People in Ipswich will soon be able to protect the environment and recycle their plastic coffee pods with the rest of their rubbish.

Neighbours in the town are to be sent leaflets from recycling firm Podback encouraging them to sign up for free collection for single-use pods.

Homeowners will then be sent bags or caddies to place their pods in, which can be left out with their black and blue bins on their normal collection day.

Once collected, the coffee pods will be sent for reprocessing to separate the packaging from the coffee grounds.

The coffee grounds will be used to create soil improver and renewable energy, the plastic and aluminium will be transformed into new products.

There will be no cost to the taxpayer, Ipswich Borough Council confirmed.

Phil Smart, Ipswich Borough Council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: "With the introduction of flexible working and more people working from home and drinking coffee, the expansion of the recycling service to collect coffee pods couldn’t come at a better time.

"The coffee pods will be collected every week for recycling using both our household waste and recycling vehicles.

"Podback is funding the service so there is no cost to the council tax payer and it’s an excellent way for us to improve our existing recycling service."