Resource recovery done simpler and better

摘要

Urine contributes the majority of nitrogen and phosphorus found in municipal wastewater. Removing urine at the source results in lower energy requirements at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), less freshwater consumption from toilets, wastewater composition that favors biological nitrogen removal, and an opportunity to collect contaminants (i.e., Pharmaceuticals) in a concentrated, less complex waste stream. The Rich Earth Institute (Brattleboro, Vt.) operates the first regional urine recycling program in the U.S., collecting source-separated urine from households and producing a sanitized fertilizer product for use by local farmers. The purpose of this program is to provide practical experience and quantitative data on all stages of the urine recycling process and to create a platform to allow detailed research into specific aspects of the process in a real-world context.