In brief
The Netherlands produces an estimated 250 million kilograms of coffee grounds annually, most of which is incinerated. An increasing number of companies are using coffee grounds as a raw material for oyster mushrooms, building materials, and cosmetics. The infrastructure for collection and processing will move beyond the pilot phase in 2026.
The Netherlands produces an estimated 250 million kilograms of coffee grounds annually. Most of it ends up in the general waste stream and is incinerated. That’s changing. Several Dutch companies are using coffee grounds in a circular economy as a raw material for oyster mushrooms, building materials, and cosmetics. Below, you can read about which initiatives will scale up in 2026, how much coffee grounds your office produces, and how to set up a return stream that fits within your waste and cleaning contract.
Coffee grounds production per office: a rule of thumb
The average employee drinks about four cups of coffee a day. Each cup leaves behind 7 to 12 grams of ground coffee as waste. For an office with 50 employees, that amounts to roughly 30 to 50 kilograms of coffee grounds per month. With 200 employees, you’re looking at 120 to 200 kilograms. A rule of thumb: count the number of workstations, multiply by 0.6 kilograms per month, and you’ll have a useful estimate.
Those volumes make reusing coffee grounds in the office an attractive option right away. Once you exceed 50 kilograms per month, most buyers will accept your supply without an additional fee. Smaller offices can connect to an existing pickup network through their coffee supplier. With each coffee delivery, the full collection bin is then exchanged for an empty one.
Dutch customers who recycle coffee grounds
Three sectors in the Netherlands are leading the way in processing coffee grounds as a circular raw material.
Oyster mushrooms
RotterZwam, a Rotterdam-based grower that cultivates oyster mushrooms on used coffee grounds, also operates a nationwide pickup network for businesses. For every kilogram of processed coffee grounds, an average of 290 grams of oyster mushrooms are grown. Several local growers are adopting this model. By 2026, the coverage for oyster mushroom cultivation using coffee grounds will expand further beyond the Randstad, with new farms in Brabant and Gelderland.
: Building Materials and Biocomposites
Caffe Inc., an Amsterdam-based recycling company that extracts coffee oil and building materials from coffee grounds, is building a recycling plant in the Port of Amsterdam, funded in partnership with the Amsterdam Climate and Energy Fund. The plant extracts coffee oil from the grounds and compresses the residual material into coffee blocks for biobased building materials (building products made from renewable, organic raw materials). In Drenthe, Milling Company Europe is working on a biocomposite made from coffee grounds for items such as coffee cups and coasters. Biocomposite is a material that consists partly of organic fibers or waste materials. Both plants aim to double their processing capacity by 2026.
Cosmetics and Ink
The coffee oil extracted by Caffe Inc. is used in the personal care industry: face cream, shampoo bars, and hair care products. The company also produces coffee-based dyes for textiles and printing.
Setting Up a Return Process: Logistics and Approach
Reusing coffee grounds in the office starts with separate collection. Here’s the three-step approach: place a leak-proof bucket or roll container next to the coffee machine, sign a collection contract with a company such as PreZero, Koffie Recycling Nederland, or Renewi, and include the collection process in your facilities SLA (Service Level Agreement—the document that outlines your agreements with your facilities service provider). Coffee grounds remain fresh for up to two weeks for optimal recycling, so a biweekly pickup cycle is standard.
The financial benefit comes later: less residual waste means lower waste disposal taxes. Every kilogram of coffee grounds you recycle instead of incinerating is estimated to save 775 grams of CO₂. An office with 80 workstations that collects 50 to 80 kilograms of coffee grounds separately each month saves approximately 460 to 740 kilograms of CO₂ annually and reduces the residual waste stream by five to ten percent.
Coordination with Your Cleaning Contract
The cleaning crew empties the trash bins daily and, in practice, determines whether coffee grounds are kept separate or end up in the general waste. Therefore, be sure to explicitly include coffee grounds collection as a task in your cleaning contract. Specify who empties the collection bin, how often this is done, and where the full container is placed for pickup. Without this agreement, the separation process will break down as soon as the first new cleaner takes over.
This is particularly relevant for companies subject to the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the European directive on sustainability reporting). The directive requires reporting on waste streams, including the amount you collect separately for reuse or recycling. A documented coffee grounds return stream provides measurable data for your sustainability report: kilograms collected, CO₂ savings, and the percentage of waste processed in a circular manner.
Circular processing of coffee grounds in the Netherlands will move beyond the pilot phase in 2026. The infrastructure for collection and processing is already in place. Include waste separation provisions in your facilities management contract, choose a collection partner, and turn your coffee grounds into a raw material that counts toward your CSRD reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much coffee grounds does an average office produce each month?
Allow for 7 to 12 grams of coffee grounds per cup. An office with 50 workstations will generate approximately 30 to 50 kilograms per month. With 200 employees, that amounts to 120 to 200 kilograms.
Which Dutch political parties will be reading coffee grounds in 2026?
RotterZwam and its affiliated local growers use coffee grounds to cultivate oyster mushrooms. Caffe Inc. recycles them into coffee oil and construction materials in Amsterdam. In addition, PreZero, Renewi, and Koffie Recycling Nederland offer nationwide collection and processing services.
Does coffee grounds return count toward a CSRD report?
Yes. The CSRD requires reporting on waste streams, including the amount that is collected separately for reuse or recycling. Coffee grounds that are demonstrably processed in a circular manner contribute to your circular economy goals and CO₂ reduction figures.
How do you coordinate coffee grounds collection with your cleaning service provider?
Include coffee grounds collection as a specific task in your cleaning contract or facilities SLA. Specify who empties the collection bin, how often this is done, and where the full container is placed for pickup.
How much CO₂ does separate coffee grounds collection save?
Every kilogram of coffee grounds that is recycled instead of incinerated is estimated to save 775 grams of CO₂. An office with 80 workstations that collects 50 to 80 kilograms per month prevents approximately 460 to 740 kilograms of CO₂ emissions annually.
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