Urine, is it going to waste ?

jamesingram

How could we collect it in a way exceptable to your average Joe?
What uses does it have?

First one come to mind is to help to get the compost going , as it's a good activator
Then as a fertiliser for the allottment ( not sure of how it should be diluted)

I'd be interested in any thoughts or ideas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine

cheers Jim
(ps no I'm not taking the pi** , well may be I am )

jamesingram

Some more thoguhts
New Scientist article on generating energy from urine, less giggly than the BBC prog: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727741.400-pee-is-for-power-your-electrifying-excretions.html

"Taking the !!!!": http://www.adam-hart-davis.org/books.htm

Recycling animal and human dung is the key to sustainable farming
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/09/recycling-animal-and-human-dung-is-the-key-to-sustainable-farming.html

SailorSam

Are you taking the P ?

jamesingram

In Ye old time ( some still do) it was drunk as an elixia of youth.
Young lads urine was especially highly prized :beer:

Ken68

I do occasionally pee on the compost heap , but not since neighbour got rid of high hedges. Probably more useful to do it into a container and dilute for watering the garden.
Saves pulling the chain too so win win.
Serious quantities over a year. No joke.

grahamc2003

jamesingram wrote: »

How could we collect it in a way exceptable to your average Joe?
What uses does it have?

First one come to mind is to help to get the compost going , as it's a good activator
Then as a fertiliser for the allottment ( not sure of how it should be diluted)

I'd be interested in any thoughts or ideas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine

cheers Jim
(ps no I'm not taking the pi** , well may be I am )

I've often thought it was a valuable resource going to waste. It wasn't that long ago that most had a !!!!pot, which was collected frequently for its reasonably valuable chemicals.

I recently read about a company set up to extract very expensive drugs from the urine of those taking them. Apparently, a high percentage of drugs simply get expelled more or less in the same form as they went in, and if the drugs are high value or difficult to make, then it seems worth investigating to me. Hmmm, probably a good time to make up a still, and try extracting alcohol!

Just as we are probably breathing some molecules which have been through Einstein's body, we are also probably drinking molecules which he has probably wee'd out!

jamesingram

In the UK we collect the solids at the sewerage farm for fertiliser , but i presume the urine is impossible to extract once mixed up with all the other crud.
Clearly there's potential for resource collection at point of delivery
seems a shame to waste it .
I heard a while back of an americian port-a-loo company that was talking about collect and refining urine for the pharm. trade as many drugs dont get broken down and are passed through.

jamesingram

ha , cross posted with you Graham , clearly on the same line of thought

jamesingram

"Urine is an aqueous solution of greater than 95% water, with the remaining constituents, in order of decreasing concentration urea 9.3 g/L, chloride 1.87 g/L, sodium 1.17 g/L, potassium 0.750 g/L, creatinine 0.670 g/L and other dissolved ions, inorganic and organic compounds." from Wiki