Scientists blend spent coffee and plastic waste to trap industrial emissions

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Interesting Engineering or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Scientists at the University of Sharjah in the UAE have developed a newly patented carbon capture technology that transforms spent coffee grounds (SCG) and PET plastic waste into high-performance activated carbon
• The innovation, announced on October 6, 2025, blends these waste materials with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and uses a low-energy co-pyrolysis process to produce a CO₂-adsorbent capable of capturing industrial emissions.

🔭 The context: Global plastic and coffee waste volumes are immense — over 82 million metric tons of PET and 10 billion kilograms of coffee waste are generated annually
• Simultaneously, industrial carbon capture remains a costly and under-deployed solution, particularly in developing regions
• This innovation offers a dual benefit: reducing waste while providing a low-cost alternative to traditional CO₂-capture materials in sectors like fossil fuel power, chemicals, and manufacturing

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By tackling both carbon emissions and waste management simultaneously, this technology aligns with circular economy principles and helps decouple economic activity from resource consumption
• Its low-cost, high-capacity performance could democratize access to carbon capture in low- and middle-income countries, where infrastructure constraints limit decarbonization options
• Its potential use in air and water purification adds further environmental value

⏭️ What's next: The technology, patented in March 2025, is now poised for industrial-scale testing. Researchers anticipate applications beyond power generation, including food processing and chemical industries
• Its commercial success will depend on partnerships with industrial emitters and possible integration into broader sustainability strategies, including the UAE’s net-zero roadmap and international carbon credit markets

💬 One quote: "What begins with a Starbucks coffee cup and a discarded plastic water bottle can become a powerful tool in the fight against climate change." – Dr. Haif Aljomard, Lead Inventor

📈 One stat: The global production of PET plastic exceeds 82 million metric tons annually, with most ending up in landfills or the environment

Explore carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies on Data Hub™ — the first platform designed to help sustainability providers generate sales leads!

Click for more news covering the latest on carbon capture & storage