U.S. Waste Streams Contain $5.7 Billion in Untapped Agricultural Nutrients

Recovering nutrients from human and animal waste could significantly reduce U.S. Reliance on synthetic fertilizers, according to a new study published in Nature Sustainability. The research finds that waste-derived nutrients could theoretically supply 102% of the nation’s nitrogen and 50% of its phosphorus needs for agriculture, representing an annual value exceeding $5.7 billion.

However, realizing this potential faces a major hurdle: nutrient surpluses are concentrated in densely populated and livestock-intensive regions, although the highest demand for fertilizer occurs in major crop-producing areas like the Midwest and southern Great Plains. This spatial mismatch means much of the recoverable nitrogen and phosphorus cannot be used where it is generated.

The study, led by researchers at Cornell University, mapped both waste sources and agricultural needs across the United States. It found that approximately 37% of recoverable nitrogen and 46% of recoverable phosphorus could be applied locally. More than half of the remaining surplus could be transported to nearby regions with nutrient deficits at relatively low economic and environmental cost.

“This is a coordination problem, not a resource problem,” said Chuan Liao, assistant professor and corresponding author of the study. “Even considering real-world constraints like processing and transportation, there’s still a substantial amount of nutrients that can be economically redistributed to meet crop needs.”

The researchers estimate that 8.56 teragrams of nitrogen and 2.80 teragrams of phosphorus could be recovered annually from U.S. Waste streams. When factoring in logistical and infrastructural challenges, about 61% of surplus nitrogen and 56% of surplus phosphorus could be reallocated to areas where they are needed most.

Advancing this circular bionutrient economy would require coordinated efforts in processing, logistics, and governance. Success could reduce the environmental impacts associated with synthetic fertilizer production, which is energy-intensive and contributes to ecosystem harm through runoff and greenhouse gas emissions.

By turning waste into a valuable agricultural resource, the U.S. Could move toward a more sustainable and equitable nutrient management system—one that lessens dependence on imported fertilizers and supports regional agricultural resilience.