Challenge and Change
Synthetic fertilizer manufacturers are ready to roll with the punches that the future will bring
Just like pesticides and water, synthetic fertilizer manufacturers face an array of challenges in the short- and long-term future of the golf course maintenance industry.
Legislative regulations related to the environment and economics are two issues that synthetic fertilizer manufacturers must deal with now, and will continue to deal with in coming years. Challenge and change could be two words that define the business climate for fertilizer manufacturers.
THE AGE OF BIOLOGY
Dave Heegard, general manager of the professional products division for LebanonTurf, remembers the age of chemistry in the 1950s and 1960s and the slogan, “A better living through chemistry.” He believes the industry, and the world as a whole, are on the verge of an “age of biology” with a similar slogan.
LebanonTurf, well known for its conventional nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) fertilizer products, began offering biological products when it acquired the Emerald Isle Solutions line of foliar and granular fertilizer products from Milliken Chemical in 2008. LebanonTurf didn’t stop there. In July 2009, LebanonTurf acquired the turf and landscape business from Novozymes, including the ROOTS Turf brand of organic-based granular fertilizers. And in early 2011, the company purchased the U.S. horticultural and turf division of Plant Health Care, another manufacturer of biologically based products.
Heegard believes that, over time, more and more superintendents will begin using biological-based products.
“It’s a slow process of integrating the biological components into traditional turf nutrition programs,” Heegard says, noting that plant nutrition programs that include bionutritional products will soon become the norm rather than the exception.
Synthetic fertilizers blended with biostimulants will become more commonplace, says Heegard, whose company recently released Country Club MD (Maximum Dispersion) fertilizer, which features Meth-Ex, a slow-release nitrogen combined with the biostimulants sea plant kelp and humic acid to fight turf stress.
“There has been a lot of work done in the last 30 years with trying to make fertilizers better in terms of performance,” Heegard says. “This is one way that you can make them better.”
The Andersons is also delving into bionutritional products, such as Humic DG, which is designed to improve fertilizer efficiency and soil moisture retention, as well as increase the uptake of nitrogen.
The company actually introduced a humic product to the golf course maintenance industry in the mid-1990s. “But it was before its time,” says Chuck Anderson, director of professional products for The Andersons in Maumee, Ohio.
Anderson says more superintendents are open to bionutritional products because they are what he likes to call “renewable.” But it’s not just superintendents who are interested in renewable products, it’s people in general.
“There’s a fundamental change that’s happening globally,” Anderson says. “People are becoming more caring of the planet. People will pay more to be ‘green.’ ”
Mike Johnson, director of sales and operations for Vereens Turf Products in Longs, S.C., says many superintendents formerly fertilized strictly with synthetics, while others used organics. But now a lot of superintendents are using both and requesting custom-blend fertilizers from Vereens.
“We still sell a tremendous amount of synthetic fertilizer, but a lot of superintendents are using more blends,” Johnson says of Vereens, which sells synthetic, organic and custom-blend fertilizer throughout the Southeast.
Superintendents are also distinguishing between pasteurized organics versus unpasteurized organics. A pasteurized organic is baked. But when it is baked the carbon source is depleted, Johnson notes.
“More superintendents are beginning to realize the importance of carbon in the soil,” he adds.
While not a bionutritional, Vancouver, B.C.-based Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies has introduced a sustainable fertilizer, Crystal Green. It’s made from recovered phosphorus and nitrogen from municipal and industrial wastewater streams and transformed into a slow-release fertilizer. Ostara says it’s the first nutrient technology to offer plant-activated, slow-release fertilizer sustainably made from renewable sources. A blend of phosphorus, nitrogen and magnesium, Crystal Green is an enhanced efficiency fertilizer that offers lower application rates and reduced nutrient loss through leaching and runoff, according to the company.
Read the full article online at: http://www.superintendentmagazine.com

Ostara and Oakley Sign Letter of Intent for Purchase of Oakleyâs St. Louis Granulation Facility and Long-term Terminal Services

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. & City of Atlanta Announce Official Launch of Nutrient Recovery Facility

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. and ICL Specialty Fertilizers Expand Distribution of Recycled Nutrients into New Territories

Ostara Provides Corporate Update: Additional Growth Capital from Equity Funding and New Credit Facility; New Board Director, Monty Bayer

Reimagining the Future of Phosphates at Symphos 2019; Phosphorus Recovery, Sustainability and the Circular Economy.

Ostara Raises up to US$16.5 Million with Existing Investors to Support Production Scale-up and Accelerate Global Growth

Ostara Enters into Long-Term Granulation Tolling Agreement in Response to Increasing Crystal Green Sales Demand

Shafdan Wastewater Treatment Plant will be the first in the region to install an Ostara Nutrient Recovery Facility

City of St. Cloud to Install Ostaraâs Nutrient Recovery Technology as Key Part of the Cityâs Nutrient Recovery and Reuse Project

Ostara to Deliver City of Atlanta Nutrient Recovery Facility Through Unique Alternative Finance Model

Ellen MacArthur Foundation | Case Study: Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies – Closing the Nutrient Loop

Treatment Plant Operator | Water Environment Federation Presents Awards for Operational and Design Excellence

The MWRD of Greater Chicagoâs Nutrient Recovery Facility earns Top Honor from Water Environment Federation

Executive Voice Publishing | The Best of Canada Report: Honoring Canada’s 150 year Legacy of Commercial Success (as seen in Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal)

SDTC SUCCESS STORY | Partnering for real results. Meeting environmental goals. Moving cleantech to market.

