Last Thursday, March 9th our chemistry class and other students from the ESS class visited the International Water Management Institute for a presentation about sustainability and the growing popularity of the use of natural fertilizer with the use of feces. The presentation covered a wide range of benefits of fertilizers and what kind of challenges they face here in Sri Lanka economically. Additionally topics such as filtration of sewer water, and creation of liquid fertilizer as an effort to achieve a circular economy, where the utilization of resources is more emphasized. We also had the opportunity to see samples of the different fertilizers made in a sustainable way: some of these included the pellet fertilizers made from the fecal sludge, and the liquid fertilizers.

The presentation provided important information on the ways that business are attempting to increase the demand of these natural fertilizers, and it related well to chemistry. Specifically, the concept of the Born-Haber Process was mentioned as an important process in the production of nitrogen from waste, and thus was well connected to our topic of Energy Production.