The company aims to be at the forefront of industrialising the process of converting waste coffee grounds into biofuels by recycling 17 million kilogrammes/year of spent coffee grounds into 1.8 million litres/year of biodiesel and 4.5 million kilogrammes/year of biomass pellets and fire logs.

According to Verda Waste, due to the great demand of coffee, large amounts of residues are generated in the industry that are toxic and that represent serious environmental problems, with a vast majority ending up in landfills.

The plant will recycle about 70 000 tonnes of coffee waste that would have otherwise ended up in South African landfills over the next five years, saving 476 000 tonnes in carbon emissions.

According to Fischer Khambule, CEO of Verda Waste, "Not only is this plant good for the environment, but it will also provide jobs for the youth and more than 100 small business opportunities will be created."

This Johannesburg-based plant is anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.

For more information, contact info@verdawaste.co.za.