Michigan Schools to Collect Urine for Fertilizer
University of Michigan and Michigan State University will run a urine collection contest at the Big House on Nov. 7 to produce fertilizer for campus agricultural fields.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Botany
Scientists from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University are hosting a urine collection contest at the Big House on Nov. 7, 2026, during their rivalry game. Collected urine will be pasteurized and converted into fertilizer for use in university agricultural fields.
Why it matters
The project, organized by U-M's Nutrient Energy Water (N-E-W) Cycles Group, is described as the first stadium-scale pilot of its kind in the United States. It tests whether recovered human urine can serve as a practical nutrient source for crops at Ann Arbor-area research sites.
The collection is set for 8 hours, from noon to 8 p.m., with donations accepted at two yurts located at the Ann Arbor Golf Club. The volume of urine expected and the resulting fertilizer yield were not reported.
The players
Nutrient Energy Water (N-E-W) Cycles Group
A University of Michigan research group focused on recovering nutrients and water from human waste streams for reuse in agriculture.
University of Michigan
A public research university in Ann Arbor whose Matthaei Botanical Gardens will receive the resulting fertilizer for its plant research.
Michigan State University
A public research university in East Lansing whose Kellogg Biological Center will use the fertilizer in its agricultural work.
The details
Fans can donate urine at the tailgate, and volunteers will direct fans, tailgaters and passersby to the yurts. Collections are limited to people who stand up to urinate. Donations will be pasteurized and processed through a method known as "peecycling," then used at Michigan State's Kellogg Biological Center and the University of Michigan's Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
Timeline
Nov. 7, 2026: U-M vs. MSU rivalry game and urine collection contest at the Big House.
Nov. 7, 2026, noon to 8 p.m.: Urine collection period.
Research Context
The stadium-scale pilot extends the work of the University of Michigan's Nutrient Energy Water (N-E-W) Cycles Group from research settings to a public event. It is presented as the first project of this scale in the United States.
Fans attending the Nov. 7 game can donate at the tailgate or at the two yurts at the Ann Arbor Golf Club. Collections are restricted to people who stand up to urinate.
The takeaway
The project shows that waste streams from large public events can be redirected into agricultural use, offering a concrete example readers can follow when considering how nutrients are recovered and reused.
What happens next
The urine collection contest takes place at the Big House on Nov. 7, 2026, from noon to 8 p.m., with collections running alongside the U-M vs. MSU rivalry game.
Further reading
Explore more botany coverage to see how plant science research connects to nutrient recycling in Ann Arbor.
