UAE has figured out how to turn plastic and coffee into a remedy for global warming

A team of researchers from the University of Sharjah (UAE) has developed a unique technology that turns waste coffee and plastic into an effective sorbent to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂). The patent for this development was filed in March 2025 and published in August. The technology opens new perspectives in the fight against industrial emissions and air pollution.

The technology is based on the co-pyrolysis treatment of two types of waste:

• used coffee grounds (SCG) - about 8 million tonnes are discarded globally each year, often in landfills, where they release methane and other greenhouse gases;

• pET (polyethylene terephthalate)plastic, widely used in packaging.

By adding potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an activating agent, scientists produce activated carbon with a high CO₂ adsorption capacity.

How the technology works

According to lead developer Dr Haif Aljomard, the key step is to carbonise coffee grounds and plastic waste at 600°C. This relatively low temperature threshold makes the process energy and environmentally efficient.

The result is a material with a developed porous structure, a large surface area and a high potential for capturing greenhouse gases. The technology simultaneously addresses the challenges of waste utilisation and reducing CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere.

"What starts with a cup of coffee from Starbucks and a water bottle can become a weapon against climate change," says Dr Aljomard.

Professor Chauki Genai, co-author of the invention, emphasises: the technology is an example of a circular economy, where two waste streams are turned into a high value-added product.

Advantages of activated carbon from waste:

• high sorption capacity to CO₂;

• low production cost (available raw materials);

• wide range of applications.

Industrial prospects

According to the authors, the development can be applied:

• in air purification (including waste incineration plants);

• in water filtration (drinking water, sewage, swimming pools, aquariums);

• in purification of flue and process gases;

• in the energy and chemical industry (e.g. for solvent recovery or natural gas purification).

Activated carbon can also be used in emission control systems, including coal-fired thermal power plants and fossil-fuelled industrial plants.