MILAN – Neutrog Australia has partnered with Foodbank SA, On the Run (OTR), Detpak and Biobag to trial a world first coffee waste solution that will give customers the power to redirect their coffee waste from going to landfill and towards supporting locals in need – all they have to do is purchase a cup of coffee, with an occasional side of fertiliser. Neutrog – an innovative local manufacturer of certified organic fertilisers – has recently launched its Human Beans™- Grounds For Good project, an environmental initiative to direct coffee waste from development partner OTR’s stores across South Australia away from becoming landfill by converting it to fertiliser.
According to a recent Planet Ark report, Australians consume around 6 billion coffees per year with the waste created by our favourite hot beverages being added into landfill almost immediately.
The Human Beans™ – Grounds For Good project aims to break this cycle by instead collecting the waste and converting it into fertiliser, which will be sold in retail outlets for use in home gardens and, on a larger scale. Part proceeds from sales will be donated in-part to Foodbank SA to help expand its services to families in need. For each 1 kilo pack sold will put five meals on the table of those in need.
“We believe ‘Human Beans’ is the first collaborative innovation of its kind globally that has addressed both the environmental impact of coffee waste while also giving back. We look forward to the South Australian then global community embracing Human Beans – it really is the grounds for good” Greg Pattinson, CEO, Foodbank SA.
“South Australians are known to be coffee lovers and with such a high level of consumption comes a high level of waste being dumped into landfills each year,” Neutrog Australia Managing Director Angus Irwin said.
“We also know that the process of getting rid of coffee waste can attract significant costs for retailers which could realistically instead be donated to worthy organisations such as Foodbank to help the thousands of Australians who are struggling to provide a meal for their family every day.
“Our Human Beans™ product will prevent large amounts of waste becoming landfill by creating a sustainable alternative that will benefit not only the retailer and customer, but also the environment and the community.
“Foodbank already regularly visits OTRs in South Australia to collect unused foods and items to donate to its clients. What we intend to do is ask these retailers to retain their coffee grounds, pop them into a biobag and allow Foodbank to collect the stock to take back to its depot where it will be picked up by Neutrog.
“Neutrog will then transport the waste to our facility in Kanmantoo where it will be mixed with other ingredients such as chicken poo and compost it to stabilise the nutrients, killing pathogens and making them available to be taken up by plants.
“Once this process is complete, the product will be converted into pellets and packaged. The retailers who donated the coffee waste will then buy them back in the same quantity (per kilogram) that has been collected to promote sustainability, and they will then encourage their coffee customers to do the same.
“For example, if a customer purchases one coffee per day, this means they should buy a pack of fertiliser worth the same amount every so often – and in doing so, they will do their bit for the planet and those in need in our community.”
Mr Irwin said if this initial trial (October 18 – November 30, 2020) proved successful, Neutrog would look to increase its partnerships with more retailers.
