A world first is under way at Dublin-based recycling company Enva, as it moves to make agricultural fertiliser from recovered liquid waste.

The fertiliser will have a 98% lower carbon footprint than conventional fertiliser product and has already been green-lit for sale to farmers by the Department of Agriculture.

Enva managing director Roger McDermott says the new production facility at Greenogue, Dublin, will produce 4,500t of the climate-friendly fertiliser by the end of 2023, with production to really kick off into 2024.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, he said the agricultural fertiliser pellets containing ammonium sulphate, recovered by Enva from industrial liquid wastes, will be the first of a number of products aimed at the sector.

A similar phosphates product, which McDermottt said has “more potential”, is already in the works.

Facility

Enva has commenced construction at the new €5m Greenogue facility, where the ammonium sulphate fertiliser will be made.

The company says the facility will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world and will utilise innovative processes developed in-house by Enva.

The fertiliser pellets which the unit will make will have comparable physical specification to those manufactured from virgin resources, which are highly carbon intensive to manufacture.

The new fertiliser supply will also reduce the need to import the equivalent tonnage of virgin fertiliser into Ireland every year.

The new fertiliser for farmers will have a 98% lower carbon footprint. \ Philip Doyle

“This project will deliver a unique and innovative recovery process in line with our circular economy objectives and a commitment to replace virgin materials with more sustainable secondary resources.

“In doing so, we will unlock a range of environmental benefits and help Ireland in becoming increasingly self-sufficient with regards to fertiliser,” McDermott said.

Collaboration

McDermott confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that Enva is working with Doyle's of Cooladine Farm for the eventual distribution and sale of the new fertiliser.

“This is the culmination of five years of research and development work within Enva and I’m delighted to see work getting under way,” he said.

The project will involve several international technology partners lead by Titan Salt, a specialist in the design, fabrication, construction, installation and commissioning of mineral salt production facilities, based in the Netherlands.

Titan Salt CEO Robert Van Voorst said: "At Titan Salt, we are proud and honoured to provide Enva with the most innovative and effective technology in a project that is breaking new ground in resource recovery and reducing the environmental impact of an industrial liquid waste stream.”

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