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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.
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Trace minerals are required for optimal growth, reproduction, and immunity. Optimising trace mineral status relying solely on oral supplements across a herd may fail because of variation in individual intake and reduced absorption due to antagonism of other ration components and minerals. The use of injectable trace mineral supplements has been associated with positive reproductive outcomes including improved conception rate, increased odds of pregnancy and greater final in calf rate. A study conducted on 2,168 dairy cows, administered injectable trace minerals, four weeks prior to calving and again four weeks prior to the start of mating showed treated animals had a 3.3 per cent greater final in-calf rate, and a reduced time from start of mating to conception, compared to control animals 1 . The Importance of B12 Dr Carl Eden, Technical Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim says “Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as a ‘super vitamin’ because it is only required in very small amounts but vital to many essential metabolic pathways. However, demand for B12 can vary considerably during the year and we see serum levels of B12 fall at critical times, such as the first few months after calving.” Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, so deficiency in cobalt can lead to deficiency in vitamin B12 because ruminants get most of their B12 as a byproduct of ruminal fermentation where the bacteria in their rumen assemble B12 from cobalt for use by the cow. Sub-optimal trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at calving, mating, and drying off has been shown to negatively impact growth, reproduction, and immunity. Using a trace mineral injectable containing vitamin B12 can improve trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at these critical times. Marks-Min with Vitamin B12 – The Evidence In the largest trace element study to date, Marks-Min Injectable Trace Mineral with Vitamin B12 demonstrated remarkable results when compared to a reference trace mineral injection. “Given the differences between Marks-Min and other products on the market, we wanted to generate a compelling data set to demonstrate how effective it was compared to the pioneer product. We entrusted this work to a third-party research company” says Dr Eden. “We chose farms that were at the top of their game from a reproductive perspective. We made sure that the farms had no evidence of trace element or vitamin B12 deficiencies or excess.” Across all outcomes of interest, Marks-Min demonstrated clear non-inferiority when compared to the reference product. Outcomes measured included submission, pregnancy and conception rates, and six week in-calf rate. Marks-Min demonstrated it is highly suited as an alternative treatment to the reference product. Reference: 1. Hawkins, D., and B. V. S. Franklin. New Zealand Dairy Veterinarians Newsletter 24 (2007): 12-16 Company website: livestockfirst.com.au Company email address: CustomerCare.Australia@boehringer-ingelheim.com Company video: https://vimeo.com/1138807630?fl=pl&fe=cm
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