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REFERTIL FP7 (EU) project, EU

REFERTIL is about reducing mineral fertilisers and chemicals use in agriculture by recycling treated organic waste as compost and bio-char products

– The Improvement of comprehensive bio-waste transformation and nutrient recovery treatment processes for production of combined natural products.

Background

 Intensive farming practice and human activities have disturbed the natural cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus. Industrial agriculture relies on the continuous input of mined and non renewable phosphorus and energy-intensive Nitrogen supply. It is estimated that human activity has doubled the global amount of reactive Nitrogen in circulation; while tripled the amount of phosphorus since the industrial revolution. There is a strong need for increased sustainability and closing the nutrient loop in agriculture with the creation of a virtuous cycle between urban and rural areas. In this context, reducing the use of mineral fertilisers and chemicals in agriculture are key priority objectives that can be achieved by recycling and reusing of treated organic waste as compost and biochar products.

Purpose of the project

REFERTIL has the mission to contribute to the transformation of urban organic waste, food industrial by-products and farm organic residues from a costly disposal process into an income generating activity. This includes an EU-27 standardised, advanced, and comprehensive bio-waste treatment and nutrient recovery process towards zero emission performance. The improved output products will be safe, economical and standardised compost and biochar products containing phosphorous and nitrogen that can be economically and beneficially used by farmers. As a result, both food and environmental safety is improved, while a new economy is generated.

Project duration: 48 months: October 1, 2011 – September 30, 2015

Please klick on the following links:

Project website

Final report from the project

http://www.irbea.ie/index.php/refertil/88-refertil-project

Refertil pamphlet for downloading – click here

COORDINATOR contact data
Coordinator and designer of key technology:
Mr. Edward Someus, Terra Humana Ltd

E-mail: biochar@3ragrocarbon.com

Skype: edwardsomeus

Telephone: + (36-20) 201 7557, + (36-20) 805 4727

THE REFERTIL Consortium
TERRA Humana Clean Technology Development, Engineering and Manufacturing Ltd.
Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek (DLO)
Aarhus University
Danish Knowledge Center for Agriculture
Universita Degli Studi Di Torino, University of Torino -Agroinnova
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet Hannover
Biomasa del Guadalquivir S.A
TWI Ltd.
WESSLING Hungary Kft.
KOTO proizvodno in trgovsko podjetje, d.o.o.
Comune di Grugliasco (Municipality, Torino)
Renetech Bioresources Ltd.
Profi komp Environmental Technology Plc.