Nespresso expands curbside aluminium capsule recycling in New York

Nespresso has announced an investment in recycling infrastructure in Westchester County, New York, enabling residents within the county’s Refuse Disposal District to place used coffee capsules and other small non-ferrous aluminium items in kerbside recycling bins.

The programme is available immediately and is expected to provide an additional recycling route for more than 900,000 residents. Eligible aluminium items can be placed alongside other accepted materials including metal, glass, cartons and plastics.

Collected small-format aluminium will be processed locally at the Department of Environmental Facilities’ Material Recovery Facility. The initiative is intended to increase the amount of aluminium recovered from the waste stream while making existing kerbside collection infrastructure available for materials that can be difficult to sort.

The Westchester programme forms part of Nespresso’s wider efforts to increase collection and recycling options for its aluminium coffee capsules in the US. The company has previously supported kerbside recycling programmes in New York City and Jersey City, alongside retail collection partnerships and at-home collection services in selected locations.

Expanding our curbside recycling program to Westchester marks a significant step forward for recycling infrastructure. For over 30 years, Nespresso has been committed to making recycling easy for our customers. Thanks to our partners, Westchester County, Glass Packaging Institute, and the US Aluminum Association, we're thrilled that our capsules and other small metals can now be properly captured and given a second life. Through collaborations like this, we create a pathway not only for our products but for the entire industry to advance recycling solutions.

Melania Luna, Vice President of Operations, Nespresso USA.

Nespresso is also incorporating recycled material into the manufacture of its capsules. According to the company, all of its Original capsules contain 80% recycled aluminium, while 88% of its Vertuo capsules are manufactured using 85% recycled aluminium.

Alongside investment in collection and sorting infrastructure, the company says increasing demand for recycled aluminium is intended to help keep the material in circulation for longer.

Nespresso customers elsewhere in the US have access to a number of collection methods for used capsules. The company says there are more than 100,000 collection points nationwide, including Nespresso boutiques and selected retailers. Pre-paid mailing services are also available for customers to return capsules to the company’s recycling partners at no additional cost.

The Westchester initiative adds to these existing collection routes as Nespresso continues to expand the recycling infrastructure available for its aluminium capsule packaging.