Dr. Joanne Thiessen Martens, University of Manitoba, and Dr. Henry Wilson, AAFC – Brandon, are exploring the potential for developing high-phosphorus organic fertilizers by co-composting nutrient-rich organic materials like green bin/food waste with phosphorus rich mineral waste products like struvite.
Struvite is a precipitate from municipal and other wastewater streams. It is a proven technology that recovers the phosphorus (nitrogen) which is upcycled into a slow-release fertilizer. The technology sounds like a shoo-in for those looking for a renewable source of phosphorus (P) and since it is recycled, for organic producers.
It has a few hic-ups though, such as the slow-release aspect – P is often unavailable to the plant when needed, not unlike rock-phosphorous (non-renewable source.) Another hic-up with struvite precipitated from human waste streams is contamination like pharmaceuticals and even pathogens such as e-coli, make it unacceptable for use in organic systems in Canada.
These researchers are testing a solution for both readily available phosphorus as well as for waste stream contaminants. They think it may be found in co-composting struvite with organic materials like green bin and yard waste. A composting system that by “marrying waste streams” has potential to reduce toxic waste and provide healthy recycled nutrients for organic food production.
In the Organic Science Cluster 4 (OSC4) podcast linked below, Jordan Marr talks with Dr. Thiessen Martens about this research. Listen to Recycled Phosphorus Inputs for Organic Field Crops on the OSC4 website or search for Organic Science Conversations on your podcast player app.
Organic Science Cluster 4 is an industry-led research and development endeavour co-managed by the Organic Federation of Canada and the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada at Dalhousie University and funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership together with over 80 funding partners.
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