Dairy processing plants generate large volumes of waste every day. Many dairy processing plants leave this waste underused, despite its rich nutrient content. The LANDFEED project’s Polish Use Case (UC5) shows how this waste stream can become a resource rather than a burden.
Two products, one process
The Polish team is developing two bio-based products. The first is a granulated organo-mineral fertiliser. The second is a liquid biostimulant rich in free amino acids.
Researchers use a two-step process to make both possible. First, they combine acid and alkaline hydrolysis. This step recovers nutrients from dairy waste without a separate neutralisation stage. Then, an enzymatic hydrolysis step follows. This increases the concentration of free amino acids, which supports plant growth and improves resilience to environmental stress.
Project partner Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST) supplies the dairy waste, which comes from cheese and whey production. Turning it into fertiliser reduces environmental pressure. It also lowers dependence on imported fertilisers, and it strengthens Europe’s nutrient self-sufficiency.
From the lab towards the field
UC5 has reached several milestones this year. In spring 2026, researchers delivered 10 kg of the granulated fertiliser to IUNG-PIB’s Wrocław branch for official registration testing. This step brings the product closer to real agricultural use.
Field trials are already under way. Since spring 2026, microplot experiments have tested the fertiliser at the Jelcz-Laskowice Experimental Station, part of IUNG-PIB’s research infrastructure. The trials assess two application rates on spring wheat and maize, two of the world’s most widely cultivated cereals. Read the full update on the field trials.
Scaling up for Europe
Most recently, the team completed a scale-up using 100 kg reactors. This produced over 30 kg of fertiliser, most of which is now travelling to project partners across Europe. Part of the batch goes to France, where it will support mesocosm experiments. Another part goes to Spain, for the development of biodegradable coatings.
As a result, UC5 is moving steadily from laboratory experiments towards real-world application. Every step, from the laboratory to the field, brings the use case closer to a working, circular solution for agriculture. Waste becomes nutrients; nutrients become fertiliser; fertiliser becomes healthier soil and stronger crops.
