New business from the recycled fertilisers of the future

When producing biogas from animal manure, raw material suited to be used as recycled fertiliser is created in the same process. The raw material may not, however, be at its best to be used by the farmer without further processing.

Researchers, farmers and biogas producers have joined forces in an innovation project aimed to produce even better recycled fertilisers for farming. The three-year project, coordinated by the Finnish Environment Institute, is based on the farmers’ needs. Interviews and surveys are conducted where farmers get to tell about their wishes concerning recycled fertilisers.

Farmers will test the effects on recycled fertilisers on the yields of cereals, grasses and greenhouse cucumber and compare these with the yields achieved with other fertilisers. Better guidelines will be prepared for the use of recycled fertilisers and technologies will be sought to maximise efficiency in
their production.

Increasing the use of recycled fertilisers requires that they improve the profitability of farms. At its best the manufacture of recycled fertilisers may mean significant new business opportunities.

More information: Heidi Rintamäki, Researcher, Finnish Environment Institute,
heidi.rintamaki (a) ymparisto.fi

Date updated: Feb 17, 2020