From Waste to Wonder Workshops
Coffee Chaff
Coffee chaff—the lightweight skin that comes off coffee beans during roasting—is everywhere, yet barely gets used. But what if we could turn this byproduct into something useful? Repurposing coffee chaff for bioplastics is an eco-friendly game-changer! By turning chaff into something useful, we not only reduce waste but also promote a circular economy, making a positive impact on the environment while creating new, sustainable materials.
Why?
Coffee chaff is the skin that separates from the coffee bean during the roasting process. It ends up as waste primarily due to the high volume generated during coffee bean processing and the limited uses for coffee chaff outside of composting or disposal.
Where?
Coffee chaff can be collected locally from various points in the coffee production chain, including coffee roasteries, cafes, and coffee processing facilities. Some places may offer coffee chaff for free or at a nominal cost.
How?
I usually reach out to local roasteries or cafes, and they’re more than happy to let me collect it. Once I’ve gathered enough, I make sure to sift through it and pick out any impurities. To make it easier to mix into my bioplastic recipes, I sometimes grind it down with a food processor to get a finer consistency. It’s a super easy way to give this often-wasted material a second life!