The Sudwerk Brewing Company has teamed up with researchers from the University of California, Davis to create a system called the 'Pee Hive' that recycles urine to use as fertilizer. The project, aptly entitled 'Sustainable Fertilizer from Urine,' uses a customized outhouse on the brewery's premises that collects urine for the researchers to carry away to a treatment facility.
A brewery was a clever location for the Pee Hive, as beer is notoriously for bringing on frequent urination. As such, the tank on the Pee Hive can hold up to 250 gallons.
The urine to fertilizer process happens in three steps. First, urea in the urine is chemically transformed into ammonia. Next, the ammonia is evaporated to become ammonium carbonate. Finally, the treatment adds Epsom salt to extract the phosphate. The result is nitrogen and phosphate that's free of harmful chemicals and perfect for fertilizing crops.
Urine-Based Fertilizers
The 'Pee Hive' Fuels the 'Sustainable Fertilizer from Urine Project'
Trend Themes
1. Urine-based Fertilizers - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Developing sustainable methods for recycling and utilizing urine as fertilizer in various industries.
2. Sustainable Agriculture - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Creating innovative and eco-friendly methods for fertilizing crops without relying on traditional chemical fertilizers.
3. Circular Economy - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Designing systems and technologies that enable the transformation of waste, like urine, into valuable resources for different industries.
Industry Implications
1. Brewing Industry - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Implementing urine recycling systems in breweries to promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact.
2. Agriculture Industry - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Incorporating urine-based fertilizers as a more sustainable alternative to traditional chemical fertilizers for crop cultivation.
3. Waste Management Industry - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Developing advanced waste treatment facilities and technologies to efficiently process and transform urine into valuable resources for various applications.