KERBSIDE RECYCLING FOR ALL ALUMINIUM COFFEE CAPSULES

 An Australian-first recycling pilot
We put sustainability at the forefront of everything we do, which is how we ensure the highest quality coffee. From how our farmers nurture the finest coffee beans, to how we ensure a second life for your used capsules.

While we currently offer four different recycling options to all our customers (Boutique or florist partner drop-off, bulk box collection and pre-paid AusPost satchels), we are always looking to increase the convenience of our recycling program with new options.


That’s why we teamed up with recycling companies CurbCycle and iQ Renew in 2021 to trial an innovation to bring capsule recycling closer to home than ever before.
The Curby Aluminium Coffee Capsule Kerbside Recycling Pilot

With our partners’ recycling program, Curby, we sought to make kerbside recycling of all aluminium coffee capsules possible in Australia. Our six-month pilot, which involved 3,000 households within the council areas of Mosman, Newcastle and Willoughby, concluded at the beginning of February 2022. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 1.9 tonnes of recyclable aluminium coffee capsules collected from kerbsides during the trial and 98% of customers claiming they would like to continue using the program as an ongoing solution in their area.
How it worked

  • Residents registered their participation online.
  • Once signed up through Curby’s website, bright orange Curby bags were delivered to participants, along with simple instructions.
  • Residents filled their Curby bags with used aluminium coffee capsules, before placing them in their regular yellow lid recycling bins.
  • Curby bags were then separated from other items in yellow lid recycling bins and sent to Nespresso’s recycling facility.
  • An easy-to-use app helped us track the pilot’s success.

Were you part of the pilot?

If you were part of our pilot and still have an unused Curby bag, don’t worry. It won’t go to waste. While participants will no longer be able to order new Curby bags now that the trial has concluded, we will continue our kerbside collection of any remaining Curby bags within the council areas of Mosman, Newcastle and Willoughby.
Doing is Everything

Being committed to sustainability means always looking for ways to make a difference wherever we can. We hope the findings from this progressive trial will provide the insights and the framework necessary to develop a nationwide kerbside recycling program for all coffee capsules into the future.


Ensuring aluminium, which is infinitely recyclable, is recovered for second-life saves 95% of the energy required to refine it from raw materials. We’ve made an array of different items from recovered aluminium, from bikes to pens! The coffee grounds are used locally for commercial compost to support new plant growth.

How Else to Recycle Your Nespresso Capsules

Boutique
Return your used aluminium capsules to any Nespresso boutique. Find your nearest Boutique
Collection Point
Drop your capsules off at a participating collection point. Find your nearest Recycling Point
Drop off with Australia Post
Fill your Nespresso Australia Post satchel with used capsules and return via Australia Post.Order an Australia Post Recycling Satchel
Bulk Collection
Collect on behalf of your community or workplace with free delivery and collection. Discover the Program