Helvi Heinonen-Tanski Senior Lecturer
University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Helvi Heinonen‑Tanski is an emerita senior university lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland whose work focuses on sustainability, eco‑sanitation, waste management, wastewater treatment, food hygiene, and food security. She has led development projects in countries such as Tanzania, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, promotes the safe use of human waste in food production, and is active in nature conservation efforts in Finland.
Articles written by Helvi Heinonen-Tanski
Turning human Urine Into fertilizer: Practical and Business Insights for food security.
47 10. April 2026
Human urine may be one of the world’s most overlooked resources. Every person produces about 500 liters of urine per year, and it's rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the same nutrients found in chemical fertilizers farmers rely on to grow food. In fact, the nutrients from one person’s annual urine production can fertilize enough land to grow up to 270 kg of rice or 180 kg of wheat.
Despite its potential, urine recycling remains a rare practice globally. Why? Barriers like infrastructure gaps, technological hurdles, economic uncertainties, and social perceptions hold us back. But what if we could turn this "waste" into a circular economy, boosting sanitation, reducing pollution, and feeding communities, all at once?
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