- L
- O
- A
- D
- I
- N
- G
In 2015, the United Nations officially adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the Sustainable Development Summit. According to the United Nations Brundtland Commission's definition, sustainability is defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"[1]. The SDGs aim to comprehensively address development issues across the social, economic, and environmental dimensions from 2015 to 2030, shifting toward a sustainable development pathway.
With less than half of the period remaining until 2030, when the SDGs are set to be achieved, numerous challenges to sustainable development still persist. Resource waste and the recycling of waste materials remain major global challenges. Our team focuses on addressing the issue of coffee grounds and believes that synthetic biology can effectively address the obstacles to achieving the SDGs, andsignificantly contribute to the final push towards 2030. By doing so, we aim to create a cleaner, more peaceful, and prosperous world for all of humanity.
Our project contributes to the realization of several Sustainable Development Goals by leveraging synthetic biology to address the growing problem of coffee ground disposal. Through collaboration with stakeholders and targeted partners (SDG 17), we focus on the recycling and utilization of used coffee grounds (SDG 12), aiming to reduce the environmental impact of urban coffee waste on human habitats (SDG 11). Specifically, we target the issue of excessive carbon dioxide emissions caused by the landfill disposal of coffee grounds (SDG 13), while achieving value-added products from waste materials (SDG 9) and creating more high-quality employment opportunities through commercialization (SDG 8). Ultimately, we aim to use the recycled product, 7-MX, to address the issue of human myopia (SDG 3).
SDG 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
SDG 3 focuses on safeguarding the health of people worldwide and improving human well-being through better healthcare. We aim to contribute to SDG 3 by addressing the issue of myopia. Myopia is recognized as one of the three most prominent global diseases. Currently, the global prevalence of myopia is around 30%[2]. It is predicted that by 2050, the global myopic population will reach 5 billion, leading to increased health-related complications and economic burdens[3]. Myopia is caused by an elongated axial length and reduced focal length of the lens, resulting in the elongation or oval-shaped deformation of the eye. The progression of myopia can lead to several ocular complications, including cataracts, glaucoma, and irreversible vision impairment[4]. Thus, myopia has become a significant human health concern. Our team aims to mitigate the root causes of myopia, providing an efficient and side-effect-free solution that allows people with myopia to remove their glasses and enjoy a more convenient daily life, seeing the world with unobstructed vision.
The 7-MX compound produced in our project is an ideal new drug suitable for long-term oral consumption by people of all ages to slow the progression of myopia. It is a non-selective adenosine antagonist that induces scleral thickening and increases the diameter of scleral collagen fibers. These effects contrast sharply with the changes reported in myopic eyes. Furthermore, 7-MX has negligible toxicity, no allergic reactions, exhibits good blood-brain barrier permeability, and has proven efficacy. When administered orally, it meets nearly all the optimal criteria for treating progressive myopia[5][6].
In discussions with Qiao Bin, Director of Ophthalmology at a Secondary Hospital in Jilin Province, we gained more insights into the issues about myopia and ocular health. Dr. Qiao believes that compared to invasive treatments such as laser surgery, consuming 7-MX as a food additive might offer a relatively mild treatment option, with reduced risks and complications associated with surgical interventions.
Our project directly addresses a sub-target of SDG 3: SDG 3.8 (Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all). By utilizing spent coffee grounds to mass-produce the effective myopia treatment drug 7-MX, we aim to significantly improve the production efficiency, which will, in turn, greatly reduce the cost of 7-MX. This transformation will turn 7-MX from an expensive medication into an affordable solution accessible to the general public, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 8 aims to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
SDG 8 aims to promote sustained economic growth and decent employment for all while fostering a green and clean economic model. As the governments worldwide seek effective strategies to navigate the crises associated with sustainable development, various forms of the green economy have been proposed as mechanisms to advance national policy development, facilitate international cooperation, and support sustainability initiatives[7].
Currently, there are several drawbacks associated with the reuse of coffee grounds. Some of them cannot generate high values, while many other proposed methods remain in the theoretical phase, making practical implementation challenging and not aligning with the developmental objectives of the green economy.
Below are some existing pathways for the resource utilization of coffee grounds[8].
We can find that, in contrast to the rapid development of the coffee processing industry, the disposal of coffee grounds remains limited to rudimentary landfill methods. Currently, coffee grounds are regarded as low-value waste. Thus, with millions of tons of discarded coffee grounds, the urgent challenge is to develop clean and efficient approached to process them and enhance their value. Our team aims to pioneer an innovative industrial chain that increases the value of coffee grounds by transforming them from a useless waste resource into something valuable. Meanwhile, we hope to provide a clean and efficient industrial route for humanity, ultimately achieving sustainable economic growth.
