Intermedia / Reporter Liu Meijun / Yunlin Report) Gukeng in Yunlin—most people's first thought is coffee. Gukeng is not only an important coffee producing area in Taiwan, but also the starting point for many people to get to know Taiwan's specialty coffee. However, beyond coffee itself, how to make good use of the by-products and coffee grounds generated by the coffee industry to create higher circular value has become an important issue for local industrial upgrading.
Liu Jian-guo stated that in the past, many people thought coffee grounds were just waste, but with the development of recycling technology, coffee grounds have gradually been transformed into economically valuable resources. They can be made into a variety of circular products such as coffee yarn, functional fibers, towels, deodorizing products, and agricultural materials, demonstrating new possibilities for the circular economy.
Liu Jian-guo pointed out that when he was invited to attend the founding press conference of the "Coffee Grounds Circular Regeneration Alliance" by the Ministry of Environment at the end of last year, he specially led Yunlin industry players to participate and presented Minister Peng Qi-ming with a coffee yarn towel made from coffee grounds. He said that the coffee yarn towel is not just a product; it represents the concrete achievement of Yunlin's traditional industries combining innovative technology and the circular economy.
Regarding the future development of the coffee industry, Gukeng Township Mayor Lin Hui-ru said that coffee has the potential for whole-plant utilization beyond being a beverage. She hopes to use the circular utilization model to open up new development directions for the coffee industry, balancing industrial development and environmental sustainability.
Liu Jian-gu further pointed out that while initial results have been achieved in the circular utilization of coffee grounds on the consumer side, the production side still faces issues such as the processing capacity and carbon footprint of by-products like peels, pulp, and pectin. Therefore, in the future, he will strive to promote the establishment of a "Coffee By-products Circular Utilization Demonstration Center" in Gukeng to help address the challenges on the production side, making the circular utilization of the coffee industry more complete and providing more development opportunities for coffee farmers across Taiwan.
Minister of Environment Peng Qi-ming stated that Yunlin, as a major agricultural county, has a lot of agricultural waste from by-products like pulp. In the past, whole-plant utilization faced the dilemma of lacking business models. In the future, the Ministry of Environment will cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture to help solve problems from the business model perspective, promoting resource circulation and zero waste goals.
Peng Qi-ming further noted that with the promotion of the "Resource Recycling Promotion Act" in the future, mechanisms such as green procurement and recycling labels will support the development of the circular industry. At the same time, agricultural waste will be regarded as biochar resources, and relevant methodologies and verification mechanisms will be gradually established to enhance resource reuse efficiency.
Liu Jian-guo said that in the past, the value of the coffee industry often ended with coffee beans and grounds, but in the future, he hopes that coffee grounds will no longer be the end point but the starting point of another industrial value. The circular utilization of coffee grounds is not just an environmental issue; it is an important opportunity for industrial upgrading, promoting the integration of agriculture and industry, connecting local industries with the circular economy, and creating more employment opportunities and industrial value.
Liu Jian-guo emphasized that he will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture to promote the development of the circular economy, ensuring that good policies, good technologies, and good industrial models are truly implemented, allowing the fragrance of Gukeng coffee to spread further and making Taiwan's circular economy development more stable and long-lasting.
