Iceland launches land-based aquaculture sludge drying trial with USD 159,000 in public funding to assess fertilizer potential

A consortium of aquaculture companies, research institutions and agricultural bodies in Iceland has launched a pilot project to assess whether solid waste from land-based fish farms can be processed and used as fertilizer. The project has received ISK 15,881,994 (approximately USD 128,526.29) in funding from the Icelandic public food fund Matvælasjóður, and its scope is limited to research and technical evaluation of the product obtained from sludge drying; it does not mean the launch of a fully validated commercial fertilizer.

Consortium members include farming companies Laxey, Samherji Fiskeldi, First Water and Thor Salmon, as well as research institute Matís, the institution Land og skógur and the farmers' association Bændasamtök Íslands. According to information published by the agricultural association and reported by mbl.is, a pilot dryer manufactured by Héðinn has been installed at Laxey's facility in the Vestmannaeyjar islands. As part of the field trials, the consortium plans to work with farmers in Landeyjar to verify whether the dewatered material can be spread using conventional agricultural machinery already in operation on local farms.

The funding is intended to find operational solutions ahead of the expansion of land-based aquaculture. According to projections cited by Morgunblaðið based on expansion plans of the four main operators in the sector, waste generation this year is estimated at around 6,290 tonnes; if industry expansion projects proceed as planned, annual generation could grow to 70,000 tonnes within five years. These figures are industry estimates of future capacity, not confirmed production.

On the technical side, the trial will evaluate the induction drying system developed by Héðinn. According to the manufacturer's published commercial specifications, the technology dispenses with a conventional steam circuit and can achieve energy efficiency above 98%. This figure is a supplier's commercial claim, and there are currently no independent measurements of the actual performance of the equipment at the Laxey plant; likewise, the nominal capacity of Héðinn's commercial units does not equate to the operating results of this publicly funded trial.

The purpose of dewatering the by-product is to reduce moisture content in order to cut costs and facilitate storage, transport and field application. However, for the fertilizer to be viable, additional technical and regulatory validation steps are required. The project includes laboratory analyses and field trials to determine its agronomic value, hygiene status and environmental impact. Meanwhile, the food and veterinary authority Matvælastofnun (MAST) requires any fertilizer or soil amendment to be registered before it can be approved for sale. Previous reporting by Morgunblaðið noted that aspects of handling and application requirements remain to be clarified, and that commercial authorization must be confirmed directly with MAST after the trial concludes and the process's cost-effectiveness has been assessed in comparison with other waste management options.