Council partners with RMIT to trial world-first coffee concrete

Last updated on 24 May 2024

RMIT University and Macedon Ranges Shire Council have teamed up to conduct a world-first coffee concrete footpath trial.

Led by RMIT’s Dr Rajeev Roychand and his colleagues, the trial aims to transform organic waste such as ground coffee and wood chips into a viable option for concrete and a valuable resource for the construction industry.

As part of the trial, sections of a footpath along Howey Street in Gisborne were constructed using both roast coffee grounds and wood-chip biochar to test their viability.

Shane Walden, Council’s Director of Assets and Operations, was pleased to be working with RMIT on this innovative project.

“We're going to have people walking across the concrete that includes these products and RMIT is going to be coming back and doing testing to see how they stand up,” he said.

“Despite the fact that we're using coffee grounds or mulch, residents aren't going to really see or smell any difference in this concrete product.

“It's really important for Council to be involved in projects such as this and to be working closely hand in hand with universities such as RMIT.

“This not only helps improve the knowledge level of our contractors and our staff, but it also has lots of other benefits and benefits that are important to our community.

“This includes helping the environment, acting sustainably and, most importantly, reducing waste to landfill and having a circular economy.”

Australia generates 75 million kilograms of ground coffee waste every year – most of it goes to landfills, but it could 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.

For the full story, visit the RMIT website.