Nespresso reinstates Recycling Rewards program

Nespresso is bringing back its Recycling Rewards initiative for a second year to raise awareness of its coffee capsule recycling program, as research conducted online by YouGov reveals widespread confusion over how Australia’s recycling systems work.

According to the study, 78 per cent of Australians believe machines, councils, or volunteers will sort and redirect their household recycling regardless of which bin they put it into.

“I see so many Australians trying to do the right thing by putting used household items like soft plastics, toothbrushes and aluminium coffee capsules in their curb side recycling bins and optimistically hoping they will be recycled at the other end,” says 2023 New South Wales Young Australian of The Year and founder of Banish and BRAD, Lottie Dalziel. “Most often then not, it sadly isn’t the case. Many items like aluminium coffee capsules must be recycled through dedicated programs like Nespresso’s where infrastructure exists to separate the materials.”

From 1 to 30 June, Australians can participate in Recycling Rewards by recycling a minimum of 100 aluminium coffee capsules at any Nespresso boutique nationwide in return for a $5 discount on coffee or machine purchases during their visit. Participating Australians will also go in the running to win one of 10 Nespresso Velosophy bicycles, made using recycled capsules. The study revealed that 55 per cent of Australians would be more likely to recycle if they knew what their used items could become.

“We use aluminium in our coffee capsules as it not only protects the freshness, taste, and quality of Nespresso coffee, it is also infinitely recyclable,” says Jean-Marc Dragoli, Managing Director at Nespresso Oceania. “We hope that by bringing Recycling Rewards back to our boutiques, we can welcome even more Australian coffee drinkers to use our recycling program to give their coffee capsules a second life.”

When recycled at Nespresso, both the aluminium and the coffee grounds in Nespresso capsules can go on to a second life. The coffee is sent to a facility to be processed into compost and can be used in soil mix for landscaping, while the aluminium is sent back to the aluminium industry to produce new products.

To find out more, visit nespresso.com.au