Nespresso celebrates the 30th anniversary of its recycling system

Ciao ragazzi,

I don’t know about you, but I am a big fan of recycling and basically recycle everything that can be recycled: paper, cartons, glass, cans and also my aluminum Nespresso coffee capsules. Especially when recycling is made so easy, I cannot think of any reason to not do it and contribute to a more sustainable environment. For 30 years Nespresso has been working hard to make recycling as simple as possible for consumers and established with the Group Barec the most advanced and comprehensive recycling system in the industry. Let’s take a deep dive into the Nespresso recycling topic.

The most asked question is probably: why do they use aluminum for their capsules? The answer is: aluminum is the only material that preserves the quality and aroma of the coffee and effectively protects it from light, oxygen and moisture.

Further Aluminum can be recycled an infinite number of times and can be reused again and again in a wide variety of forms, for example for everyday objects such as bicycle or window frames, or design objects such as the Caran d’Ache Fixpencil. BUT Nespresso aluminum capsules can only be recycled if they are collected and returned by consumers. End of 2020, about half (64%) of the Nespresso used aluminum capsules in Switzerland are returned – but there could be many more! There are very easy different possibilities to do it:

Drop off in an aluminum capsule container at one of the 3,700 public waste collection points

For Nespresso customers with the free Recycling@Home service conveniently from home

Return to the Nespresso boutique

What happens to the capsules once the consumer returns them? The capsules are transferred to the recycling center of the Groupe Barec in Moudon Switzerland, where the aluminum and coffee grounds are separated from each other. While the coffee grounds are transformed into renewable energy and natural fertilizer, the recovered aluminum is melted down to be reused in many other products such as cans, window frames, bicycles, car parts and iconic items such as a Victorinox Swiss Army knife, a Zena vegetable peeler and Caran d’Ache pens.

Nespresso x 2nd Life collaborations

Nespresso continues to collaborate with iconic brands to demonstrate that it is possible to give coffee capsules a second life.

For the 4^th time Caran d’Ache and Nespresso continue their history of recycling. Sharing the same values of innovation, environmental protection and excellence, the two Swiss brands are joining forces to push the limits of innovation in recycling. Following the success of the first three editions of the 849 Caran d’Ache + Nespresso ballpoint pen, the successful collaboration now gives life to a new collection. Thanks to the ingenuity and the constantly perfected expertise of Caran d’Ache craftsmen, the graphite lead of the Nespresso x Caran d’Ache Fixpencil is, for the very first time, made from recycled coffee grounds.

All together we can increase the recycling rate and give the aluminium capsules a new life!

Read more about it here.