RPME – Mineral Fertiliser Resource Project

How can recycled fertilizers replace mineral fertilizers? This resource project develops and tests innovative processing technologies to enhance the fertilizer value of compost and digestate products. ZHAW provides scientific support and evaluates yield, environmental, and efficiency impacts under real-world conditions.

Nutrient recovery: small grasses grow from the ground. The chemical symbols for various elements are scattered across the image.

Key data

Description

Imported mineral fertilizers contribute significantly to nitrogen surpluses in Swiss agriculture. As part of the resource project, innovative processing technologies are therefore being developed and tested under practical conditions at biogas and composting facilities.

The aim is to produce compost and digestate products with specifically optimized agronomic properties that meet the particular requirements of arable and vegetable crops. These products will be scientifically assessed and further developed as sustainable alternatives to conventional mineral fertilizers.

The ZHAW Environmental Biotechnology and Bioenergy research group is responsible for the scientific support of the project and oversees the systematic impact monitoring. The work focuses on analysing and evaluating the processing technologies as well as assessing their effects on crop yields, environmental performance, and resource-use efficiency. The objective is to establish a robust evidence base for the further development and scaling-up of the plant technologies.

Key data

Projectlead

Dr. Hans-Joachim Nägele

Deputy Projectlead

Dr. Wolfgang Merkle

Project team

Florian Rüsch, Gabriel Sciascia

Project partners

Biomasse Suisse; Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft BLW; Schweizerische Vereinigung integriert produzierender Bauern und Bäuerinnen (IP-SUISSE); AGRIDEA Schweizerische Vereinigung für die Entwicklung der Landwirtschaft und des ländlichen Raums; Agrofutura AG; Agroscope; Grangeneuve; Stiftung für Betriebshelferdienste und Nothilfe in der Aargauer Landwirtschaft; Genossenschaft Ökostrom Schweiz; Kompostforum Schweiz; Schweizerischer Schweinezucht- und Schweineproduzentenverband Suisseporcs

Project status

ongoing, started 01/2025

Institute/Centre

Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology (ICBT)

Funding partner

Federal government; Other