How Taipei Uses Coffee Grounds in Community Gardens

In a quiet corner of Taipei’s Da’an District, a group of locals, city officials, and coffee shops have quietly forged an unlikely partnership — not over lattes, but over coffee waste. On the roof of a public building, they’ve built a shared community vegetable garden, and their secret ingredient? Used coffee grounds collected from nearby cafés.

The answer is simple: about three times a week, the group gathers coffee grounds from nearly ten local cafés, ferments them for three months, and uses the resulting natural fertilizer to grow vegetables — all for free.

A Shared Urban Garden Above the City

The project began when nine local organizations, including three neighborhood offices in Da’an , formed the Shuiliupan Cultural Life Alliance. Last year, they secured permission to use the rooftop of a public community center — around 10 square meters of underused space in a dense urban district.

In early spring six months ago, they started planting vegetables. But rather than buying commercial fertilizer, they sought a more sustainable solution — and found one in the most unexpected place: coffee shops.

Coffee Shops Become Compost Allies

The team reached out to roughly ten nearby cafés. At first, not everyone was on board. “Some shop owners didn’t know coffee grounds could be used as fertilizer,” said member Shi Pei-yin . “Others worried about the smell if it wasn’t managed properly.”

To reassure them, the alliance provided sealed containers. Now, three times a week, volunteers collect the grounds and transport them to the rooftop. There, the coffee waste is dumped into large containers and left to ferment for around three months before being applied to the vegetable beds.

Why Coffee Grounds Work as Fertilizer

The idea came from alliance member Yu Wei , who jokingly called it a “bad idea” — except it wasn’t. “The coffee grounds are too rich!” Yu said. Rich in nitrogen and trace minerals, coffee grounds act as an excellent natural fertilizer, particularly beneficial for leafy greens.

Yu even constructed cylindrical containers using wire and cloth to hold the grounds. Thanks to the high rooftop temperatures, even regular kitchen scraps can be added without attracting pests like rats or cockroaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do they collect coffee grounds from cafés?

The alliance collects coffee grounds from around ten nearby cafés approximately three times a week. The collection is organized and consistent to ensure a steady supply for composting.

How are the coffee grounds turned into fertilizer?

The collected coffee grounds are placed in large containers on the rooftop and left to ferment for about three months. This fermentation process breaks down the grounds into a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer suitable for vegetable gardening.

What vegetables are grown on the rooftop garden?

The article does not specify which vegetables are grown, but it mentions that the fertilized soil is used to cultivate various types of vegetables on the 10-square-meter rooftop plot.

How do they prevent pests from getting into the coffee grounds?

Alliance member Yu Wei designed cylindrical containers using wire and cloth to hold the coffee grounds. The high temperatures on the rooftop, even when adding general kitchen scraps, help prevent pests such as rats and cockroaches from entering.

Which neighborhoods are involved in the alliance?

The Shuiliupan Cultural Life Alliance includes three neighborhood offices in Taipei’s Da’an District: (Gufeng Li), (Longquan Li), and (Jin’an Li), along with other local groups and cafés.

How big is the rooftop garden space?

The shared rooftop garden occupies approximately 10 square meters (about 10) of public rooftop space on a community building in Taipei’s Da’an District.

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