In the United Kingdom, bio-bean Ltd. has launched a new material based on spent coffee grounds that it says could be used to replace virgin materials in a number of applications.
Dubbed Inficaf, bio-bean collects and processes over 7,000 metric tons of spent coffee grounds annually. The process involves drying spent grounds before sieving and packaging for various applications. The result is material that is uniform size and moisture for other businesses to incorporate into their products. For example, the material can replace minerals in plant-based plastics and be used in petroleum-based plastics and composites to reduce synthetic content.
Inficaf can also be used as an exfoliant in personal care products or be used in textiles and inks.
About 18 million tons of coffee waste are generated annually. Most is sent to landfills.