Coffee waste transformed

One hundred recycling bins made from espresso coffee residues, each with a capacity of 70 liters and designated for different uses (glass, aluminum, paper, plastic), are expected to be placed soon in dining establishments and shopping centers in Athens and Patra, in western Greece. This initiative aims to reuse some of the 40,000 tons of coffee that Greeks consume annually. "Fifteen percent of the plastic is made from recycled coffee. And there's no doubt about it because if you get close, you can indeed smell it," says Alexis Pantziaros, a chemical engineer and co-founder of the Greek startup Coffeeco, which develops new products from about 5 tons of espresso coffee residues, ranging from cosmetics to packaging.

The coffee recycling bins are sold to food service and hotel (HoReCa) businesses, with Pantziaros explaining that "we are seeking collaborations where coffee is...