The problem of valuable nutrients being flushed away in sewage has long been recognised, and now, appropriately during Climate Action Week, an Australian-developed solution is being unveiled that will dramatically improve nutrient recovery.
Developed by researchers working in the Australian Research Council (ARC) Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) Hub, the NiCE Loo Lab is an innovative mobile public toilet designed with a urine diversion, collection, and treatment system that converts human urine into a safe and valuable fertiliser.
The ARC Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) Hub is a four-year industry research collaboration funded by the Australian Research Council and led by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in partnership with eight universities, 20 industry partners, and three overseas research organisations. A key objective is to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge urine processing technologies that support nutrient circularity, promote resource conservation, and reduce the environmental impact of human waste.
The NiCE Loo Lab will have its public launch on Friday (14 March) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). It will showcase a refrigerator-sized 200-litre membrane bioreactor system that is the product of two years of collaborative research led by UTS environmental and water engineering specialists with colleagues from the University of Melbourne, supported by Victorian water authority South East Water.
Project leader and NiCE Hub Director, UTS Professor Ho Kyong Shon, said the NiCE Loo exemplified cutting-edge technology in waste management, offering a practical approach to nutrient resource recovery that would conserve water and contribute to climate change mitigation.
“The integration of membrane bioreactors into urine treatment processes represents a significant advancement in producing safe, efficient, and sustainable fertilisers,” Professor Shon said.
“But the practical purpose of the project extends beyond the technology itself. Public perception is crucial for building trust in urine-derived fertilisers and retrofitting existing buildings with urine-diversion toilets can be costly.
“The NiCE Loo Lab mobile toilet system offers a cost-effective solution while also enhancing public confidence in this sustainable sanitation approach.
“The deployment of the NiCE Loo Lab in suitable settings, such as public outdoor events, can play a role in shaping acceptance, demand and policy support for sustainable sanitation and agriculture.”
Professor Shon said the research had extended beyond developing the collection and treatment technology to ensuring the value and safety of its output.
“The City of Sydney and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney nursery have been testing our fertilisers in new plant trials with positive results,” he said.
“These trials are part of our broader effort to explore sustainable horticultural practices, promote circular economy of nutrients and improve plant health.”
The NiCE Loo Lab launch will be held in the ground-level foyer of UTS Central (Building 2), 61 Broadway, at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 14. The trailer-mounted male and female toilet facility will be parked nearby for inspection. See the event registration page for more.
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