CONCRETE & CHEMICALS
Gareth Griffiths
An interesting study is back in the news. It focuses on concrete( pun intended) solutions for the reuse of potentially harmful carbon-rich waste streams, while also providing material solutions for the green concrete industry. We take a closer look …
Based on groundbreaking work by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology( RMIT) in Australia in 2023, and published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, the study proposes a way to make concrete 30 % stronger by utilising treated coffee grounds.
According to a 2023 news release 1 from RMIT, the co-author of a paper says the team has developed a technique to turn waste coffee grounds into biochar that can be used as a concrete additive in place of sand. The process is a low-energy pyrolysis – a lowenergy thermal decomposition conducted at 350 ° C in the absence of oxygen. It has been best described as a charring process.
“ The concrete industry has the potential to contribute significantly to increasing the recycling of organic waste, such as used coffee.
“ Our research is in the early stages, but these exciting findings offer an innovative way to greatly reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill.”
The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge...
“ The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases, including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,” said Dr Rajeev Roychand, lead author of the paper and a post-doctoral research fellow at RMIT.
Joint lead author, Dr Shannon Kilmartin- Lynch, a Vice-Chancellor’ s Indigenous Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT, said construction industries around the world could play a role in transforming this waste into a valuable resource.
“ Inspiration for my research, from an indigenous perspective, involves caring for country and ensuring there’ s a sustainable life cycle for all materials and avoiding things going into landfill to minimise the impact on the environment,” said Kilmartin-Lynch.
78 autumn 2026 | www. tobuild. co. za