Through literature review and project design, we have innovatively transformed coffee grounds into high-value compounds, specifically 7-MX, using synthetic biology methods. This has opened up a clean and efficient production pathway that enhances the improved value of coffee grounds. Moreover, our research will raise awareness about the efficacy of 7-MX as a myopia treatment, promote the development of new pharmaceuticals, and create additional employment opportunities in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. On another front, this project will encourage further research into the production of xanthine derivatives, leading to innovations and advancements in new therapies and production methods, thus contributing to economic growth in the biotechnology industry.
Our project concretely addresses specific targets within SDG 8:
SDG 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
SDG 9 aims to achieve social development and economic growth while enhancing resource use efficiency and strengthening the cleanliness and harmlessness of technologies. The five targets of Sustainable Development Goal 9 are focused on developing reliable and sustainable high-quality infrastructure, promoting industrialization, increasing access to services, upgrading existing infrastructure for sustainable development purposes, and enhancing research and technological capacity. Achieving these goals will ensure a future that is environmentally friendly for all.
Currently, the global production of coffee grounds amounts to approximately millions of tons annually; most of this waste is managed through landfill disposal, leading to significant resource wastage, low resource use efficiency, and environmental pollution, which contradicts the requirements for sustainable industrialization outlined in SDG 9.
Our project is aimed at producing 7-MX and other products from the methylxanthine family, which aligns with the sustainable development objectives of SDG 9 by innovatively building resilient infrastructure and achieving inclusive and sustainable industrialization. Our approach integrates biotechnology and medical treatment fields, resulting in cross-disciplinary technological innovation.
Our project effectively addresses the specific target within SDG 9:
SDG 9.4 (By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities). Our project further processes coffee grounds using synthetic biology methods to mitigate environmental pollution, thus upgrading infrastructure and industrial practices, improving waste resource utilization efficiency, and innovatively establishing a clean and efficient industrial process. Additionally, we have developed a business plan for NEFU-China 2024, refining our innovative and environmentally friendly industrial process in an effort to truly engage the public with our processes and products.
SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
Cities are the centers of thought, business, culture, science, productivity, society, human development, and economic growth. Issues related to sustainable urban development include urban planning, transportation systems, water supply, sanitation, waste management, disaster risk reduction, information accessibility, education, and capacity building. Globally, the annual production of coffee grounds is approximately 6 × 106 tons; however, our survey of coffee shops revealed that most owners simply discard the substantial amounts of coffee grounds generated each day, transforming these by-products, which still possess potential value, into urban waste.
We recognize that the direct disposal of coffee grounds not only negatively impacts urban hygiene but also exacerbates the pressures of waste management and urban planning. In modern cities, as coffee consumption increases year by year, the large quantities of generated coffee grounds, if not properly managed, can lead to a range of issues including environmental pollution, unpleasant odors, and pest attraction. Therefore, changing the method of handling coffee grounds to better serve humanity may not only mitigate these negative effects but also contribute to achieving our sustainable development goals.
In this context, we particularly focus on Target 11.6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal SDG-11: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
To achieve this target, we have actively initiated our project, and collected coffee grounds from local coffee shops during the experimental process. Through scientific research and technological means in the laboratory, we recycle these coffee grounds to explore their application value, thereby reducing the hazards associated with urban waste. Furthermore, our efforts aim to raise public awareness of environmental protection, helping more individuals recognize the potential value of coffee grounds and thus encouraging a collaborative effort across society to improve urban waste management.
At the same time, we are in contact with relevant factories in hopes of scaling up the production of 7-MX to more effectively process and recycle these discarded coffee grounds. This large-scale production will not only help reduce the overall quantity of waste coffee grounds but, more importantly, significantly alleviate the pressure on urban waste management systems, contributing to the creation of cleaner and healthier urban environments. Through such multi-faceted collaboration and innovative practices, we believe we can establish a solid foundation for achieving sustainable development goals.
SDG 12 aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
The concept of sustainable consumption and production was later recognized in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002. At that time, sustainable consumption and production were identified as one of the three overarching objectives and essential requirements for the sustainable development, alongside poverty eradication and natural resource management, to promote economic and social development. It has been acknowledged that fundamental changes in societal modes of production and consumption are imperative for achieving global sustainable development. In contrast to the rapid growth of the coffee processing industry, the disposal of coffee grounds remains at the rudimentary stage of landfill practices. Coffee grounds contain a significant amount of organic compounds (such as caffeine, cellulose, and other polysaccharides), which, if directly landfilled in large quantities, can be transformed by soil microorganisms into toxic substances, causing substantial environmental damage. Therefore, we have recognized the immense potential and importance of recycling and reusing coffee grounds.
Solid waste encompasses all household refuse and non-hazardous waste, including commercial and institutional waste, street sweepings, and construction debris; in some countries/regions, it also includes human waste. Hazardous waste often mixes with other types of waste, presenting unique management challenges.
To address this type of challenges, we specifically focus on Target 12.5 of the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 12: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
In practice, we have conducted extensive outreach activities targeting various groups of citizens, explaining the environmental and ecological harms caused by the indiscriminate disposal of coffee grounds. Concurrently, we share the multiple utilization values of coffee grounds, encouraging more individuals to pay attention to and participate in addressing this global issue. By raising public awareness, we hope to foster a positive social atmosphere that collectively combats environmental pollution.
At the same time, we have also made efforts towards Target 12.4 of SDG 12: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
During our experimental processes, we have worked diligently to eliminate the generation of gaseous pollutants by employing advanced technologies and equipment to ensure that each step minimizes environmental burdens as much as possible. This not only makes our research process more environmentally friendly but also contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
By reducing waste generation, promoting resource reuse, and enhancing public education, we hope to play a positive role in furthering the realization of sustainable development objectives.
SDG 13 aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Our climate is warming rapidly. Since 1880, the global average temperature has increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which accounts for over two-thirds of global warming, is at its highest level ever recorded. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) continually highlights that human activities are contributing to the warming of the atmosphere, oceans, and land, resulting in widespread and rapid changes across the atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, and biosphere. Due to these climate changes, the number of weather, climate, and water-related disasters has increased five-fold over the past 50 years, leading to more than 2 million deaths and $3.64 trillion in losses. When large amounts of coffee grounds are directly landfilled, they decompose and generate tons of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide. The significant waste generated from coffee grounds each year is accelerating global warming, making it imperative to address this issue.
We have gradually recognized that the management of coffee grounds not only has a direct impact on urban environments but also plays an important role in the challenge of global warming. Improper storage and disposal of coffee grounds release greenhouse gases, particularly methane, which has a potent greenhouse effect. This awareness has led us to focus on Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
Acknowledging the potential environmental issues arising during the production and disposal of coffee grounds, we have begun to develop a co-factor regeneration system. This system is designed to effectively address the by-product issues associated with coffee ground processing, particularly formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a common hazardous substance that poses threats to the environment, human health, and microbial hosts such as Escherichia coli. Through our co-factor regeneration system, we aim to completely eliminate the generation of formaldehyde, thereby reducing its negative impact on the ecological balance.
Meanwhile, this system can also prevent the significant methane emissions produced during the anaerobic decomposition of coffee grounds. The release of methane not only exacerbates global warming but also makes it a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide due to its high heat-trapping capability. Therefore, by effectively managing and processing the by-products of coffee grounds, we can significantly reduce potential environmental pollution and contribute to climate change mitigation.
In addition, the project will include outreach and education for relevant stakeholders to enhance their awareness and capacity to respond to climate change. Through the dissemination of knowledge and technological innovation, we hope to strengthen understanding of climate change and its impacts across society, encouraging more businesses and individuals to engage in climate change mitigation efforts. Our aim is not only to address specific issues related to coffee ground disposal but also to elevate awareness and responsiveness to climate change on a broader scale, thus realizing the grand vision of sustainable development. Through a dual approach of science and education, we believe we can collectively create a healthier and more sustainable future.
SDG 17 aims to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Goal 17 is articulated as "Strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development." It recognizes that multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential tools for mobilizing and sharing knowledge, expertise, technologies, and financial resources to support all countries, particularly developing nations, in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, Goal 17 seeks to encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, based on the experiences and resource strategies of existing collaborations.
We have observed that the differing national contexts contribute to a lack of communication among iGEM teams regarding sustainable development issues. At the same time, we aim to foster global collaboration by establishing effective partnerships among governments, businesses, and civil society, thereby collectively mobilizing resources to achieve other sustainable development goals.
Engaging in many academic meetings with domestic and international iGEM teams has provided us with a valuable platform to exchange experimental insights and research findings. This cross-team collaboration not only enhances our collective knowledge base but also increases our awareness of Sustainable Development Goal 17.17: "Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships."
Through these interactions, we have gained significant insights into experimental approaches and technological applications, resulting in mutual benefits for all parties involved.
Meanwhile, collaboration among multi-stakeholders plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable development, as emphasized by the sub-goal SDG 17.16: "Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, particularly developing countries."
In this context, we proactively reached out to Dr. Qiao Bin, a clinical ophthalmologist, as well as the adolescent high school student demographic that constitutes the primary user group of our research. This engagement aims to ensure that our findings are both effective and credible. By collaborating with these key stakeholders, we hope to gain a better understanding of their actual needs and ensure that our solutions can truly meet their expectations and address real-world challenges.
