Nespresso is bringing back its Recycling Rewards initiative for a second year to raise awareness of its coffee capsule recycling program.

Recent YouGov research has uncovered widespread confusion over how Australia’s recycling systems work with more than three quarters (78%) of Australians believing machines (37%), councils (31%) or volunteers (10%) will sort and redirect their household recycling.

To encourage more coffee drinkers to use Nespresso’s dedicated coffee capsule recycling program during the month of June, Australians who recycle a minimum of 100 aluminium coffee capsules at any Nespresso boutique will receive a $5 discount on coffee or machine purchases during the visit.

Participants also have the chance to win one of 10 Velosophy RE:CYCLE bicycles made using aluminium rom Nespresso’s Swiss recycling scheme.

2023 NSW Young Australian of The Year and founder of Banish and BRAD, Lottie Dalziel (pictured) says incentivised initiatives like Nespresso’s Recycling Rewards are a great way to raise awareness of dedicated recycling channels and prevent items such as aluminium coffee capsules from being wish-cycled – the practice of putting used items into a recycling bin and hoping they will be recycled at the other end.

“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 kerbside recycling bins and optimistically hoping they will be recycled at the other end,” she said.

“Most often than 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. In fact, adding incorrect items to the wrong recycling bin can cause contamination which could send the whole load of recyclable items to landfill. I want to help educate Australians on what exists for recycling so their efforts aren’t wasted.”

When recycled at Nespresso, both the aluminum 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.

Nespresso Oceania managing director, Jean-Marc Dragoli said, “We use aluminium in our coffee capsules as it not only protects the freshness, taste and quality, it is also infinitely recyclable. Importantly, Nespresso machines and capsules have also been designed for precision consumption. Our system optimises the use of resources such as energy, water, and most critically coffee, minimising waste.

“We’ve been expanding our recycling program over the last decade to come within reach of our customers with four ways to get involved. We hope that by bringing Recycling Rewards back to our boutiques, we can welcome more Australian coffee drinkers to use our recycling program to give their coffee capsules a second life.”