For years, experts have warned of waste caused by the use of coffee capsules. The method came to be banned from public buildings in the city of Hamburg, Germany, almost 10 years ago. One of the largest capsule coffee manufacturers in the world, Nespresso has created in Brazil its recycling process, with capsules in stores and receiving points.
Now, as part of its ESG schedule, Nespresso Brasil has announced the beginning of biomethane production from the coffee grounds, collected by its national recycling system. Now, separated organic waste at the Valinhos (SP) recycling center will be transformed into green gas, a renewable energy source. In the next stage of the project, Biogas will be used to supply Nestlé’s industrial plant in Araçatuba (SP).
The process of implementing the biomethane project took about a year, involving the prospecting of new partners, alignment of objectives and the validation of the entire technical scope of the project. As a result, the Nespresso It signed partnership with Crivellaro Environmental.
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The operation also had logistics changes, to ensure the viability of the operation. Among them, the transportation of capsule fire to the recycling center is now carried out by 100% electric vehicles, reinforcing the concept of a low carbon chain.
With an annual investment of over R $ 2 million, a value that can grow with the expansion of the volume of reused, the Nespresso Estimates transform between 750 and 850 tons of coffee grounds per year in Biomethane.
According to the company, the volume has the potential to prevent the emission of about 857 tons of CO₂ in the atmosphere, either by replacing fossil fuels, such as natural gas, or by preventing methane release, a more potent greenhouse gas during residue decomposition into landfills.
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Each capsule returned goes through a process of separating aluminum and coffee grounds. While the sludge turns into biomethane, aluminum returns to the industry chain, being reintroduced in steel production.
The brand also develops creative and collaborative projects that give new meanings to recycled material, such as the partnership with Natura, which has already turned over 2 tons of capsules into packaging of the Ekos Castanha line. Nespresso was also involved in the Christmas scenography of Shopping Pátio Paulista, in São Paulo, made with more than 50 thousand capsules used and then reinserted in the recycling cycle.
Reverse logistics
In Brazil, the Nespresso It offers access to recycling through more than 400 physical collection points, 34 boutiques of the brand, in addition to the free reverse logistics service via post office that covers the entire territory. “Circularity is a journey and commitment that we share with our consumers. Today we have the ability to receive and give the correct destination to all our capsules sold in the country and consumers, in turn, have become increasingly aware of their choices,” says Mariana.
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No B2B segment, a Nespresso Brazil It maintains an exclusive reverse logistics system for corporate customers located in large urban centers such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In addition, the brand offers a service via post office agencies: a cardboard collector is sent free of charge along with the coffee order, allowing the capsules used to be stored and sent back with practicality and responsibility.
For customers who consume more than 5,000 capsules per month, the brand provides personalized recycling car service, expanding the efficiency of collecting and strengthening sustainable practices in the corporate environment.
