What is Toopi Organics All About?
Toopi Organics is shaking up the agricultural world by recycling something most people don’t even think twice about: human urine. Founded in 2019 by Michael Roes, this innovative project collects urine from events, music festivals, and busy public restrooms—think motorway rest areas, tourist spots, amusement parks, and private buildings—using waterless urinals. The goal? To turn this often-overlooked resource into a powerful tool for sustainable agriculture. Through a unique filtration and fermentation process, Toopi Organics sanitizes the urine and transforms it into a culture medium rich in beneficial bacteria. These microbes help create biostimulants that boost crop growth, offering farmers eco-friendly alternatives to traditional chemical fertilizers. Currently active in France and Belgium, Toopi is also developing new microbial products that target key agricultural challenges like phosphorus and nitrogen availability, as well as water stress.
The Main Benefit: Turning Waste into Agricultural Gold
Here’s why Toopi Organics’ approach is a game-changer:
- Raw Urine Nutrients: Contains 9g of nitrogen (N), 2g of phosphorus (P), and 2.7g of potassium (K) per liter.
- Application Rate for Phosphorus: Requires about 17,000 liters per hectare to supply 35kg of phosphorus.
- Fermented Urine Power: Thanks to fermentation, the urine is packed with bacteria and metabolites.
- Efficiency Boost: Only 25 liters per hectare needed to solubilize the same 35kg of phosphorus.
- Environmental Impact: Manufacturing urine-sourced biosolutions drastically reduces the ecological footprint compared to chemical fertilizers.
Why Ferment Human Urine?
Fermentation isn’t just a buzzword here—it’s the secret sauce. Raw urine, while nutrient-rich, has limitations in how effectively plants can absorb those nutrients. By fermenting urine, Toopi Organics supercharges it with beneficial bacteria and metabolites that make phosphorus and other nutrients more available to plants. This means farmers can use far less product to achieve the same, if not better, results. Plus, fermentation helps sanitize the urine, making it safe and effective as a biofertilizer. It’s a smart, natural way to boost soil health and crop resilience without relying on harsh chemicals.
How Does Toopi Collect Urine?
Collection is a key part of the puzzle. Toopi Organics partners with event organizers and facility managers to install waterless urinals in high-traffic areas. These urinals save water and make it easy to gather urine without contamination. Events like music festivals provide a perfect opportunity to collect large volumes in a short time, while permanent installations at rest stops and tourist sites ensure a steady supply. This network of collection points is crucial for scaling up the project and making urine recycling a mainstream agricultural practice.
Technology Behind the Transformation
Toopi’s technology combines filtration and fermentation to turn raw urine into a potent agricultural input. The filtration process removes impurities and prepares the urine for fermentation, which then enriches it with beneficial microbes. These microbes play a vital role in solubilizing phosphorus and enhancing nutrient uptake by plants. The result is a biosolution that supports high-performing, resilient, and ecological agriculture. This technology not only reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers but also addresses water conservation by removing urine from the conventional water cycle.
Project Impact: Aligning with Global Goals
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – by promoting sustainable agriculture and improving soil fertility.
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – by reducing water use and preventing pollution.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – through recycling and valorization of human waste.
- SDG 13: Climate Action – by lowering greenhouse gas emissions linked to fertilizer production.
- SDG 15: Life on Land – by protecting terrestrial ecosystems from chemical runoff.
Why Toopi Organics Matters in Today’s World
At its core, Toopi Organics is about rethinking waste and resources. It asks simple but powerful questions: How can we do without harmful fertilizers? How can we stop wasting precious drinking water on flushing urine? How can we prevent pollution of our land and waterways? The answer lies in human urine. By bringing it back into the agricultural cycle, Toopi Organics offers a sustainable, effective, and scalable solution to some of the biggest environmental challenges we face. It’s a fresh take on biotechnology, fermentation, and microbial innovation—one that could change the way we farm and care for our planet.
