Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Scientists in Australia have revealed that burnt coffee beans can make concrete up to 30 percent stronger.
The world produces approximately 10 billion kilograms of coffee waste each year, most of which ends up in landfills.
“Disposing of organic waste is an environmental challenge because it releases large amounts of greenhouse gases,” said engineer Rajiv Roychand of RMIT University.
Including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change.
With the global construction market booming, there is also an ever-increasing demand for resource-intensive concrete.
Which causes another set of environmental challenges.
For his part, Ji Li of RMIT University emphasized that the continued extraction of natural sand around the world to meet the rapidly growing demand in the construction industry has a significant impact on the environment.
He pointed out that there are critical and long-term challenges in maintaining a sustainable supply of sand due to the limited nature of the resource and the environmental impacts of sand extraction.
He added, “By adopting a circular economy approach, we can keep organic waste out of landfills, while conserving our natural resources like sand.”
According to Science Alert, the team is currently testing how the coffee-based hybrid cement performs under freezing and thawing conditions, water absorption, corrosion, and other environmental stresses.
The team is also working on producing other types of biochar from different organic waste sources.
Including wood, food, and agricultural waste.
