March 27, 2023

US research project to help farmers profit from swine waste

A research project by the University of Illinois, back by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), is looking to help farmers profit from swine waste, by converting it into road pavements, My Journal Courier reported.

The swine waste to pavement proposal by University of Illinois' professor Yuanhui Zhang, founder of the Environment-Enhancing Energy Laboratory, utilises hydrothermal processing to convert food waste and locally sourced swine manure into “biobinders” for asphalt in roads and roofing shingles.

The project is one of three winning proposals as part of the USDA's US$9.5 million competitive Bioproduct Pilot Programme, which aims to develop practical and sustainable uses for agricultural products that will benefit local areas economically.

Zhang said the US$2.5 million grant will span three years and draw waste from partners such as The Maschhoffs, a Carlyle-based pork producer, University of Illinois Housing Services, and the Champaign school district.

The University of Illinois Facilities and Services will facilitate the project, while the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment will conduct a technical analysis of the technique. The funding is from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021, and is being provided through the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The hydrothermal processing technique, which Zhang's E2-Energy Lab specialises in, heats waste at high pressure, creating energy-dense byproducts such as crude oil. In this case, the heavier components of the biocrude oil produced from local waste will be used to enhance the quality of recycled asphalt. By the end of the three-year grant, Zhang hopes to have a clear picture of the commercial viability of the proposal. Reducing waste in farms and cafeterias can have a significant environmental impact. Selling off manure can prevent over-application and the resulting runoff, while less food waste means less methane from landfills.

The USDA selected the UI's proposal and two other awardees from a pool of 28 applicants. Virginia Tech proposed to convert food waste into biodegradable bioplastics, and Soylei Innovations of Ames, Iowa, aims to convert soybean oil into pavement rubber. Proposals were evaluated based on various criteria, including feasibility, climate impact, and commercial benefits like job creation and potential profitability.

Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Agriculture, said proposals like these protect against sudden changes in the farming market, such as export restrictions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.

-      My Journal Courier