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

2. Project Description Benefits 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.