Why you should never pour coffee down the drain
What you should and shouldn’t put down a drain
- A woman was fined, then had the fine rescinded, for pouring coffee down a drain, sparking debate on its environmental impact.
- With 98 million cups consumed daily in the UK, coffee disposed of via drains contributes to caffeine levels in sewage systems.
- Much of the UK's combined sewage system means caffeine and other pollutants can reach rivers, especially during heavy rains when untreated wastewater is diverted.
- Coffee, including caffeine and other compounds, lowers water pH, depletes oxygen, and encourages algae growth, harming aquatic ecosystems. The advice is not to put anything into a drain that you don’t want to see ending up in a river, lake, on a beach or in the sea, such as coffee, food-based liquids, oils, paint or hot fats, detergents or bleaches.
- Experts advise against pouring coffee or other waste liquids down drains, recommending disposal via composting, food waste recycling, or general bins to protect waterways.