Used coffee grounds have been laid into a footpath in Melbourne, RMIT University announced this week.
Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) and BildGroup have used concrete mixed with biochar made from spent coffee grounds, replacing a portion of the river sand that is normally used.
Australia generates 75 million kilograms of ground coffee waste every year, most going to landfill, but it could now replace up to 655 million kilograms of sand in concrete because it is a denser material. Globally, 10 billion kilograms of spent coffee is generated annually, which could replace up to 90 billion kilograms of sand in concrete.