Consumers’ Acceptance of Agricultural Fertilizers Derived from Diverted and Recycled Human Urine

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential ingredients in fertilizers used to produce food. Novel methods are emerging for more efficiently sourcing these nutrients, one of which is to recover them from recycled human urine; once recovered, N and P can be redirected to fertilizer production. While the technology for creating human urine-derived fertilizer (HUDF) exists, implementing it at scale will depend on public acceptance. Thus, this study examined U.S. consumers’ acceptance of HUDF across a range of applications and, in comparison, to other fertilizer types. Data were collected from a representative national sample, and analyses of variance with post-hoc comparisons were conducted to compare across fertilizer applications and types. A hierarchical regression was conducted to assess if demographics, psychological variables, and value orientations predict HUDF acceptance. Results suggest that HUDF and biosolid-based fertilizers are equally preferred and more strongly preferred than synthetic fertilizers. HUDF is not preferred as strongly as organic fertilizers. HUDF was deemed most acceptable when used on nonedible plants and least acceptable when used on crops for human consumption. Regression analysis revealed that judgments about risks and benefits were the strongest predictors of acceptance of UDF use. These results are promising for sanitation practitioners and regulators among others.