Posted on 06/30/2023 4:32:18 AM PDT by FarCenter
As in several parts of the world, the use of "night soil" to fertilise crops was once common in Japan.
However, the advent of sewage systems and treatment facilities, as well as chemical fertilisers, saw it fall out of fashion.
About a decade ago, Japanese treatment facilities wondered if they could revive interest to avoid sewage sludge disposal -- a costly and potentially environmentally damaging process.
But enthusiasm was limited until Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent the cost of chemical fertilisers soaring.
That has been a bonanza for a facility in northern Japan's Tome, where sales of shimogoe were up 160 percent year-on-year by March 2023.
For the first time since the city began producing the fertiliser in 2010, it has sold out.
The demand is easy to explain, said facility vice president Toshiaki Kato.
"Our fertiliser is popular because it is cheap, and it is helping farmers cut soaring costs," he told AFP.
"It is also good for the environment."
Made of a combination of treated sewage sludge from septic tanks and human waste from cesspits, the fertiliser goes for 160 yen ($1.10) per 15 kilos.
That's about a tenth of the price of products made from imported raw materials.
In southwestern Japan's Saga too, officials report sales are up two to three times.
And dozens of tour groups from municipalities elsewhere in the country have visited, eager to replicate their programme.
(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...
Amended Milorganite...
Skip a few more steps and just go to Soylent Green.
” the use of “night soil” to fertilise crops was once common in Japan”
Not just to fertilize crops... they used to use it to make gunpowder too.
Great. Now the cat can feel justified for pooping in my garden. He’s just helping or something.
We should do something to reduce these metals:
1. Good for our health not to get these heavy metals
2. It makes sense to use the human manure..I believe cheap systems can destroy virtually all the harmful microorganisms
Can one surmise the Japanese have the right stuff ?
Poop by another name …… all in the name of pooooo
Not to mention all of the drugs, prescription and otherwise.
My town’s water company mixes the sludge with woodchips to make mulch. It’s free. They make you sign a statement that you will not use it around food gardens. We use it in flower gardens and around trees. It is amazing. The grass around the trees is so green and thick, it sometimes is actually hard to mow with my rider.
Pharmaceuticals too.
Overly concentrated fecal matter is toxic to most plant growth. If it is to be spread upon growing crops, it has to be scattered thinly and with opportunity for it to dry out quickly.
And this is advice from a person who, in past years, removed animal waste from the sties and barns, loaded it onto what is commonly known as a manure spreader, or turd hearse, if you will, and scattered it over crop fields or pasture land.
Piece of advice, when using these conveyances to spread the waste, always go into the direction the wind is coming from. Otherwise you have a whole new set of freckles on your neck and back of your head.
The farmers in York County (PA) tried human waste, 15-20yrs ago, but it was a failure. Crops turned yellow and were stunted. So they went back to pig waste slurry, horse, cow manure, composted with leaves, straw and grass.
North Korea is the first country that comes to my mind when discussing this type of ‘fertilizer’. Not sure Japan wants to be following them...
Great. Now surviving on this planet has become a crapshoot.
I am sure the powers that be, have already thought of that.
One reason human feces are not used is because of pathogens.
Like it or not, people used to plant gardens over their septic tank lines. I dont see a problem with it. The stuff gets processed in the tank, then pumped out into the dirt where it is processed again by the dirt, then the plants take it up and process it yet again.
My lines are in the shade, or I would plant on them.
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