UPM-Biofore-Magazine-1-2017-ENG

TEXT SAARA TÖYSSY   PHOTOGRAPHY YARA, UPM, TUOMAS UUSHEIMO

The fertilising trials are being performed at Yara Finland’s Kotkaniemi Research Station using trial plots that comply with international research protocols. The trial plots are fertilised and managed in different ways. At the end of the summer, a custom-built combine harvester harvests each plots separately to enable controlled assessment of how different fertilisers affect the crop.

I n order for UPM to attain its global sustainability target of sending zero solid waste to landfill by 2030, it must find sustainable ways of recycling and reusing production side streams. In November 2016, UPMand Yara Finland, a leading fertiliser and crop nutrition expert, announced that they had been granted funding for a joint project to develop a recycled fertiliser. The two companies originally began collaborating earlier in 2016, with their first joint field trials carried out last summer. The promising project has now been granted funding for 2017–2018 by Raki2, a nutrient recycling programme administered by the FinnishMinistry of the Environment. Agriculture has a long history of harnessing side streams; since early times, fields have always been fertilised withmanure from farm livestock. What makes this joint project between UPM and Yara special is the fact that two major

The time is ripe for an industrial-scale recycled fertiliser

nation, nutrient recycling has emerged as one of the Government’s key projects. Now, if ever, is the perfect time to commit resources to fertiliser research. Finding the perfect nutrient ratio The heterogeneity of side streammasses has been one of the main problems encountered in recycled fertiliser research. The organic side stream material generated by the forest industry comes in large quantities, and is well suited for fertiliser development, but it, too, is not without certain challenges. Fertiliser researcher Raimo Kauppila fromYara Finland has been working in the fertiliser industry for over 25 years and is the company’s key expert in important strategic projects. “The bio and primary sludge fromUPM’s effluent treatment plants is relatively homogeneous organic material, but the nutrient composition is not ideal. This means that plant nutrients need to be added to the sludge to achieve the correct

the dryer type, integrating

industrial operators are pooling their expertise and resources to create a sustainable, industrial-scale fertiliser solution that specifically meets the needs of farmers. The fertiliser

the solution into the plant, and analysing the cost structure,” explains Katja Viitikko , head of the side stream research programme at UPMResearch & Development. Yara is in turn responsible for carrying out pot and field tests, organising

will be manufactured from side streams such as sludge (which contains nitrogen and phosphorus) from the effluent treatment plants of UPM’s pulp and paper mills, and possibly ash from the incineration of biomass. “UPM’s role in the project is to provide the side streammaterial and to test and design the manufacturing technology and the manufacturing plant. The most important part of the design process is developing a suitable drying solution for the sludge. This means finding a suitable heat source, selecting

Katja Viitikko

collaboration with farmers, and positioning the product on the market. “In 2016, our work focused on examining the quality of the rawmaterials and searching for the best recipe and suitable technology. The results of the trials have been positive so far,” states Viitikko. Research on fertilisers made from industrial side streams such as sludge from effluent treatment plants or food industry waste has been topical for a couple of decades now. With Finland now aiming to become a model recycling

As part its commitment to sending zero waste to landfills by 2030, UPM is working with crop nutrition expert Yara to develop a fertiliser made from recycled forest industry side streams.

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