The initiative converts unrecyclable packaging into new products.
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Wimbledon has become one of the first locations in South West London to benefit from a unique nationwide recycling scheme.
The Coffee Packaging Brigade, an initiative set up by TerraCycle and Kenco, ‘outsmarts waste’ by converting unrecyclable packaging into products such as park benches, waste bins and watering cans.
The new bin is placed inside The Polka Theatre on the Broadway, and the theatre is fully behind the scheme.
“We encourage local people to drop off all their coffee packaging waste, biscuit wrappers, baby wipes packaging and baby food pouches of any brand,” said Kim Kish, Head of operations at the theatre.
“They can also bring their Tassimo coffee machine and outer flow wrap packaging – and tell all their friends and family to do the same.”
For every two items recycled the Polka Theatre will receive a penny towards sustainability projects, including double glazing and draft excluding.
Councils do not recycle mixed plastics, meaning thousands of food packets end up in landfill.
“The initiative aims to enable local communities to come together to save as much coffee packaging waste from local landfill to be recycled, while raising money for good causes,” said a TerraCycle spokesperson.
One Wimbledon resident Serge Samson said “It’s a good idea, because they can make lots of stuff with it. But personally I wouldn’t do it because it’s too long to collect the packaging”.
The Polka Theatre is giving away four free tickets to one of their Spring/Summer theatre shows to celebrate Climate Week which runs from March 3-9. Anyone who brings them recyclable items during that week will being entered into the draw.
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