<\/p>\n
Humans produce around 4.4 billion tons of concrete every year. That process consumes around 8 billion tons of sand<\/a> (out of the 40-50 billion tons in total used annually) which has, in part, led to acute shortages of the building commodity<\/a> in recent years. At the same time, we generate about 10 billion kilograms of used coffee grounds over the same span \u2014 coffee grounds which a team of researchers from RMIT University<\/a> in Australia have discovered can be used as a silica substitute in the concrete production process<\/a> that, in the proper proportions, yields a significantly stronger chemical bond than sand alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change,\u201d lead author of the study, Dr Rajeev Roychand of RMIT’s School of Engineering, said in a recent release<\/a>. He notes that Australia alone produces 75 million kilograms of used coffee grounds each year, most of which ends up in landfills.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n