Struvite from Urine in Nepal: STUN

The STUN project, operated in co-operation with UN-HABITAT Nepal, examines the feasibility of converting source-separated urine into a dry fertilizer product called ‘struvite’. Struvite (often called MAP for magnesium ammonium phosphate: MgNH₄PO₄^.6H₂O) is a safe, bioavailable fertilizer which can be precipitated from urine with only the addition of magnesium.

Working in the Kathmandu Valley, with the community of Siddhipur, the STUN project has assessed the social, economic, and technical feasibility of producing struvite at the community level. By producing struvite from urine, we hope to promote improved sanitation, local food security, and nutrient independence as Nepal must import all of its fertilizer at prices which are not always affordable for subsistence farmers.

The following reports are available for download:

UN-HABITAT and Eawag (2009). How to produce fertilizer from urine: Struvite.
Brochure in English version / Brochure in Nepali version

E Tilley, K Udert, B Etter, R Khadka, E John. (2009). Struvite Recovery in Kathamandu: A business model for increased food security
Fertilizer. (award winning poster from the Alliance for Global Sustainability 2009 Annual Meeting)

Etter, B. (2009).  Process optimization of low-cost struvite recovery. Masters thesis submitted to EPFL.

Etter, B. (2009). Struvite recovery from urine at community scale in Nepal. Intermediate report. Eawag: Swiss Federal Insitute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland. (technical optimization)

Gantenbein, B. and Khadka, R. (2009). Struvite Recovery from Urine at Community Scale in Nepal: Final Project Report Phase 1. Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland. (social assessment)

Kashekya, E.J. (2009). Struvite production from source separated urine in Nepal: The reuse potential of the effluent. MSc Thesis MWI-SE 2009/01. UNESCO-IHE and Eawag, Delft, The Netherlands.

Further reading:

Tilley, E., Gantenbein, B., Khadka, R., Zurbrügg, C. and Udert, K.M. (2009). Social and economic feasibility of struvite recovery from uine at the community level in Nepal. In: International Conference on Nutrient Recovery from Wastewater Streams. K. Ashley, D. Mavinic and F. Koch (eds). IWA Publishing, London, pp 169-178.

For more information (in Switzerland) please contact struvite.nepal@eawag.ch

For more information on:

UN-Habitat

www.unhabitat.org

phosphorus depletion:

http://phosphorusfutures.net

www.phosphaterecovery.com

www.ceep-phosphates.org

Urine separation and reuse:

www.novaquatis.eawag.ch/index_EN

www.ecosanres.com

A New Kind of Bank (Kantipur):
www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/06/04/features/a-new-kind-of-bank/209042/

Pee for Plants (Down to Earth):
www.urbwatsan.org.np/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=558&Itemid=1

Struvite Recovery from Urine in Nepal		Nepalma Pisabbata Struvite Mulko Utpadan		Pisab Mul Prayog Garau - Matoko Urbara Shakti Badhau (Use Urine Fertilizer – Boost Your Soil Fertility). Urine application promotion campaign