ZM-Grow is the world’s first zinc and manganese foliar fertiliser to be made from used alkaline batteries, which has been registered and approved for use in the UK for both conventional and organic farming systems. The fertiliser is distributed by Hutchinsons crop production specialists as part of the company’s range of low-carbon nutrition products.
ZM-Grow is created when an alkaline mass is created out of crushed batteries, the mass is then transferred to a leaching stage; after this, solids are separated from the solution and the solution is then purified and neutralised to around pH 4.00, to create the foliar fertiliser.
“ZM-Grow ticks all of the pertinent boxes for sustainability, offers a reduced carbon footprint whilst also providing a high quality, effective micronutrient foliar fertiliser that meets a valid need by UK arable growers,” said Tim Kerr, Hutchinsons fertiliser manager.
“It is a sulphate-based concentrate containing 60g/l Zn, 67g/l Mn, and 75g/l S. We know that balancing micronutrition can help improve Nitrogen efficiency and ZM Grow can make this difference, at a time when nitrogen prices are an all-time high,” noted Mr Kerr.