A group of Australian engineers have found a way to use roasted coffee grounds to produce concrete that is 30% stronger.and, incidentally, reduce pollutant emissions from organic coffee residue, according to a study published this Wednesday (August 23, 2023) by the scientific journal Journal of Cleaner Production.
In particular, researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), located in the Australian city, they managed to create stronger concrete by converting coffee grounds into biochar through pyrolysis, a low-energy method that heats organic waste without oxygen to a temperature of 350 degrees..
“The inspiration for our work came from finding an innovative way to use large amounts of coffee waste from construction projects instead of sending it to landfills to give coffee a ‘double chance’ at life,” he explained, co-author Rajeev Roichand. in the RMIT statement.
Aware of climate change
A university paper reports that in Australia alone, more than 75 million kilograms of coffee grounds waste is generated each year, most of which ends up in landfills. On a global scale, this figure could reach 10 billion kilograms.
“Disposal of organic waste is an environmental issue because it releases large amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” Roichand said.
“The problem with organic waste ending up in landfills is essentially (what they generate) high emissions of methane, which is 21 times worse than carbon dioxide.and the enormous resource cost of disposing of this material,” added lead author Jie Li.
Replacement of natural sand
Researchers also believe that the use This biochar could help replace much of the 50 billion tons of natural sand that the construction industry extracts from riverbeds each year. and cans for concrete production.
“Maintaining a sustainable supply of sand is a major and long-term challenge due to resource constraints and the environmental impact of sand mining,” explained Li, who advocates a circular economy approach in the sector.
The engineers’ initiative seems to have been a complete success:Several municipalities that are fighting against the destruction of organic waste are interested in our work.. They have already signed a contract with us for the implementation of their next infrastructure projects, including the pyrolyzed form of various organic wastes,” Roichand concluded.
Edited by José Urreiola using information from EFE.
Source: La Opinion
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.