Nespresso says: ‘Recycling, what else?’

Coffeemaker Nespresso will invest US$ 1.2 million in the recovery and recycling of its aluminum coffee capsules in New York City.

Currently, around 43 000 tons of aluminum foil and other mixed metals end up in New York City’s landfill each year. Nespresso hopes it can make a difference by providing pre-paid UPS recycling bags in 48 states across the US. These can be returned for recycling at 88 000 UPS drop-off locations or 500 collection points at Nespresso Boutiques.

New tech needed

The US$ 1.2 million funding will see innovative recycling technology being installed at Sims Municipal Recycling (SMR) in Brooklyn. According to the recycler, the new line will improve the efficiency of its non-magnetic household metals recycling process. Specifically, it will allow SMR to better sort and recover lightweight aluminum, including foil and other mixed metals.

As a result, the popular coffee capsules will be made into new high-value products. The equipment will be operational starting fall 2019.

Many new lives

‘This collaboration will provide New York City-based consumers with another convenient way to recycle used capsules and other aluminum products at home,’ comments Guillaume Le Cunff, ceo of Nespresso USA. He adds: ‘Nespresso is deeply committed to the circular use of our products, choosing aluminum packaging because it both protects the quality of our exceptional coffees and can be recycled and reused again and again.’

New high score for aluminium

Le Cunff sees this initiative as an ‘excellent example’ of how the public and private sectors can collaborate to develop solutions that have broad environmental impact and create shared value. ‘New Yorkers are familiar with recycling aluminium cans,’ the entrepreneur remarks. ‘Now we want to encourage people to also recycle a wider array of aluminum products that they use on a regular basis.’

Not least, the collaboration will support New York City’s Zero Waste initiative, which aims to contribute zero waste to landfill by 2030. Thomas Outerbridge, General Manager of Sims Municipal Recycling, applauds Nespresso for being ‘extremely proactive’ about its waste.