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Project title

Policy options for facilitating the adoption of biobased fertilisers from digestate in an Irish context

Primary Funding Agency

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Lead Organisation

University of Limerick (UL)

Lead Applicant

Not listed

Project Abstract

The availability of chemical fertilizers has changed farmers' previous dependence on manure and bio-waste. It's key benefit is that the composition is known to the user whilst there is variation in nutrient composition of animal manures. Irish agriculture is a significant importer of nutrients in the form of chemical fertilizers, however our climate change commitments as well as geo-political vulnerabilities require us to reduce our usage by switching to alternative biobased fertilisers. Animal manures have high nutrient content, however N and P application have limits due to management challenges with regard to greenhouse gas emissions or nutrient leaching to surface and ground water. Nutrients from manure, and food wastes can be recovered using market-ready technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas and digestate which potentially can be valorised as bio-based fertilisers (BBFs). The proposed expansion of AD in Ireland will see the generation of increasing amounts of digestate. Leveraging the advantages of digestate as BFFs will require policy instruments that incorporate the various aspects of digestate management, including processing conditions in the AD reactor, quality standards and application rates. These policy instruments and technical guidelines will be addressed in FERTILISE and recommendations for implementation of compliant technical solutions will be provided for application on Irish farms and potentially for export. This will achieved by undertaking a comprehensive survey of existing data, reports and policy instruments and standards currently in place nationally at EU level. For an Irish context, guidelines for processing conditions and quality standards will be assessed in terms of the JRC technical proposals for safe use of processed manure above the threshold for nitrate vulnerable zones (RENURE). The Fertilising Product Regulation ((EU) 2019/2009) will form the basis of developing recommendations for potential export of BFF products. The supporting technical and fiscal instruments will be identified.

Grant Approved

�93,163.73

Research Hub

Climate Change

Research Theme

3. Climate Solutions, Transition Management and Opportunities

Start Date

12/01/2024

Initial Projected Completion Date

11/28/2025