This blog post examines the environmental impact of coffee grounds disposal issues arising from South Korea’s rapidly increasing coffee consumption and explores potential solutions.
South Koreans are highly enthusiastic about drinking coffee, with annual per capita coffee consumption exceeding twice the global average. Several factors contribute to this increase in coffee consumption. First, the spread of cafe culture. Cafes offering diverse atmospheres and unique menus have proliferated in major cities and various regions across Korea, establishing coffee as more than just a beverage—it has become an important medium for communication and relaxation. Second, awareness of coffee’s health benefits has grown, with research findings suggesting moderate coffee intake boosts metabolism and provides antioxidant effects capturing public interest. Third, coffee has become an everyday energy source that relieves fatigue and provides vitality in the busy lives of modern people. Against this backdrop, coffee consumption among Koreans continues to rise steadily.
It is desirable that this interest extends beyond simply loving coffee to include concern for social issues caused by coffee, such as measures for collecting disposable cups. In particular, various policies to reduce disposable cup usage are being implemented, and environmental protection efforts are gaining momentum, such as many cafes offering discounts for using tumblers. However, when discussing social issues related to coffee, one aspect receives relatively little attention: the coffee grounds left over after brewing. Korean society’s interest in coffee grounds is low in many respects.
First, many people dispose of coffee grounds improperly. Many treat coffee grounds as mere trash, flushing them down the sink drain or carelessly dumping them into soil. However, this can cause serious environmental problems. Caffeine from coffee grounds flushed down drains can flow into rivers without being fully filtered out during sewage treatment, potentially negatively impacting aquatic ecosystems. For instance, caffeine can be toxic to aquatic life like fish and, over time, risks disrupting the ecosystem’s balance. Additionally, coffee grounds dumped into soil can accelerate soil acidification, hindering plant growth. Furthermore, many people are unaware that coffee grounds can be recycled in various fields. In fact, coffee grounds can be effectively used in daily life as deodorizers or air fresheners. Furthermore, in the construction industry, they are utilized as a material for making composite wood. This recycling method moves beyond viewing coffee grounds as mere waste, establishing them as an important example of efficient resource utilization. Recently, their potential as a raw material for bioenergy has also been highlighted. Using coffee grounds as fuel can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to lowering carbon emissions. Despite coffee grounds being a resource with such diverse potential, the reality that most people do not fully recognize its value needs improvement.
Finally, the severe lack of coffee grounds collection facilities is also a regrettable issue. Even if there is a willingness to separate and dispose of coffee grounds, it is difficult to practice without adequate collection facilities. Even in large cities, dedicated coffee grounds collection bins are often hard to find, leading to much of the waste being disposed of as regular trash. Knowing that coffee grounds should be separated for disposal is not enough; collection facilities must exist for this practice to take hold. Therefore, it is urgent to establish coffee grounds collection facilities in various locations and actively promote them. Increasing collection facilities will likely raise public awareness about separating coffee grounds. For example, installing dedicated coffee grounds bins in public spaces or coffee shops and providing information on how the collected grounds are recycled could encourage citizen participation.
It is necessary to promote the proper disposal methods and recycling applications for coffee grounds and institutionalize the expansion of collection facilities. This will be an important step beyond mere environmental protection, advancing toward a resource-circulating society. Through a responsible attitude toward coffee grounds, we can cultivate a genuine appreciation and respect for coffee. We hope that social awareness of the coffee grounds issue will improve going forward, leading to positive environmental change.
