Blog Post

Ecological Organic Fertiliser by ReNutrients - trace minerals from recycled batteries

Cutting-edge Finnish technology enables this Australia-based company to extract and purify Zinc and Manganese from used alkaline batteries.

Who would have thought Cleantech can meet Agtech in the form of a viable jump from toxic batteries to pure fertiliser? The Australian company ReNutrients is using Finnish technology to do just that - tackling an environmental issue whilst returning valuable nutrients to the ground. Their first product is ZM-Grow™ which has been approved as an input for Organic Production by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture in Australia, NASAA.


According to research commissioned by the Battery Stewardship Council (BSC), Australians only recycle around 10 per cent of their household batteries. When compared to Switzerland’s 71 per cent (and five other nations recycling more than half of the batteries they buy), it is no wonder that the BSC is preparing to launch a national collection network for end-of-life batteries not covered by other stewardship schemes (such as computers and phones).


ReNutrients addresses battery recycling and more. It is commonly known that soils and pasture throughout Australia tend to be deficient in trace minerals. This has a knock-on effect on crops and livestock. Through this technology, however, valuable minerals which are currently mined in Australia can now be recycled and returned to the soil.


The technology, which is patented by the Finland-based company TraceGrow, centres on extracting and purifying the trace minerals zinc and manganese from used alkaline batteries. The resultant premium foliar fertiliser ZM-Grow™ is clean, safe and adaptable. The liquid compound comprises nutrients critical for plant growth and nutrition, including potassium and sulphur in addition to those extracted. Increased yields and an enriched nutrient content in crops have been proven during trials overseas. Thus far tests have been conducted in countries including Finland, England, Italy and the USA, for wheat, oats, barley, grass, corn, citrus, avocado, cotton, tomato and potato. The fertiliser has already been certified for organic use in the UK and approved for use as an organic fertiliser under EU legislation. Recently, it has been approved by NASAA in Australia, where trials are currently underway.


ReNutrients is a member of both NASAA and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA). The company has plans to advance and establish a processing and manufacturing facility in Australia. They are on a mission to play a key part in Australia’s circular economy, including sustainable and socially responsible production. Good news for conscientious consumers, who’d certainly enjoy the benefits of increased nutritional value also.



NEWS
16 Feb, 2024
HARDI Australia has long been at the forefront of technological development for Australian farmers, giving way to a game-changing solution to the perennial agricultural problem of weed control.
By Jessica Martyn 16 Feb, 2024
When it comes to building and maintaining a successful farming business in Australia, implementing the right solutions to deliver and preserve essential resources like fresh water is crucial – and in these ponds, White International is an authority more than 70 years strong.
16 Feb, 2024
After five decades of consistently setting new standards in forage harvesting technology, including perfect cut quality, ideal chop length, and efficient kernel processing, CLAAS has recently released a special edition JAGUAR 990 TERRA TRAC model at Agritechnica.
By By Jennifer McKee 16 Feb, 2024
In today's fast-paced world, embracing technology has become essential for industries to thrive, and the Australian agriculture industry is no exception.
04 Dec, 2023
As a Landcare group, one of our main interests is to increase ecological resilience in our local area. Many of our landscapes have been cleared of vegetation in previous decades, so we have the task of supporting landholders to plant trees and shrubs to replace those that are missing. The benefits of revegetation are manifold. They include providing habitat for a range of native animals; controlling erosion and salinity; increasing farm productivity through nutrient cycling and shade and shelter for stock; and drawing down carbon from the atmosphere. But as weather patterns become more variable and we experience more climatic extremes, we need to think about which plant species – and which plant genetics – are most appropriate in our revegetation efforts. We are forced to ask will our local plantings be able to survive our future climate? Up until recently, it has been common for people to preference locally sourced seed when re-planting. This has been based on the idea that such plants will be best adapted to local conditions. However, there is growing understanding among scientists and land managers that we need to shift our focus to plants that can persist as the climate changes. This involves looking at which plant species are most appropriate by focussing on species that have a wide distribution and grow in our area and also in hotter areas, and increasing the genetic diversity of our tubestock so they have the best potential to adapt over successive generations. Our Landcare group has been tackling this issue for the past several years, working with scientists and AdaptNSW to find the best way forward. There are several key steps involved: understanding our local future climate, analysing whether selected local species can survive in climates like the one projected for our area, and sourcing seed for those likely-to-survive species from a range of areas to increase the genetic diversity of our plantings. Planting the right species with good genetic diversity gives revegetation projects the best chance of survival into the future. It’s not just about making sure the individual tubestock will grow, but that future generations of those plants will be able to survive and thrive. Luckily there are some good resources available for farmers, land managers and groups interested in climate ready revegetation. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney has launched the Restore and Renew Webtool ( https://www.restore-and-renew.org.au/ ), which is a wonderful way for people to incorporate both climate change and genetic information when sourcing seed or plants. The NSW Niche Finder is invaluable for those who want to dig further into climate variables and species distribution ( http://www.nswnichefinder.net/ ). For future climate information, the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology have joined forces to provide a user-friendly online tool ( https://myclimateview.com.au/ ). And AdaptNSW also provides projected climate change information for different regions of the state ( https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/projections-map ). The Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups also has detailed information about our work on climate ready revegetation and relevant resources our website: https://yan.org.au/projects/climate-ready-revegetation-project As the climate changes, our revegetation efforts are more important than ever. And we need to make sure that they are ‘climate ready’ so that their benefits persist well into the future.
04 Dec, 2023
Some weeks, Amy Pascoe spends more time with mushrooms than humans. In this Q&A the Little Acre co-founder talks stereotypes, innovation, and the problem with “Grown in Australia” labels.
Show More
Share by: