Scientists say human urine can be recycled into excellent fertilizer for crops at a very low cost.
According to statistics, farmers spend about $128,000 each year on fertilizers for their crops. Now, scientists claim they can save a significant amount if they know how to use urine as fertilizer.
Currently, farmers are using synthetic fertilizers costing about $128,000 each year – (Photo: Guardian).
The reason is that urine contains nitrogen and phosphorus necessary for maintaining and promoting plant growth, and it does not have the potential to spread antibiotic resistance.
“Our urine is as valuable as gold,” said researcher Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez from the Norwegian Institute for Biological Economic Research in an interview with Science Norway.
The average person excretes about 500 liters of urine a year, which can be converted into 6 kg of fertilizer, according to scientists’ calculations.
Researchers are currently developing toilets that can separate urine and have started testing them in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Once separated, the urine is dried and converted into odorless, inexpensive pellets that can be spread across fields to fertilize crops.
This may sound “gross,” but Anne Spurkland, a professor and medical researcher at the University of Oslo, assures that it is “completely safe.”
Researchers at the University of Michigan confirmed in a 2020 study that urine can be used as fertilizer without the fear of spreading antibiotic-resistant infections.
Accordingly, before being used as fertilizer, urine will be sterilized for 10 hours, at which point antibiotic resistance genes will decrease by 99%.
Trailer carrying processed urine for cultivation by the Rich Earth Institute in the USA – (Photo: Facebook/Rich Earth Institute).
In the USA, the Rich Earth Institute is also developing methods to transform human urine into fertilizer. “Urine contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other micronutrients that plants need,” said Kim Nace, co-founder of the Rich Earth Institute.
Additionally, there is a simpler method that can be done at home, which involves mixing 1 part urine with 9 parts water and then spraying it on the plants.
“Humans have used urine as fertilizer for a very long time, but they stopped after the West invented wastewater treatment systems,” said Dr. Krista Wigginton, a co-author of the study, in an interview with The Guardian. “We are just trying to find ways to capture some valuable products before they get mixed and diluted with everything else.”
Numerous Benefits of Using Urine for Fertilizing Plants Since ancient times, Vietnamese farmers have known to use urine to fertilize plants, showcasing their creativity and profound understanding of nature. Urine is used to fertilize various crops, most commonly vegetables and fruits. Additionally, some industrial crops such as sugarcane, jute, and cotton are also fertilized with urine. Using urine as fertilizer has been proven to offer many benefits, including:
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