Sewage sludge
Sewage sludge – used in the production of OrCal® series products, by-product of the industrial sewage treatment plant (in particular from the agriculture and food industry, meat industry and municipal services).
Their advantage is organic substances and biogenic elements content, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium – particularly in demand in agriculture. The amount of organic substances in de-watered sludge may exceed 50%. Thus, its organic and chemical composition predisposes it for use in the soil. However, due to the heavy metal and pathogenic micro-organisms (pathogenic bacteria) content, legal standards shall be adhered to, which permit using it in agriculture in raw form.
The FuelCal® technology, unlike other technologies, makes sewage sludge perfect for safe use in agriculture. After processing, we obtain a safe product with minimised heavy metal content (up to approx. 10% of the standard defined by the regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture), free from pathogens and endospore forms – this is much less than the content found in chalk or dolomite (for example, with the 600mg/kg standard for lead!, the content for OrCal® is 140mg/kg)
Cat.2 and Cat.3 by-products of animal origin
The by-products of animal origin are materials of animal origin that are not intended for human consumption or not consumed by humans.
The by-products of animal origin include, not limited to:
- animal parts or parts thereof produced by the slaughter of animals in abattoirs, cutting plants, processing plants and other plants of the food industry, etc.
- fallen livestock (e.g. pigs, poultry, cattle) and fallen companion animals (e.g. dogs, cats),
- livestock manure,
- hides, skins, hooves, horns, bristles, hair of animal origin,
- hunting trophies,
- food of animal origin past best before date or with damaged packaging,
- catering waste from mass catering establishments,
- other products of animal origin, not intended for human consumption.
The by-products of animal origin can be used to produce many products, for example, meat and bone meal, fish meal, blood meal, blood products, animal fats, pet food and dog chews, organic cosmetics and fertilisers, and soil conditioners. The FuelCal® technology can successfully convert by-products of animal origin into OrCal® series products. The end products of the technology, resulting from the production process, are characterised by rich organics and high content of macro-nutrients, for example, N,P, K (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), which play a key role in proper plant vegetation.
More than 20 million tonnes of by-products of animal origin are produced every year in EU Member States, including approx. 2 million tonnes in Poland. The unlawful management of by-products of animal origin may have a negative impact on sanitary and veterinary safety, through the possibility of spreading animal diseases (e.g. BSE) or chemical contaminants (e.g. dioxins). By-products of animal origin can be hazardous to human and animal health, unless they are properly disposed of or processed. The FuelCal® technology converts the by-products of animal origin into safe OrCal® series products for use in agriculture. They are free from all pathogens. The OrCal® series products have been approved by the National District Veterinary, Chemical and Agricultural, the State Veterinary Inspection, the Institute of Rural Medicine, the Institute of Environmental Protection, and the Institute of Soil Science and Cultivation in Puławy. EU regulations govern their transport, processing and disposal.
By-products of animal origin are categorised based on risk analysis in Category 1, 2 or 3 (special, high and low risk materials). The procedure depends on the product category and applies to: the processing, collection, transport, storage, use and destruction.
The detailed rules for categorisation and development are provided for in the Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011. [Prepared based on materials of the General Veterinary Inspectorate]
Feathers
In the European Union alone, the poultry industry produces 3.1 million tonnes of feather waste per year. This waste is usually incinerated or converted into low nutrition feed for animals. From the perspective of the FuelCal® technology, feathers are a valuable raw material that can be safely converted into a OrCal® series product for use in agriculture. An OrCal® product made with feathers can contain up to 4.7% nitrogen (N) in dry matter.
Bones
Bones are a by-product of animal origin that can be a valuable substrate to the FuelCal® technology and for the production of a OrCal® series product. An OrCal® product made with bones can contain up to 2.7% phosphorus (P) in dry matter.
Hooves
Hooves are a by-product of animal origin that can be a valuable substrate to the FuelCal® technology and for the production of a OrCal® series product. An OrCal® product made with feathers can contain up to 3.7% nitrogen (N) in dry matter.
Cellulose
Bristles are a by-product of animal origin that can be a valuable substrate to the FuelCal® technology and for the production of a OrCal® series product. A OrCal® product made with bristles can contain up to 3.8% nitrogen (N) and 2.4% phosphorus (P) in dry matter.
Green waste
Poultry litter or poultry manure is a natural substrate consisting of bird droppings, from which OrCal® products can be made. Poultry litter is a source of valuable macro-nutrients. For example, 1 kg of chicken litter can contain: nitrogen 1.2-4.1%, phosphorus 1.2-2.6%, potassium 0.8-2.3%. This is essential for the production of agricultural products with organic content, such as OrCal®. The high content of N, P, K improves plant vegetation and increases the yield.
