Veolia has worked with worm castings producer Wormganix to recycle three tonnes of spent coffee grounds from a Starbucks licensee in the North of England.
Using a unique method that feeds worms a mixture of paper pulp and spent coffee grounds that they digest to produce a nutrient rich fertiliser such as humus or vermicompost which contain beneficial microbes, fungi and bacteria for soil, the Veolia Wormganix trial is currently taking place with a Starbucks store in Bradford, We,st Yorkshire and has already recycled the equivalent of 420,000 single shot coffees
Veolia facilitates the collection of the spent coffee grounds to be mixed with paper pulp and fed to the worms to digest.
The grounds are then transported to the Wormganix facility which is located just outside Bradford in Cleckheaton, only six miles away from the participating store.
Veolia’s Managing Director for Commercial, Adam Wylie, says: “We are always looking for innovative solutions to help our customers with their sustainability goals and this project utilises new methods to tackle a challenging waste stream.
The new pilot with Wormganix is still in an early stage, but we are excited and proud that the
Centenary Square, Market St, Bradford store represents another important step for Starbucks UK
in our work to tackle food waste.
We are looking forward to seeing the results of the trial and the positive impact that it can have on the coffee industry.”
Kevin Payne, Regional Operations Manager in the North at Soul Coffee House Limited – the Starbucks licensee for the Bradford store, adds: “We're thrilled to see the positive impact this will have in Bradford, supporting local business and the community.
