A processed urine-based fertilizer is applied to the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Courtesy of University of Michigan
(FOX 2) - A different kind of competition will take off between in-state rivals ahead of the UM-MSU football game on Saturday.
It's called ‘The Piss Off’ and it's exactly what it sounds like.
A friendly contest put on by both universities hopes to collect urine from students at both schools to use for fertilizer research.
In-State Rivalry
What we know:
Yurts with portable bathrooms are going to be set up on the campuses of both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University for fans to use.
Fans are invited to "contribute to the cause," as the University of Michigan puts it.
The reason? To collect urine for research on fertilizer.
Making fertilizer from pee
Dig deeper:
Researchers are trying to build a process for producing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer from urine.
The study stretches back to 2017 when Prof. Nancy Love estimated that it would take as little as 4% of the urine flushed by staff from the University of Michigan staff and students to replace fertilizer purchased from outside sources.
The process is sometimes called "peecycling." While urine is restricted to water food crops, it is widely used for horticultural plants like lawns and flowerbeds.
"It will provide you with truly beautiful peonies in the front of your house," said MSU Associate Professor of Sociology Stephen Gasteyer.
The fertilizer created from pee will be used for research at both the Kellogg Biological Station in Ross Township and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor.
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What they're saying:
"There are two reasons for the event," Gasteyer said. "One is to actually collect the urine which can be used to produce the fertilizer but the other is to educate people that what comes out of our bodies naturally provides nutrients that can help things grow.
"The way we currently treat urine involves a lot of energy and resources and we end up disposing of those nutrients when the entire process could be much more beneficial to the whole world."
What you can do:
Fans may "contribute" by using yurts posted at the Ann Arbor Golf & Outing Course from noon to 8 p.m.
The yurts will only have urinals, so collections can only be made by people who stand up to pee.
For more information, go to UM's engineering college website.
The Source: The University of Michigan was cited for this story.