Australian researchers cut concrete emissions using coffee grounds

In Australia, RMIT researchers are advancing new ways to cut the carbon footprint of infrastructure by turning everyday organic waste into useful construction materials. A life-cycle analysis has shown, for the first time, that biochar made from spent coffee grounds can help produce a lower‑carbon concrete while supporting strength benefits seen in earlier lab trials.

Earlier experiments by the RMIT team heated used coffee grounds at about 350 degrees Celsius without oxygen to make a fine biochar. When this replaced 15 percent of sand in concrete, 28‑day strength increased by about 30 per cent, pointing to a practical way to reduce pressure on natural sand supplies. Building on that foundation, a new study spresents a comprehensive life cycle assessment – a cradle‑to‑grave analysis that measures carbon emissions, resource use and other environmental impacts from production through to end of life.