Recycle Your Coffee!
Waste coffee beans can be recycled. In this article, we discussed ways to contribute to environmental protection and combating climate change… We wish you a pleasant reading with a cup of coffee …
Filter, espresso, americano, macchiato… While consumption is increasing all over the world, it should be created in the knowledge that coffee waste is an extremely valuable organic substance.
More than 2 billion cups are consumed every day around the world. The beans that are used in the production of them and are not recycled afterwards become just waste. It is estimated that more than 6 million tons of beans per year are added to landfills in this way.
Greenhouse gas hunter
As with many organic wastes, self-dissolving beans also generate methane gas. Methane is a gas that heats the sphere 86 times more than carbon dioxide. In this case, it is terrible that almost all of the grounds are thrown away.
When the waste is handled correctly, they can even support the fight against climate change by trapping greenhouse gases. According to a study, heating beans with potassium hydroxide creates a material that traps methane. It is also stated that this material can trap carbon like methane and is faster and more economical than other carbon capture and storage methods.
Bio-Fuel
When it is recycled, it can be used in many areas, from bio-fuels to fertilizers, which do not harm the environment. Because it contains rich natural oils. 1 lt of biodiesel fuel can be produced from 5-7 g of its grounds.
Since 2013, a recycling factory called Beo-Bean has been operating in England. It produces an alternative fuel to fossil fuels (logs and pellets) and it is stated that this fuel emits 80 per cent fewer emissions to nature.
Alternatively, bio-fuel production will be made at the Bio-Bean factory. It is stated that it has produced 2.5 million cups and 6,000 litres of fuel so far, and this amount will be enough for a bus for a year.
Use in agriculture
Of course, the most known and used method; turning beans into fertilizer. Today, many shops and chains share grounds with their customers for free.
There are many nutrients used in mushroom cultivation such as lignin, nitrogen and sugar in beans. It is also used as a natural pesticide. Production can be made without harming the soil and the environment.
When mixed with soil, it functions as a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer. It helps maintain the quality of the soil. Earthworms use its waste as nutrients. Thus, it keeps the balance of the soil by descending to the lower layers.
Meanwhile, it is recommended that the waste be left for about 100 days before it enters the plant or soil. It is stated that if mixed with the soil before this period can be harmful to plants due to the high rate of caffeine and chlorogenic acid it contains.
Other Recycling Ideas
Starbucks Japan has recycled more than 1,300 tons of coffee over the past 5 years. They enabled it to be reused in the food industry. Starbucks is now working to produce bio-plastic from coffee waste.
Cup made of recyclable coffee bean dice: Huskee Cup, on the other hand, is both environmentally friendly and very stylish. It is produced in different sizes, is unbreakable and dishwasher safe.
