Technology

Kenco and Terracycle to reduce coffee waste

Kenco Coffee 

Coffee manufacturer Kenco and recycling company Terracycle have partnered in an effort to reduce coffee packaging waste, by launching a community recycling scheme known as the Coffee Packaging Brigade.

The scheme, which launched yesterday (3 October), was started in order to recycle the mixed-material waste as many local council collections  ‘simply don’t have the infrastructure to recycle’ it.

Offering an initial 100 location slots (of which eight have already been filled) to enable members of the community to divert coffee packaging waste from landfill, the scheme accepts packaging from all brands and can include coffee bean bags, coffee jar lids and single serving sachets of coffee for recycling.

Unlike Terracycle’s other recycling programmes, the Coffee Packaging Brigade will require a member of the community, known as an administrator, to source and maintain recycling points at public locations such as libraries, town halls, community centres, and high street shops. All recycling points will be listed on Terracycle’s website.

According to Terracycle, this scheme will not only reduce the amount of coffee packaging waste ending up in landfill, but also help raise money for schools, charities and non-profit organisations. One collection point in Blackpool, set up by the children of Hawes Side Academy, has been established at the Marton branch of Booths Supermarket, the proceeds of which go to Water Aid.

All recycled materials will then be used for the production of plastic objects such as park benches and waste bins.

Speaking on behalf of Kenco, Brand Manager Stephanie Okell highlighted the problems faced by local councils in the recycling of coffee packaging waste.

“Unfortunately the majority of waste coffee packaging ends up in landfill as local councils simply don’t have the infrastructure to recycle mixed plastics.”

Commenting on how the scheme could have wider implications than simply diverting waste away from landfill, Okell added: “[W]e hope local communities get behind the scheme to not only save as much coffee packaging waste from landfill as possible but also to raise money for worthy schools, charities and non-profit organisations.”

Read more about the Coffee Packaging Brigade.