Coffee Pod Industry Finding Grounds for a Shared Recycling Solution

• recycling

By Mitchell Kirsch 17 November 2022

Planet Ark achieved an important milestone in late October by bringing together the coffee pod industry both in-person and online to progress the Podcycle product stewardship scheme and align on next steps.

In partnership with grant partners Nestle and Woolworths, the Podcycle scheme has been in development since early 2021 and has seen steady and significant progress in meeting the overall objectives of the scheme. These objectives are to establish a national scheme for all Australians that collects and recycles all types and brands of coffee pods and is accredited as a voluntary scheme by the Australian Government.

The Podcycle industry meeting saw agreement among stakeholders to form an Interim Working Group made up of industry representatives from various brands and retailers. Following the formation of the Interim Working Group, these industry representatives will make key decisions that will progress the scheme from the design stage to the implementation stage.

Planet Ark is on track for a scheme launch in the first half of 2023.  Beau Boundy, Senior Product Stewardship & Marketing Manager at Planet Ark is positive on the industry's commitment to collaborate.

"The coffee pod industry has come together in a very proactive way, and all involved are looking forward to further collaborating on this exciting stage of the project."

This project has been made possible thanks to grant funding from the Australian Governments National Product Stewardship Investment Fund.

Find more information on the Podcycle Product Stewardship scheme. For enquiries relating to the scheme please contact Planet Ark at enquiries@planetark.org.