Recycle the coffee grounds in your company ?

Every cup of coffee produces coffee grounds, which are often thrown away, even though there are many recycling solutions available. Many companies are now opting for coffee grounds recycling solutions. Whether in bulk or in used capsules. This waste represents around 20 million tonnes worldwide every year. So it’s time for companies to recycle coffee grounds and make the most of them. Especially as it is 100% recyclable and is a natural fertiliser because it is bio-waste.

How is coffee grounds recovered?

Coffee recycling for companies sorting their waste is done on a larger scale. The recovery of coffee grounds involves several different stages depending on whether the grounds are collected raw or in the form of capsules/dosettes:

• For professionals in the catering, hotel and business sectors, coffee grounds are collected by companies specialising in biomass recovery and biofuel production.

• For private individuals, whether coffee pods, aluminium capsules or loose coffee. Waste collection centres provide collection and sorting services. The waste coffee grounds are then sent to the most appropriate channel for recycling.

Treatment of coffee grounds

Collected in bulk, the coffee grounds are weighed before quality control. This ensures that it has not been mixed with other waste.

The coffee grounds are then added to the existing stock at the processing site:

• The maturing and processing stages make it a natural, organic fertiliser for the soil. It is widely used by mushroom growers, particularly for cultivating oyster mushrooms.
• Coffee grounds can also be recycled by consumer companies through the methanisation process. A natural solution used to produce biogas and green electricity.

Coffee grounds in capsules

For coffee grounds collected in capsules, the transformation process is more complex. However, the recycling of coffee grounds in companies has evolved considerably and now follows a well-established chain. Aluminium and plastic capsules are collected by the major brands that manufacture them or by recycling centres. Some regions of France collect them in yellow bags for steel and aluminium.

Once the coffee grounds have been separated from the aluminium or plastic, they are sent to a specialised centre where they join the loose coffee grounds and undergo the same treatment.

A natural fertiliser

Giving coffee grounds a second life. The quickest and easiest way is to use it in your garden as compost. Rich in nutrients, it will be ideal for making the soil more fertile and for growing plants and vegetables. If you’re a professional, you can also use it as a fertiliser, even if you don’t have a garden. You can use it on the plants that populate your premises.

Other ways to recycle it

A growing medium for mushrooms

Coffee grounds contain lignocellulose, which helps mushrooms, particularly oyster mushrooms, to grow. There are various techniques, one of the most common being to mix mycelium with cardboard, wood shavings and coffee grounds, then wrap this medium in a long plastic bag. Suspended vertically in the dark, the bags are left to ‘incubate’ for a fortnight, in the dark and in a humid environment. Hidden in the darkness, the mycelium will develop, just as it does under the roots of a tree. After a fortnight, the bags, which have become completely white, are transferred to the light and incised to allow the oyster mushrooms to emerge.

In vermicomposting

Coffee grounds are a good structuring agent for vermicompost. It also helps the worms to digest, as the coffee beans act as a grinding stone in the worm’s stomach. Coffee also has a positive effect on worm reproduction.

A super degreaser

Coffee grounds are an excellent degreaser. It can therefore be used as a natural cleaner to remove stubborn grease stains from crockery. Its low abrasion will also clean stubborn cooking stains. Simply mix 2/3 teaspoon of coffee grounds with lukewarm water and scrub with a sponge or soft brush to clean your dishes.

A natural scrub

Coffee grounds act as an exfoliant thanks to the fine, slightly abrasive particles they contain. It is particularly effective as a scrub. Apply it to damp skin in the shower, massage gently and rinse.