Should We Return The Nutrients In Our Pee Back To The Farm?

:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/31/336564120/should-we-returnthe-nutrients-in-our-pee-back-to-the-farm
Pee-Cycling
In the article, Should We Return The Nutrients In Our Pee Back To The Farm?, Eliza
Barclay discusses how a small group of environmentalists in Brattleboro, Vermont, (Rich Earth
Institute) are researching the reuse of urine as a crop fertilizer. They gathered about 170
volunteers to collect about a quart per volunteer daily. Their goal was to collect 6,000 gallons of
urine in 2014 (Barclay, 2014). I also chose to use the article, How Farmers in Switzerland
perceive Fertilizers from Recycled Anthropogenic Nutrients (Urine) written by J. Lienert, M.
Haller, A. Berner, M. Stauffacher, and T.A. Larsen because they surveyed about 467 Swiss
farmers in regard to using urine as fertilizer. Having only 125 complete surveys, they gathered
that since the idea of urine-based fertilizers is new, acceptance among the answering farmers
was surprisingly high, with 57% explicitly stating that they thought it was a good or very good
idea, and 42% willing to purchase such a product, (Lienert, 2003).
Since urine from a healthy person is sterile, Rich Earth Institute considers using it on
farmland safe. REI believes that it is foolish and wasteful to not consider reusing the precious
nitrogen and phosphorus that we think of as waste, particularly because farmers have to buy
fertilizer at a great expense to put the same nutrients back into the soil (Barclay, 2014). In
addition, Lienert explains that phosphorus is considered a limited resource. Therefore, sooner or
later some sort of recycling from urban areas must take place. Known forms of recycling are
sewage sludge (the only remaining form in northern Europe), treated wastewater, or direct
application of urine and feces to agricultural land. At least in Switzerland, the reuse of sewage
sludge will be prohibited in the near future, (Lienert, 2014).
In Lienerts survey, micro-pollutants were the biggest concerns for urine as fertilizer.
They had even mentioned in the survey that the urine would be treated to such a degree that it
should not pose any toxicological or hygienic ricks. Doubts concerning these micro-pollutants
were mentioned in 51% of the 74 concerned remarks. Other concerning remarks included
feasibility (9% of the 74 remarks), hygiene (7% of the 74 remarks), and high costs (5% of the 74
remarks) (Lienert, 2003). Barclay additionally explained that using urine-diverting toilets, used
by some of the REI volunteers, the pee could possibly get contaminated. To kill of these germs,
two sanitation methods are being tested by REI. Pasteurization and storing it for a month or more
would result in alkalinity to develop over time and kill microbes and they are also sending
samples to the University of Michigan and the University of Buffalo to determine if there are
medicines in the waste that might wind up in plants grown for food (Barclay, 2014).
Additionally, only 6% of the 125 explicitly wrote that they thought it was a ridiculous idea
altogether (Lienert, 2003).
So far the only farmer using the product grows hay as a forage crop for animals. When
the Rich Earth team measured the impact of the urine applied to her hay fields in 2013, they
found that yields increased dramatically. And word has gotten around their community; they now
have a waiting list, (Barclay, 2014). This is a perfect example of why this creative way to reuse
our urine in a green and beneficial way should be researched further. I believe the idea is brilliant
considering humans generate 8 pounds of nitrogen and about 1 pound of phosphorous in a years
worth of urine (Barclay, 2014). Potassium is also found in urine, a widely bought fertilizer also
found in urine (Lienert, 2003).
In conclusion, I think the research should be highly regulated. Including at least biweekly check-ups for the individual donating urine to make sure they are healthy and

Should We Return The Nutrients In Our Pee Back To The Farm?:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/31/336564120/should-we-returnthe-nutrients-in-our-pee-back-to-the-farm
volunteering healthy urine. I think this is a great idea and a great way to bring the cost down for
farmers.

Should We Return The Nutrients In Our Pee Back To The Farm?:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/31/336564120/should-we-returnthe-nutrients-in-our-pee-back-to-the-farm
References
Barclay, E. (2014, July 31). Should We Return The Nutrients In Our Pee Back To The Farm?
Retrieved February 22, 2015, from
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/31/336564120/should-we-return-the-nutrientsin-our-pee-back-to-the-farm
Lienert, J., Haller, M., Berner, A., Stauffacher, M., & Larsen, T. (2003). How farmers in
Switzerland perceive fertilizers from recycled anthropogenic nutrients (urine). Water and
Science Technology, 48(1), 47-56. Retrieved from http://www.askforce.org/web/Organic/Lienert-Urine-Acceptance-2003.pdf