Engaging with actors in the manure sector at ManuREsource Conference

RISE Team

Recently, CiNURGi hosted a session on the first day of ManuREsource Conference, on March 20th. The project was represented by Erik Sindhöj, Priscila Lima and Cheryl Cordeiro from lead partner RISE.

As CiNURGi is an initiative that creates symbiotic relationships between companies for recycling nutrient-rich biomass into safe fertilizers, emphasizing circular economy principles in the Baltic Sea Region and promoting efficient nutrient use and the application of recycled fertilizer products, this conference was the place to start engaging with actors in the manure sector. With around 200 participants from over 15 countries, the conference has established itself as a key platform intersecting research, policy, and practice.

The conference also provided an arena to meet with ongoing CiNURGi project partners from different countries such as Organe from Denmark, as well as LUKE and HELCOM from Finland, as well as provided an arena for excellent networking for future project collaborations.

“The event was a great opportunity to meet colleagues face to face, most of whom I only knew from online meetings. The organisation of the event could not have been better! During the breaks it was nice to talk to other participants and exchange experiences and ideas on issues related to the agricultural nutrient recycling” says Johanna Laakso, LUKE.

“Of the scientific programme, the most interesting for me were presentations on nutrient recovery methods based on new technologies, such as duckweed cultivation or producing green ammonia by gas permeable membrane technology from air of poultry and pig farm buildings. The round table discussions covered many interesting topics. Bio-based fertiliser terminology was a hot topic, also the guidance for farmers on the use of these fertilisers was discussed, as the fertiliser effect is often different from mineral fertilisers” Dr. Laakso answered when asked about the program.

Dr. Laakso also wanted to highlight the site visits in the Netherlands and Belgium that were part of the program: “One of the visits was to the huge SFP biogas plant, which uses manure and other feedstocks to produce biogas, which is pressurised and fed into the natural gas network. The plant recovers CO2 in the form of liquid CO2, which is then used in the food industry as a refrigerant or as a feed in greenhouses. “

This year’s ManuREsource Conference fostered new connections and brainstorming over critical topics such as the Nitrates Directive, which the European Commission is evaluation at present. The keynote speeches at the conference emphasized the importance of balanced agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, particularly focusing on nitrogen management and environmental legislation. Other part of the program explored the transition towards green, circular, bio-based fertilizers, highlighting the need for government incentives, increased farmer awareness, and industry collaborations. Engaging in the discussion on fertilizers is highly relevant to CiNURGi’s mission.

Read more about the conference at the conference website: https://www.vcm-mestverwerking.be/en/manuresource/30109/manuresource-2024

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