Business View Oceania - May 2024

FROM COFFEE TO CONCRETE: VICTORIA’S INNOVATIVE PATHWAYPROJECT Source- https://insidesmallbusiness.com.au/ Kaycee Enerva, First Published May 29th, 2024 RMIT University and Macedon Ranges Shire Council have partnered to work on a pioneering project to implement coffee-infused concrete footpaths in Victoria. The initiative aims to repurpose used coffee grounds into biochar, a valuable resource for the construction industry. It is also part of a broader effort to minimize organic waste sent to landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Dr Rajeev Roychand from RMIT said the impact of this project is significant, as the country generates 75 million kilograms of ground coffee waste yearly. “Most of it goes to landfill, but it could replace up to 655 million kilograms of sand in concrete because it is a denser material,” Dr Roychand said. “Globally, 10 billion kilograms of spent coffee is generated annually, which could replace up to 90 billion kilograms of sand in concrete.” He explained that the team developed a technique to make concrete 30 per cent stronger by using coffee biochar made with a low-energy process without oxygen at 350 degrees Celsius. “This approach gives spent coffee grounds a ‘double shot’ at life and reduces waste going to landfill,” Dr Roychand explained. O p e n i n g L i n e s 5 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05