Coffee grounds
Bin: Bucket next to the coffee machineToo good to burn: raw material for soil improver and biobased products.
Coffee grounds are a clean, uniform residual stream. Collected separately they stay usable; in residual waste they are only fuel. Let them drain and keep filters and cups out.
This belongs in it
- Grounds from the percolator or espresso machine
- Grounds from the catering kitchen
This does not belong in it
- Coffee capsules and pads (residual waste or PMD, depending on type)
- Paper filter bags (organic waste)
- Milk, sugar and leftover drinks
What happens to it?
- 1. Collect separately
Grounds are collected in a dedicated bucket or bin next to the machine.
- 2. Collected together or separately
Coffee grounds can be collected together with the organic waste, or as a separate stream. Which applies on site depends on the arrangements with the collector.
- 3. Processing
The grounds are dried and used as a raw material.
- 4. New use
They serve as soil improver, as substrate for oyster mushrooms and as filler in biobased materials.
Where is it processed?
Processed by a specialist processor of organic residual streams.
This is what it becomes
Good to know
Rules and legislation
Coffee grounds are bio-waste. The Circular Materials Plan requires organisations to keep bio-waste separate from 240 litres when it arises incidentally; in professional kitchens this applies daily.
Sources
The figures and rules on this page were checked against the following sources.
- Gescheiden houden van bedrijfsafval en gevaarlijk afvalRijkswaterstaat — Circulair Materialenplan
- Afvalstromen en dienstverleningDe Graaf Groep
Checked on 18 August 2026