Now every person, by drinking coffee, can help the planet. Australian researchers from Melbourne have found an unusual use for coffee grounds. It turns out that it can be added to concrete, and it becomes stronger and more environmentally friendly.
The idea came from the staff of the Royal Melbourne University of Technology when they were discussing the recycling of organic waste.
Before being added to the concrete, the coffee grounds are heated in an oxygen-free chamber at 350 degrees. The result is biochar. They can replace up to 15% of sand. At the same time, the resulting concrete becomes 30% stronger. This means you will need 10% less cement. It is produced at a temperature of 1500 degrees, and by reducing production, energy consumption can be reduced. You can also extract less sand, which is also good for nature.
In Australia, 75,000 tonnes of coffee grounds are thrown away every year. The biochar obtained from it can replace up to 675,000 tons of sand in concrete.
The University of Melbourne is partnering with construction and concrete companies to open a biochar plant. The university also plans to buy coffee grounds from Starbucks.
According to experts, up to 70% of waste thrown into landfills can be processed into biochar. Universities around the world are working on the production and study of the properties of this substance. Different organic substances produce biochar of varying quality. Researchers in Melbourne are the first to try adding recycled coffee grounds to concrete.
