Biosolids and biogenic fertilisers: developing a circular economy
Whipps, A.1 and Hammond, A.2, 1Pell Frischmann, UK, 2CCm Technologies Ltd, UK
(free)
CCm Technologies Ltd is an environmental technology company based in Wiltshire, United Kingdom,
developing a range of technical solutions to the environmental problems of today. Initial work
undertaken by CCm Research Ltd commenced with fundamental laboratory-based research in carboncapture techniques in 2011.
Building on the expertise and knowledge gained, CCm Technologies Ltd have commercially
developed the technology through a series of pilot and demonstration-scale facilities to a point where
full-scale installations can be planned and implemented.
Showcasing at the European Biosolids and Organic Resources Conference held in Leeds 2018, CCm
Technologies Ltd has continued to develop the process and range of potential applications. The CCm
approach of utilising captured carbon dioxide and its’ conversion into stable value-added materials,
thereby contributes to a sustainable future.
Taking what would normally be a critical environmentally damaging gas, carbon dioxide in terms of
climate change, and converting to a range of materials for use in the production of food, agriculture
and advanced materials, accords with the philosophy of the Circular Economy.
Pilot-scale facilities developed from initial bench-scale tests have produced an organic fertiliser called
CCm Growth®. Five years of agronomic trials have demonstrated CCm Growth®, performs well
against conventional compound fertilisers.
Currently planned applications include a food waste anaerobic digester site in Somerset and a leading
water sector organisation utilising carbon capture from biosolids treatment and recovered ammonia
from leachate liquors. This latter facility will exploit pilot scale operation to achieve an initial 10,000T
production capacity rising to 60,000T production capacity.
Currently an exciting development is at a confidential stage, involving a leading environmental partner
in the South West for the further development of fertiliser production technology.
The paper provides an overview of the background, planning and organisation of initial bench-scale
and pilot-scale work, the status of full scale facilities involving digestate from food waste AD plant and
conventional water sector. Innovative technology advances will also be outlined with agronomic
trialwork.
