Because we have a coffee-pod recycling problem.

Single-serve coffee machines are really popular.

About 1/3 of all American coffee-drinkers own one, and more than 1/2 of Americans say they use single-cup coffee pods.

Single-cup coffee sales increased to almost $4.5 billion in 2017, but those pods aren't easy to recycle.

They're packed with coffee grounds and can't be reprocessed using conventional methods.

Because of that, there are enough pods buried on the planet to circle the Earth, more than a couple dozen times.

We took a look inside Nespresso's recycling facility to see how they're trying to change that.

Because Nespresso capsules are made of aluminum, they need to break down in a very specific way.

So, they partnered with Ag Choice.

Ag Choice is the facility that recycles the Nespresso capsules.

From there, the grounds are separated from aluminum containers.

The emptied capsules are bailed and melted and the grounds are baked.

Having the facility isn't enough, since the company depends on customers to ship the pods back.

Though Nespresso is taking action, they wouldn't share with us exactly how many capsules are actually being recycled.

Nespresso and Keurig are two of the leading single-serve coffee manufacturers in the world.

In 2014, a video titled "Kill the K-Cup" caused an uproar against Keurig.

The company received backlash because their pods contained plastic number seven, which is difficult to recycle and could contain toxins.

Plastic number seven is the catch-all of plastics, making it really difficult to break down.

Keurig's co-inventor John Sylvan even said he regretted inventing the K-Cup, knowing how terrible the pods were for the environment.

Nespresso's recycling program is in 37 other countries, including Canada, Brazil and New Zealand.

Both Keurig & Nespresso have goals to build a more comprehensive and sustainable pod recycling program by 2020.

And for Nespresso, they say the core of their focus is all about the long run.

The reason we benefit by providing a recycling program is because we're encouraging conscious consumption.

So you know you enjoy a really great cup of coffee with the right amount of coffee, the right amount of water and then that capsule goes on to be recycled and it becomes another product down the line.