Additionally, we are striving to establish connections with the production sector to enhance the efficiency of 7-MX in the manufacturing process while ensuring its safety and environmental sustainability. By collaborating with production companies, we can obtain firsthand information about potential challenges in the production process and discuss ways to optimize workflows for optimal resource utilization and environmental protection outcomes.
Through this series of initiatives, we aim to improve our research capabilities through academic exchanges while contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 17. Thus, our outreach activities encompass a variety of stakeholders, with a particular focus on the needs and challenges faced by developing countries. Through such collaboration, we believe we can more effectively advance the sustainable development agenda and realize our shared objectives.
Here, we offer some practical advice to future iGEM teams that we hope will assist you in better executing your projects, enhancing efficiency, and achieving success:
Before commencing, ensure that you have one or more clear and specific SDG targets. These goals should align with the interests of team members, making it something everyone believes is worth striving for. They should also possess scientific value and social application potential, ensuring that the entire team works towards achieving these objectives.
Many individuals globally are working towards human sustainability; we should learn from their experiences and stand on the shoulders of pioneers. Conduct a comprehensive literature review of existing research to understand the latest advancements in related fields. This not only inspires your project design but also helps avoid repetitive or redundant work, thereby enhancing innovation.
Collaboration amplifies efforts; seek out like-minded teams or experts to share resources and knowledge. Whether from academia or industry, the experiences of professionals can provide new perspectives and solutions for your project. Sustainable development is a task for all humanity; it cannot be accomplished by a single field alone. Only through collaboration among various experts can we achieve our goals more swiftly.
The attainment of sustainable development goals requires public participation, so consider how to disseminate your project to a broader audience. By organizing lectures, workshops, or social media campaigns, you can attract public attention and enhance understanding and interest in synthetic biology, thus facilitating wider engagement.
Timely feedback is crucial, necessitating the establishment of regular evaluation mechanisms to assess the gap between project progress and objectives. Based on feedback and experimental results, flexibly adjust your project plans to address unforeseen challenges and opportunities.
We hope these recommendations will help future iGEM teams achieve remarkable accomplishments in their exploration of synthetic biology!
[1] United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainability. United Nations.
[2] Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016; 123(5):1036-1042. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006
[3] Resnikoff S, Jonas JB, Friedman D, et al. Myopia – A 21st Century Public Health Issue. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science. 2019; 60(3):MI. doi:https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.18-25983
[4] Resnikoff S, Jonas JB, Friedman D, et al. Myopia – A 21st Century Public Health Issue. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science. 2019; 60(3):MI. doi:https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.18-25983
[5] Singh H, Singh H, Sahajpal NS, Paul S, Kaur I, Jain SK. Sub-chronic and Chronic Toxicity Evaluation of 7-methylxanthine: a New Molecule for the Treatment of Myopia. Drug and Chemical Toxicology. 2020; 45(3):1383-1394. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2020.1833904
[6] Trier K, Cui D, Ribel-Madsen S, Guggenheim J. Oral Administration of Caffeine Metabolite 7-methylxanthine Is Associated with Slowed Myopia Progression in Danish Children. The British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2022; 107(10):bjophthalmol–2021-320920. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo-2021-320920
[7] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/green-economy
[8] McKenna, J. (2018, November 19). Here’s 5 innovative ways your coffee grounds can be recycled. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/5-surprising-ways-coffee-grounds-can-be-reused/
[9] Mussatto, S. I., Carneiro, L. M., Silva, J. P. A., Roberto, I. C., & Teixeira, J. A. (2011). A study on chemical constituents and sugars extraction from spent coffee grounds. Carbohydrate Polymers, 83(2), 368–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.07.063
[10] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-cities-and-human-settlements
[11] Mussatto, S. I., Carneiro, L. M., Silva, J. P. A., Roberto, I. C., & Teixeira, J. A. (2011). A study on chemical constituents and sugars extraction from spent coffee grounds. Carbohydrate Polymers, 83(2), 368–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.07.063
[12] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-consumption-and-production
[13] Dafouz, R., Cáceres, N., Rodríguez-Gil, J. L., Mastroianni, N., López de Alda, M., Barceló, D., de Miguel, Á. G., & Valcárcel, Y. (2018). Does the presence of caffeine in the marine environment represent an environmental risk? A regional and global study. Science of the Total Environment, 615, 632–642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.155
[14] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste
[15] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/climate-action-synergies
[16] Kemfert, C., & Schill, W.-P. (2009). Methane: A Neglected Greenhouse Gas. Weekly Report, 5(32), 218–223. https://econpapers.repec.org/article/diwdiwwrp/wr5-32.htm
[17] https://sdgs.un.org/topics/multi-stakeholder-partnerships
