South Korea’s surge in coffee consumption has led to a growing problem of coffee grounds disposal. We discuss how to recycle coffee grounds, which can have a negative impact on the environment if improperly disposed of, and how the issue can be addressed by expanding collection facilities.
South Koreans love their coffee, with annual per capita consumption more than twice the global average. This increase in coffee consumption is due to several factors. First, there is the spread of café culture. The number of cafes with diverse atmospheres and unique menus has proliferated in Korea’s large cities and other regions, and coffee has become more than just a beverage, but an important medium for communication and relaxation. Second, awareness of the health benefits of coffee is spreading, with studies showing that moderate coffee consumption can boost metabolism and act as an antioxidant. Third, coffee has become a daily source of energy to relieve fatigue and energize in the busy lives of modern people. Against this backdrop, coffee consumption in Korea has been steadily increasing.
It is desirable that this interest is not limited to the love of coffee, but also leads to interest in social issues caused by coffee, such as the return of disposable cups. In particular, various policies are being implemented to reduce the use of single-use cups, and many cafes are taking steps to protect the environment by offering discounts for using tumblers. However, there is one aspect of coffee’s social impact that has received relatively little attention. This is the coffee grounds that are left over after making coffee. In many ways, Korean society’s interest in coffee grounds is low.
First of all, many people dispose of coffee grounds incorrectly. Many people treat coffee grounds as garbage, throwing them down the sink drain or throwing them into the soil. But this can lead to serious environmental problems. Caffeine from coffee grounds down the drain is not fully filtered out by the sewage treatment process and ends up in rivers, which can have a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems. For example, caffeine can be toxic to aquatic organisms such as fish, and in the long run, it risks unbalancing the ecosystem. And coffee grounds disposed of in the soil can acidify the soil, which can hinder plant growth. Many people also don’t realize that coffee grounds can be recycled in a variety of ways. In fact, coffee grounds can be useful in everyday life as a deodorizer or air freshener, and in construction, they can be used to make synthetic wood. This is an important example of how coffee grounds can be recycled in an efficient way, instead of being seen as a waste product. More recently, it has been realized that it can also be used as a raw material for bioenergy. By utilizing coffee grounds as fuel, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to reducing carbon emissions. Despite this potential, most people are not fully aware of the value of coffee grounds, and this needs to change.
Last but not least, the lack of coffee grounds collection facilities is a major problem. Even if you have the will to separate your coffee grounds, it’s hard to do so if you don’t have the facilities to collect them. Even in large cities, it’s often difficult to find dedicated bins for coffee grounds, which means that a lot of coffee grounds end up in the trash. Even if you know that you should separate your coffee grounds instead of just throwing them away, the only way to do so is to have a collection facility. Therefore, it is urgent to establish and publicize coffee grounds collection facilities everywhere. As the number of collection facilities increases, it will have the effect of increasing citizens’ interest in separating coffee grounds. For example, installing dedicated collection bins in public spaces or coffee shops and providing information on how the grounds are recycled will encourage people to participate.
It is necessary to promote the proper disposal and recycling of coffee grounds and to institutionalize the expansion of collection facilities. This would be an important step towards a circular society that goes beyond environmental protection. Through a responsible attitude towards coffee grounds, we can truly love and respect coffee more. We hope that the social awareness of the coffee grounds issue will improve and bring about positive changes to the environment.
