Turning coffee waste into construction marvels: the future of green building
Coffee grounds are natural waste worth keeping. This product has numerous beneficial uses, ranging from cosmetics to construction. Although the latter sounds quite abstract, scientists have found a use for coffee grounds in constructing new buildings.
Most of us drink several cups of coffee every day. Whether you make it in an espresso machine or use a drip, there is always a significant amount of grounds left over, which must be disposed of somehow. You can throw them away, but why do that when they have so many fantastic applications? Coffee grounds have found another purpose no one had expected before. They can be used in the construction of new buildings!
How to use coffee grounds? Scientists in Australia have a new idea
The "Journal of Cleaner Production" magazine published the latest research by Australian engineers led by Dr. Rajeev Roychand. They believe coffee grounds can be used in construction as an increased-strength concrete component. In their studies, coffee grounds underwent pyrolysis at about 350 and 500 degrees Celsius.
When mixed with the rest of the ingredients, the grounds create bonds that strengthen the cement by up to 30%. A prototype of coffee-enriched cement may soon be created. This would be a fully natural product powered by kitchen waste. Coffee concrete would likely become a real hit if the product were successful.
How to use coffee grounds at home?
Research on cement enriched with coffee grounds is underway, so it's worth finding another use for ground coffee beans. Throwing them away is the worst thing you can do with them. It's a big waste of good material rich in nitrogen, calcium, potassium, iron, and chrome. We have a few suggestions for you on how to use coffee grounds.
The first application for coffee grounds is to mix them into compost. Adding grounds will supplement the biomass with mineral components, strengthening garden plants. Peonies, roses, blueberries, or thuja are plants that love acidic fertilizer from the grounds. There are many ways to apply the grounds so that you will find something for yourself.
If you don't have a garden but your balcony is filled with potted flowers, try the recipe for a simple fertilizer from the grounds. Surfinias and geraniums love being fed with natural fertilizers from kitchen products. Sometimes, mixing a few ingredients with water is all it takes, and the fertilizer is ready. It costs nothing and has the same effect as fertilizers from the garden store. You can find the exact recipe for the fertilizer under this link.
If flowers are not your thing and you still don't know how to use the grounds, maybe it's worth turning them into homemade cosmetics. Coffee grounds mixed with oil make for a brilliant body scrub. It can be enriched with sugar, which additionally strengthens the friction and helps remove dead skin. After such a skincare treatment, the skin will be soft, smooth, and well-hydrated.
