On Global Recycling Day, and every day, Nespresso is reminding South African coffee lovers to give their used Nespresso capsules a second life. Contribute to Nespresso's global sustainability efforts by taking part in the Nespresso South Africa’s used capsules recycling programme.
Aluminium is totally recyclable
Nespresso uses aluminium for its capsules, protecting your coffee to ensure you get the freshest cup of quality coffee every time.
These capsules are 100% and infinitely recyclable, meaning your coffee capsules become new aluminium products once recycled. The multiple applications for the use of recycled material are also creating much-needed employment opportunities.
At the launch, we met one of these talented individuals, Godfrey Dambuleni, who creates incredible sculptures in a way that incorporates the colourful flattened pods into his works of art.
Nespresso commitment to sustainability
In May 2022, Nespresso introduced capsules made using 80% recycled aluminium - a first for the global coffee market. By the end of 2022, the coffee maker aims to have the full Original and Vertuo ranges of capsules made from recycled aluminium.
South African coffee consumers can also play their role in Nespresso's commitment to sustainability. With every Nespresso order, be it online or at a Nespresso outlet, the customer will receive a recycling bag for their used capsules. Once the bag is full of the used capsules, they simply hand over the bag to Nespresso’s courier partner or at their preferred Nespresso Boutique.
Oricol, Nespresso’s local recycling partner in South Africa, separates the residual coffee grounds and the aluminium pods using a customised packaging separation machine developed by Nespresso in line with its Ecolaboration standards.
The used coffee grounds are composted into natural fertiliser which contains incredible nutritional value for the soil.
The aluminium pods then undergo a further recycling process at the steel furnace. It is then reused to create new aluminium products such as the aforementioned artworks and other local collaborations, creating products such as the Vélosophy bicycle, which was on display at the launch and the elegant Caran d'Ache pen.
Nestle Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for the highest-quality portioned coffee. They work with more than 110 000 farmers in 15 countries through its AAA Sustainability Programme to embed sustainability practices on farms and surrounding landscapes.
David Rennie, Deputy Vice President and Head of Nestle Coffee Brands, commented “This is a significant milestone for Nespresso. It builds on ten years of expertise and commitment to reducing carbon emissions throughout the coffee supply chain. This is the expertise that we are harnessing across all our coffee brands to address the carbon neutrality challenge.”
For more information on Nespresso’s broader sustainability efforts, click here.
