In South Africa, technology is being used to add value to chicken manure.

It’s largely considered a waste stream that – due to a high concentration of ammonia – is suitable only for agricultural land, as feed for livestock or incineration for heating. However, new technology (developed by Colsen BV) removes nitrogen from the manure through biological and chemical processes, as reported by BizCommunity.

‘The nitrogen released as ammonia is recovered as a liquid nitrogen fertiliser,’ it reports. ‘The manure is then digested to produce biogas. This biogas can then be separated into biomethane and food-grade CO₂. The bio-methane can be compressed into compressed natural gas, where it has a variety of heating and fuel applications, and the CO₂ also has a desirable commercial value. The remaining digestate is dried and compressed and can be sold as a phosphorous-rich fertiliser.’

22 January 2019
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