Catering waste
Biomass – the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agricultural production (including substances of plant and animal origin), forestry and related industries, including fishery and aquaculture, as well as biogases and the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. The FuelCal® technology can convert any biomass into OrCal® products for use in agriculture.
Bristles
Bristles are a by-product of animal origin that can be a valuable substrate to the FuelCal® technology and for the production of a OrCal® series product. A OrCal® product made with bristles can contain up to 3.8% nitrogen (N) and 2.4% phosphorus (P) in dry matter.
Hen manure
Poultry litter or poultry manure is a natural substrate consisting of bird droppings, from which OrCal® products can be made. Poultry litter is a source of valuable macro-nutrients. For example, 1 kg of chicken litter can contain: nitrogen 1.2-4.1%, phosphorus 1.2-2.6%, potassium 0.8-2.3%. This is essential for the production of agricultural products with organic content, such as OrCal®. The high content of N, P, K improves plant vegetation and increases the yield.
Biomass
Biomass – the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agricultural production (including substances of plant and animal origin), forestry and related industries, including fishery and aquaculture, as well as biogases and the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. The FuelCal® technology can convert any biomass into OrCal® products for use in agriculture.
Manure
Manure is a natural fertiliser that consists of digested animal faeces and urine and litter
It contains all the nutrients necessary for plant growth. It also improves the physical properties of the soil. Nowadays, large farms more often use a fertiliser originating from litter-free breeding of livestock, as the so-called slurry. The following types of manure can be distinguished.
- fresh, which has not been fermented, with non-uniform structure and a wide C:N (carbon to nitrogen) ratio,
- fermented, which has been fermented for 4-5 months; resulting in partial mineralisation of organic matter and reduction of the C:N ratio to 15-20:1,
- straw manure, or mulch, with a high content of straw litter and wide C:N ratio,
- composted – highly decomposed; usually composted with the addition of mineral fertilisers, peat, faecal matter or clay,
- artificial – organic fertiliser obtained by composting cut straw with slurry, liquid manure, water manure and mineral fertilisers (N, P, Ca) and special preparations; not inferior to natural manure as fertiliser.
Manure must be stored in special areas with concrete bottom, the so-called slurry pits, so that the substances released during its decomposition processes do not penetrate into the soil.
The requirements for agricultural buildings used to store manure, slurry and liquid manure are stipulated in the Fertilisers and Fertilisation Act of 10 July 2007. The FuelCal® technology is perfectly capable of solving the problem of manure surplus and convert it into an OrCal® series product. Continuous application of manure by farmers may lead to excessive soil acidification and its storage may be costly (legal requirements) and hazardous to the environment.
An example average chemical composition of manure from different animals, well decomposed and properly stored: nitrogen 0.5%, phosphorus 0.25%, potassium 0.60%.
Digestate
Digestate (pulp, compound)
Digestate pulp is a product of methane fermentation, most often occurring in biogas plants. In addition to the biogas, it is another basic product of the biogas plant. The digestate pulp is characterised by a relatively high content of micro- and macro-elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in mineralised form and high biochemical stability. This form is easily digestible by plants and for this reason it is a valuable source of nutrients. Due to the high decomposition temperature of biodegradable substrates, the pulp is a fertiliser that is free from weeds and pathogenic micro-organisms, and in addition it does not release unpleasant odours like natural fertilisers. It is used in agriculture and biofuel production. The digestate is limited in use in agriculture – it cannot be used as fertiliser in the December-February period. The situation is different if the digestate becomes a substrate in the production of the OrCal® product. This product can be used all year round. This is essential for planning agro-technical treatments and their economics.
The OrCal® series products based on digestate make perfect use of its potential, which results in excellent soil quality improvements (physical and chemical properties, improved soil structure and increased humus levels) and, in effect, increases the yield.
Spent grains
Spent grains or brewer’s spent grains – insoluble components of mash in the form of husk, sprouts and malt particles, formed in the lauter tun.
In traditional or home brewing, spent grains after depositing on the bottom forms a natural filtering layer. Such filter lets through the mash, which flows as pure wort to the wort copper and subject to boiling with hop. However, spent grains is rinsed with hot water to completely dissolve its sugar content for use in further beer production. In industrial breweries, special mash filters are used for quicker and more uniform separation of the wort from spent grains. The leached spent grains are most often used as animal feed or additive in bread baking. It can also become a substrate in production of the OrCal® series fertiliser for use in agriculture.
