Nespresso Canada to use 80% recycled aluminum in new capsules, 95% recycled material for machine boxes
Nespresso Canada has entered two new sustainability initiatives that are part of the company's sustainable development approach: the launch of new capsules made using 80% recycled aluminum, and new fully recyclable boxes for Nespresso machines made from 95% recycled material.
The first ever coffee capsules made using 80% recycled aluminum are the Original Line Master Origin Colombia. By the end of 2021, Nespresso aims to have both initiatives extended to all ranges of the consumer coffee and machines.
"This announcement allows Nespresso to continue improving its environmental impact, a very important objective for us. This is a significant milestone in our journey towards circularity and in maximizing the reuse of product materials. This is aligned with the principle of extended producer responsibility, a key concept for Nespresso", says Julie Pomerleau, Vice-President, Marketing at Nespresso Canada.
In addition to being infinitely recyclable, aluminum is a material of choice that also protects the freshness and aromas of the coffee. Made of a thinner aluminum foil, each new capsule is made using 80% recycled aluminum, will use 9.2% less aluminum material and will be 8% lighter. These capsules will require less energy to make than a virgin product. Moreover, Nespresso will continue to work alongside its partners to use aluminum compliant with the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), a standard recognizing the best management practices of companies in the aluminum sector as it relates to sustainable development.
Among other things, the company has been developing and implementing recycling solutions for more than 25 years around the world. These include the Black Bag Solution, which allows consumers to drop-off their used aluminum capsules to a Nespresso Boutique or to a partner collection point, and the Red Bag Solution, which allows them to drop off the used aluminum capsules in a Canada Post mailbox or Post Office. The Green Bag Solution for its part allows citizens of the participating municipalities to deposit their used aluminum Nespresso capsules in a green bag, then to place the latter in their recycling bin at home. These entirely recyclable bags are sent to the sorting center and then sent to a local partner to undergo a mechanical process separating the coffee grounds from the aluminum. The aluminum is recovered, and the coffee grounds are used as compost on local farms, at no additional cost to consumers or municipalities.
