Nespresso plans to increase recycling capacity for its aluminium capsules to 100%

Nestlé’s premium coffee brand Nespresso has announced plans to
increase the recycling capacity for its aluminium capsules to 100 per
cent globally.

Currently, the capacity exists where 75 per cent of its customers
worldwide can order a recycling bag to return the aluminium capsules
when they order coffee online as a Nespresso Club Member or buy it in
Nespresso stores.

The recycling bag is then collected either at the consumer’s premises or can be deposited in store.

But the company having met a commitment to achieve this 75 per cent
capacity by 2013, now wants to increase it to 100 per cent as part of
its 2020 Sustainability Ambition programme.

As part of this, it wants to increase the recycling rates of the
capsules wherever it does business and where possible to recycle this
back into new capsules each time it makes sense environmentally. This
would mean capsules in UK, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Austria and Italy can be recycled into new capsules.

The company also plans to source 100 per cent of its virgin aluminium
capsule material in compliance with the new Aluminium Stewardship
Initiative standard.

These new targets are part of its ‘Positive Cup’ commitments.

 Nestlé Nespresso chief executive Jean-Marc Duvoisin said: “Our
business model enables us to be involved in every stage of coffee
sourcing, production and sale. It allows us to maintain particularly
close relationships and have a direct dialogue with our consumers and
Club Members.

“As a result, we have a unique opportunity to strongly engage with
our Club Members to achieve our Positive Cup commitments, in particular
as it relates to capsule recycling. Nespresso cannot achieve its
objectives alone. We call on our Club Members  to actively take part in
furthering our recycling efforts.”

The company also announced commitments on sustainable sourcing of coffee including measures to improve farmer welfare.