Michigan Universities Plan Stadium-Scale Urine Recycling Pilot

The University of Michigan and Michigan State are inviting fans at Saturday’s rivalry game to compete in “The Piss Off” by donating urine at tailgate stations near Michigan Stadium for a stadium-scale recycling research pilot. Researchers will pasteurize and concentrate the urine to recover nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, then make fertilizer for trials on ornamental plants and grasses at university gardens and research sites. The project aims to offer a more sustainable alternative to conventional fertilizers while reducing the energy and resources used to treat wastewater. Researchers say urine-based fertilizer could meet a meaningful share of the nutrient needs of ornamental plants and grasses. Further study will assess how to address potential pathogens and pharmaceutical residues before expanding applications, including to food crops.