Composting and Anaerobic Digestion
as Biotechnological Alternatives
for the Valorization of Used Coffee
Ground in University Campus
Isael Colonna Ribeiro, Roberta Arlêu Teixeira, Livia Luchi Rabello,
Jacqueline R. Bringhenti and Adriana M. Nicolau Korres
Abstract Despite the increasing of coffee consumption in Brazil and the
consequent increase in used coffee ground generation on university campuses, sustainable alternatives for the coffee wastes recovery are still incipient, and more than
90% of this residue is directed to landfills. This paper reports a study under development at a university campus in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the
generation of used coffee ground and the potential for its use through composting
and anaerobic digestion. The study is concerned on the generation, collection, and
quantification of coffee wastes in the institution, the proposal of reuse alternatives, as
well as the estimating amount of waste diverting from landfill, consequently avoiding greenhouse gases. The evaluated campus has about 80 departments and among
these, eight are participating since 2014 in the organic waste recovery project, counting about 130 people involved. Results show that around 55 kg per year of used coffee
ground were collected from participating sectors and sent for composting. Results
obtained so far show this approach as an important proposal for the sustainable use
of coffee ground wastes in living labs experiences of this educational institution.
Accordingly, this is a good parameter to be replicated in other situations, supporting
the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Keywords Education · Coffee ground composting · Sustainable development
I. C. Ribeiro · R. A. Teixeira (B) · L. L. Rabello · J. R. Bringhenti · A. M. Nicolau Korres
Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Espirito Santo, 1729 Vitoria Ave.,
Vitoria, Espirito Santo 29040-780, Brazil
e-mail: roberta.arleu@gmail.com
I. C. Ribeiro
e-mail: isaelcolonna@gmail.com
L. L. Rabello
e-mail: livia.luchi.rabello@gmail.com
J. R. Bringhenti
e-mail: jacquelineb@ifes.edu.br
A. M. Nicolau Korres
e-mail: adrianak@ifes.edu.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development,
World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15604-6_48
789
as Biotechnological Alternatives
for the Valorization of Used Coffee
Ground in University Campus
Isael Colonna Ribeiro, Roberta Arlêu Teixeira, Livia Luchi Rabello,
Jacqueline R. Bringhenti and Adriana M. Nicolau Korres
Abstract Despite the increasing of coffee consumption in Brazil and the
consequent increase in used coffee ground generation on university campuses, sustainable alternatives for the coffee wastes recovery are still incipient, and more than
90% of this residue is directed to landfills. This paper reports a study under development at a university campus in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the
generation of used coffee ground and the potential for its use through composting
and anaerobic digestion. The study is concerned on the generation, collection, and
quantification of coffee wastes in the institution, the proposal of reuse alternatives, as
well as the estimating amount of waste diverting from landfill, consequently avoiding greenhouse gases. The evaluated campus has about 80 departments and among
these, eight are participating since 2014 in the organic waste recovery project, counting about 130 people involved. Results show that around 55 kg per year of used coffee
ground were collected from participating sectors and sent for composting. Results
obtained so far show this approach as an important proposal for the sustainable use
of coffee ground wastes in living labs experiences of this educational institution.
Accordingly, this is a good parameter to be replicated in other situations, supporting
the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Keywords Education · Coffee ground composting · Sustainable development
I. C. Ribeiro · R. A. Teixeira (B) · L. L. Rabello · J. R. Bringhenti · A. M. Nicolau Korres
Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Espirito Santo, 1729 Vitoria Ave.,
Vitoria, Espirito Santo 29040-780, Brazil
e-mail: roberta.arleu@gmail.com
I. C. Ribeiro
e-mail: isaelcolonna@gmail.com
L. L. Rabello
e-mail: livia.luchi.rabello@gmail.com
J. R. Bringhenti
e-mail: jacquelineb@ifes.edu.br
A. M. Nicolau Korres
e-mail: adrianak@ifes.edu.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development,
World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15604-6_48
789