Black & Veatch | Worldâs largest nutrient recovery facility produces valuable, environmentally friendly fertilizer

AQUA STRATEGY | A growth opportunity – how recovery of phosphorus from wastewater is bringing success for Ostara

ESEM | Wastewater converted to ecofriendly fertilizer with the help of dewatering, classifying screeners

WATER ONLINE | Measuring The Impact Of Phosphorus Recovery â From The Midwest To The Gulf Of Mexico

VANCOUVER SUN | Vancouver’s Ostara aims to harvest from municipal waste rather than mining phosphorus

WATER BRIEFING | Dutch Waterboard opens Europeâs first nutrient recovery facility at Amersfoort WwTW

DUTCH WATER SECTOR | Next-step sludge treatment integrates three advanced technologies at wwtp Amersfoort, the Netherlands

SUSTAINABLE BRANDS | Chemical Plant, Nutrient Recovery Facility Bring Circular Economy One Step Closer

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and Ostara Open Worldâs Largest Nutrient Recovery Facility to Help Recover Phosphorus and Protect Mississippi River Basin

Dutch Waterboard Vallei en Veluwe and Ostara to produce high-value fertiliser, Crystal GreenÂŽ at Amersfoort WWTP

Ostara is named in the 2015 Global Cleantech 100: Recognized as a Pioneer in Shaping the Future of Resource Recovery

ACWA Services partners with Ostara to offer Phosphorus Recovery Revenue Stream for UK Water Companies

Ostara is Named in the 2014 Global Cleantech 100 for 6th Straight year: Recognized as Market Leader in Waste to Wealth Technology

Ostara Sees Improved Dewaterability and Reduced Biosolids Production with Waste-activated Sludge Stripping Technology

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and Ostara Help Dane County Lead the Way in Reducing Nutrient Pollution

What operational benefits and political motivation persuade utilities to install nutrient recovery systems?

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies wins Technology Green 15⢠Award at the 2013 Deloitte Technology Fast 50⢠Awards

Come, friendly bombs, don’t fall on Slough. It’s doing good for humans now: Berkshire town to launch ÂŁ2m nutrient-recovery reactor

BBC World News Horizons explores why human waste is one of biggest public health issues facing world today

Ostara Named to 2013 Global Cleantech 100 List: Recognized as Market Leader in Technology with World-Changing Impact

Ostara Named to 2013 Global Cleantech 100 List: Recognized as Market Leader in Technology with World-Changing Impact

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Chicagoâs Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Discuss Nutrient Recoveryâs Crucial Role in Combatting Water Pollution

Black & Veatch and Ostara to Design-Build New Nutrient Recovery System for Worldâs Largest Water Reclamation Plant

Black & Veatch and Ostara to Design-Build New Nutrient Recovery System for World’s Largest Water Reclamation Plant

Clean Water Services and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Open World’s Largest Municipal Nutrient Recovery Facility

Hampton Roads Sanitation District and Ostara Win National Council of Public-Private Partnerships Award

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and Ostara Partner to Install Commercial Nutrient Recovery Facility

Virginia Wastewater Treatment Plant First In Chesapeake Bay Watershed to Recover Nutrients and Transform Them into âGreenâ Commercial Fertilizer

Media Alert: Unveiling of New Nutrient Recovery Facility That Will Protect Chesapeake Bay, with Keynote Speaker Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

World’s Only Slow Release, Renewable Fertiliser Begins Commercial Production – Crystal GreenÂŽ Proven Effective for Turf, Nursery, Specialty Markets

HRSD Treatment Plant to Build Full-Scale Nutrient Recycling Facility Nutrients will be Recycled into âGreenâ Commercial Fertilizer

Severn Trent First in Europe to Recycle Nutrients into âEnvironmentally Friendlyâ Commercial Fertiliser

VantagePoint Venture Partnerâs Portfolio Companies Take Top Rankings in Guardianâs Global CleanTech 100

Oregon Wastewater Treatment Plant First in the U.S. to Recycle Nutrients Into ‘Green’ Commercial Fertilizer

SFPUC and Ostara Demonstrate Innovative Technology That Recycles Harmful Sewage Byproduct to Environmentally-safe Fertilizer

SFPUC and Ostara Demonstrate Innovative Technology That Recycles Harmful Sewage Byproduct to Environmentally-Safe Fertilizer

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Raises U.S. $10.5 Million to Accelerate Commercialization of CleanTech Water Treatment Process

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.: Oregon Wastewater Treatment Plant Is the First in U.S. to Recycle Nutrients Into “Green” Commercial Fertilizer

Edmonton Reveals World’s First Industrial Scale Sewage Treatment Facility to Recycle Nutrients Into Environmentally-Safe Commercial Fertilizer

Clean Water Servicesâ wastewater treatment facility conducts trials of new environmentally-friendly technology from Canadian company
Â
Š 2020 Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. Home | Technology | Nutrients | Contact UsÂ
Â