recyclable, it’s important to remember that many aluminium pods are recyclable as well. We hope that others will follow suit and change their packaging to promote recycling and raise awareness.”
Yesterday, the own-brand pods with the label became accessible in retailers (12 September).
Sainsbury’s claims to have collaborated with coffee pod producer Dualit and recycling label provider On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd (OPRL) to demonstrate that aluminium coffee pods can be recycled at home.
Sainsbury’s own brand coffee pod packets will have this label (photo courtesy of Sainsbury’s).
The retailer claims that the label will emphasise the need of emptying and rinsing the pod before discarding it in the recycling bin.
Sainsbury’s will debut the ‘Dualit EcoPress,’ a gadget that separates coffee from aluminium, on November 7 in an effort to guarantee that customers clean their pods before returning them.
Customers could do this with a teaspoon, but the EcoPress, according to Sainsbury’s, makes it “quicker and easier.”
People can put the remaining grounds in home compost bins, kerbside food waste bins, or their garden once the coffee has been separated, according to the retailer.
