Production of ammonium sulfate fertilizer from waste gypsum

1. Production of ammonium sulfate fertilizer from waste gypsum Dr. Mahmoud Wazne (SIT) Dr Julie-Anne Hanna (QUB) November 18, 2009

2. Project DescriptionBenefits and advantages + + = Waste gypsum Waste carbon dioxide Ammonia Ammonium sulfate fertilizer • Waste products are used to generate a commercial product • Avoidance of treatment and disposal costs • Potentially more cost effective than other processes • The process is not inhibited by contaminants in the waste streams • Potential environmental credit

3. Potential Markets • The developed fertilizer could displace some of the 80,000 tones per annum of chemical fertilizer imported into Northern Ireland. • Savings on gypsum landfill tipping fee of £40 per ton • Recalcitrant gypsum waste is diverted away from limited landfill capacity in Northern Ireland • Potential income from carbon cap-and-trade resulting from sequestration of carbon dioxide into the calcium carbonate byproduct • Other gypsum waste streams such as those produced in power plants could be used in the process • Municipal Solid Waste Disposal would benefit as the Waste Disposal Authorities throughout Ireland and Europe enter contracts to build new waste management facilities. • The farming community will benefit from the use of potentially cheaper fertilizer product. • The new fertilizer would have export potential as well as local applications.