using human waste as fertilizer isn’t a good idea.
human waste contains everything that a person has consumes. this includes disease causing pathogens and parasites.
if it were to be used as a fertilizer it would need to go through multiple stages of expensive processing and testing to ensure safety. it’s far more cost effective and safer to use food by-product like fish cuttings to create fertilizers.
Engineer here. We arent talking about directly tossing it on fields. We are talking about having it be anaerobically fermented at high temperatures for about 30 days, with the biogas captured and used for energy.
the new thing to do then is burn the remains and recover the phosphate from the ashes, where certainly no biological threat remains
These type of plants are currently built on many larger wastewater treatment plants in Europe
Pathogens are less of a problem, they die off before they cannot infect a plant. But chemicals from medication and contraceptives, as well as heavy metals, are.
Treated waste water sludge is very commonly used here in Sweden albeit using anaerobic digestion rather than regular composting. High temperature composting would kill any pathogens so you can absolutely get permission to use a composting waste system in small scales. For larger scale waste treatment it is with anaerobic digestion, as mentioned.
The captured methane is typically used for fuel, e.g., in public transport.
As far as I know the sludge used for fertilizer needs to be certified under something called REVAQ. Some controversy does exist surrounding safe levels of the various harmful substances and perhaps PFAS in particular.
using human waste as fertilizer isn’t a good idea.
human waste contains everything that a person has consumes. this includes disease causing pathogens and parasites.
if it were to be used as a fertilizer it would need to go through multiple stages of expensive processing and testing to ensure safety. it’s far more cost effective and safer to use food by-product like fish cuttings to create fertilizers.
Engineer here. We arent talking about directly tossing it on fields. We are talking about having it be anaerobically fermented at high temperatures for about 30 days, with the biogas captured and used for energy.
the new thing to do then is burn the remains and recover the phosphate from the ashes, where certainly no biological threat remains
These type of plants are currently built on many larger wastewater treatment plants in Europe
Pathogens are less of a problem, they die off before they cannot infect a plant. But chemicals from medication and contraceptives, as well as heavy metals, are.
less about infection and more environmental. some people don’t wash their produce and get sick because of it.
Treated waste water sludge is very commonly used here in Sweden albeit using anaerobic digestion rather than regular composting. High temperature composting would kill any pathogens so you can absolutely get permission to use a composting waste system in small scales. For larger scale waste treatment it is with anaerobic digestion, as mentioned.
The captured methane is typically used for fuel, e.g., in public transport.
As far as I know the sludge used for fertilizer needs to be certified under something called REVAQ. Some controversy does exist surrounding safe levels of the various harmful substances and perhaps PFAS in particular.