Farmers May Soon Turn To Human Urine As Iran Conflict Cause Fertilizer Shortages

This may sound unsettling to some.

As nitrogen fertilizer shortages hit the United States due to the current ongoing conflict in Iran many farmers are turning to alternative substitutes.

Some farmers are going back to more traditional fertilizers such as chicken manure.

However, a French company called Toopi Organics is offering a new alternative fertilizer and it’s human urine.

Bloomberg reported more on the fertilizer shortages and human urine being the possible solution:

James Mills has spent a lot of time thinking about chicken muck lately.

After the Iran war disrupted supplies of conventional nitrogen fertilizers, the English farmer began scouring the Yorkshire countryside for substitutes to keep his crops growing. That led Mills to the poultry shed of a relative’s friend, whose chicken manure is suddenly so sought after that he now has a long list of buyers.

“Everyone is doing the same, looking for alternatives,” said Mills, who harvests wheat, barley and oats on a farm dotted with sheep.

Farmers worldwide are under pressure. About a third of traded urea, a widely used nitrogen fertilizer, comes from the Gulf region. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, prices have jumped to multi-year highs. That’s forcing growers to improvise ahead of the fall planting season or risk lower yields, profit losses and disruptions to global food supply.

Some are turning to age-old solutions like manure. Others are experimenting with newer technologies. These range from waste-based inputs, including materials like ground almond shells, to microbial products designed to boost plant growth and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.

“The war situation is, sadly, a good thing for us,” said François Gérard of French startup Toopi Organics, which converts human urine collected from schools and festivals into a bacteria feed that helps plants grow. Since late February, sales have jumped about a quarter, he said, with prices holding steady thanks to abundant supply.

“We have urine everywhere,” Gérard said.

With no end in sight to rival US and Iranian blockades in Hormuz, fertilizer disruptions are expected to persist. A prolonged conflict could mean weaker harvests and higher grocery prices. The United Nations has warned that an additional 45 million people may face acute food insecurity.

Urine recycling has recently intrigued scientists and researchers due to the nitrogen that is contained in human urine:

Global researchers explore recycling human urine as fertilizer to replenish soil nutrients. Faith Salie discusses the process with the Rich Earth Institute, including collecting, pasteurizing, and distributing urine in large quantities. https://t.co/NbO10UTLLC pic.twitter.com/epjFrSfUyk

— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) January 14, 2024

The Stanford Report had more to share on the science behind human urine being used as a natural fertilizer:

Nitrogen is a key component of commercial fertilizers. Traditionally, it’s produced using a carbon-intensive process and distributed globally from large industrial facilities, many of which are located in wealthier nations resulting in higher prices in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, the nitrogen in human urine is equivalent to about 14% of annual fertilizer demand.

The prototype separates ammonia – a chemical compound made up of nitrogen and hydrogen – from urine through a series of chambers separated by membranes, using solar-generated electricity to drive ions across and eventually trap ammonia as ammonium sulfate, a common fertilizer. Warming the system – using waste heat collected from the back of photovoltaic solar panels via an attached copper tube cold plate – helps speed up the process by encouraging ammonia gas production, the final step in the separation process. Solar panels also produce more electricity at lower temperatures, so collecting waste heat helps keep them cool and efficient.

“Each person produces enough nitrogen in their urine to fertilize a garden, but much of the world is reliant on expensive imported fertilizers instead,” said Orisa Coombs, the study’s lead author and a PhD student in mechanical engineering. “You don’t need a giant chemical plant or even a wall socket. With enough sunshine, you can produce fertilizer right where it’s needed, and potentially even store or sell excess electricity.”

What are your thoughts?