The Federal Government has approved funding for a coffee capsule recycling scheme led by Planet Ark Environmental Foundation.
A contribution from the $20 million National Product Stewardship Investment Fund will be used for the development of the stewardship scheme for all coffee capsules nationwide, raising recycling rates and reducing organic material in landfill.
“It will accelerate the expansion of an industry-led product stewardship scheme for coffee capsules,” said Paul Klymenko, CEO of Planet Ark. “This will enable Australians to enjoy their home-made espresso, knowing the product’s end-of-life is being managed responsibly.”
The fund forms part of the Australian Recycling Investment Plan and National Waste Policy Action Plan to increase recycling rates, tackle plastic waste and litter and halve food waste by 2030.
The scheme will be developed in partnership with Nespresso and Woolworths Group. Nespresso will contribute experience as it has been running its coffee capsule recycling program in the country for many years. Meanwhile, Woolworths Group will work with the project partners to evaluate the feasibility of in-store capsule collection and subsequent transport to recycling facilities.
“We have developed a robust program which has been collecting and recycling them in Australia for 10 years,” said Jean-Marc Dragoli, GM at Nespresso. “We are keen to work with other manufacturers so that all consumers buying capsules will have access to recycling. This is why we partnered with Planet Ark’s consortium, to make this a reality.”
Last week, Nepresso and the UNSW Smart Centre discovered that food packaging containing aluminium such as single-used coffee capsules can be used in the steelmaking process.
