Our urine contains what the body wants to dispose of.
“But it can also put food on our table,” says [Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) researcher Divina Gracia P.] Rodriguez.
The yellow liquid contains nitrogen and phosphorus. In other words: superfood for plants.
Currently, farmers spend a lot of money on synthetic fertilisers to ensure the growth of crops like grains and tomatoes.
“Our urine is completely free,” the researcher says.
“We only need the urine, which requires separating it out. That’s where innovative toilets come in,” Rodriguez says.
These toilets are currently being tested in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, where urine and faeces are collected separately.
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In Ethiopia, sewage is often dumped directly into fields, wetlands, ditches, and by the water’s edge.
“It contaminates the drinking water,” she says.
“But what about the urine that is separated? Should we just sprinkle it on the fields?”
“The researchers have created technology that dries the urine and turns it into pellets,” she says.
They are odourless and can be spread where needed.
