Posted on 29th May 2017 by Hintons
With the Paris Agreement on climate action signed only last year, it’s now more important than ever for countries, companies and individuals to take the matter of recycling seriously. The benefits of recycling are profound, as if enough of us recycle our waste responsibly we have a real chance of keeping global warming to well below 2°C, the maximum temperature rise allowed under the Paris Agreement.
One company that is taking these environmental matters into their own hands is Caffè Nero. In partnership with First Mile, Caffè Nero have committed to recycling all used coffee grounds to generate power for homes throughout London. In doing so, Caffè Nero has made great strides towards creating a greener economy and society. But how exactly have they done it?
Coffee = Power
A fundamental ethic of Caffè Nero’s is ensuring a responsible recycling practice is maintained at all times. To achieve this, Caffè Nero have achieved zero waste to landfill in London since 2010 and 50% of their waste is transported by barge along the Thames to reduce road miles used by 125,000 miles. While this is certainly an excellent result, for Caffè Nero there’s still more to be done.
That’s why they partnered with First Mile to recycle their used coffee grounds. Plans for the partnership and recycling scheme, which would see used coffee grounds turned into pellets for use in wood burners, first began in 2015. The scheme started in earnest in July 2016.
The scheme involves bagging up all used coffee grounds at every one of Caffè Nero’s 122 London stores. These sacks are then collected by First Mile, who deliver the waste to dedicated recycling facilities where the grounds are turned into pellets that can power wood burners, or into biodiesel to fuel cars.
Power Yield of Coffee
The fact that coffee can yield power is impressive, but just how much power it yields is even more impressive.
For instance, by July Caffè Nero will have repurposed 218 tonnes of used coffee grounds to generate 98 tonnes of biomass pellets. These pellets have the potential to power a staggering 453 homes from coffee alone.
What’s more, for every tonne of waste coffee grounds 245L of biodiesel is procurable, enough to fill four cars to the brim. Over the year, enough coffee will have been recycled to fuel a complete circuit of the M25 a phenomenal 3,689 times.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Recycle!
As you can see, the potential to minimise the carbon footprint Caffè Nero makes is immense, and appropriate waste management channels have been indispensable in achieving this.
That’s where Hinton’s Waste can help. We’re proud to offer comprehensive commercial recycling services in Croydon and Sutton, perfectly designed to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. We’re committed to recycling at least 90% of all waste we collect, so to see your business prosper from the benefits of recycling, remember to contact our friendly team.