Dear Chocaholic,
There are two types of pods on the market today. One is the single-use pod and the other one is the reusable pod. The reusable pod requires users to fill the pod with their own beverage mix. The single use pods are designed for convenience. They are ready for immediate use. The majority of these single use pods are not recyclable, biodegradable or compostable. Some manufacturers are advertising recyclable pods, made from #5 plastic. Unfortunately, to recycle them you must first peel off the lid and clean out the contents. For more information on recycling these pods check out Coffee Drinkers Can Recycle Reduce Waste. Nespresso has just started a pod recycling program to make it easy for customers to send the pods back for recycling. They turn the grounds into compost and recycle every part of the capsule. See ExpressoPerfector.com for more details. Because so many of these pods go to landfills, Hamburg, Germany has gone so far as to ban the use of coffee pods in public buildings