How to Dispose of Coffee Grounds

Source: wikiHow

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While tossing them in the trash is quick and easy, there are plenty of more sustainable ways to dispose of coffee grounds. See if there’s a local curbside composting service available, or make your own compost heap. You could also reuse your grounds for a variety of household projects.

Whichever method you go with, just remember to keep used grounds away from drains, as they’re a common cause of clogs and septic tank issues.

1. 1 Toss coffee grounds in the trash if you want the easiest solution. For a no-fuss solution, just throw your grounds in the garbage as you would any other non-hazardous household waste. As a bonus, coffee grounds can absorb odors, so they might help keep your trash from smelling bad.^[1]
   • While you can just throw grounds in the trash, there are a variety of ways to reuse them. Reducing the amount of trash you send to the landfill is good for the environment.^[2]
2. 2 Keep your used grounds away from sinks and toilets. Never dispose of coffee grounds by pouring them down a sink or flushing them down a toilet. They collect in the drain and are a common cause of clogs.^[3]
   • Additionally, coffee grounds can cause major septic system problems, so keeping them out of your plumbing is especially important if you have a septic tank.^[4]
3. 3 See if there’s a local curbside composting service. In some areas, government or private companies provide bins for compostable food waste, including coffee grounds and filters. Search online to see if this service is available in your area.
   You fill the bin up with compostable waste, then they pick it up and replace the filled bin with a fresh one.^[5]
   • If you don’t want to pay for curbside composting service, you can also make your own compost pile.

1. 1 Place a lidded bin in a shaded dry spot. To deter pests and protect your heap from the wind, cover your bin with a lid or tarp. Keep the bin in a shaded spot in your yard, and make sure it’s far enough from homes and property lines to comply with your local codes.^[6]
   • For instance, you might need to keep the bin at least 20 ft (6.1 m) from homes and drainage ways, 5 ft (1.5 m) from property lines and fences, and out of sight from the street.
   • Check your city or county government website for your specific local regulations.
2. 2 Start with a layer of course branches and twigs to promote air flow. For the first layer, cover the bottom of the bin with woody materials. That way, the bottom of the heap will still be able to breathe after you’ve added layers of denser materials, such your used coffee grounds.^[7]
3. 3 Add a 6 in (15 cm) layer of leaves and yard clippings. Rake your yard, mow the lawn, and prune your bushes so you’ll have material for your heap’s next layer. Leaves, grass clippings, and other organic yard debris will provide your heap with sources of carbon.^[8]
4. 4 Toss in coffee grounds, fruit and veggie scraps, and eggshells. After the leaves and grass trimmings, add any stems, peels, rinds, eggshells, nut shells, vacuum cleaner bag contents, and coffee grounds you have on hand. Mix them up with the grass…

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