Scientist 83 years and 20 years pursuing turns garbage into money

From 100 tons of domestic waste produced nearly 40 tons of organic fertilizer micro-organism fertilizer. Bottles, jars, plastic bottles in garbage are also recycled.

At the award ceremony of the 2018 Patent Competition, which was held at the end of April in Hanoi, Professor Tran Kim Quy (83 years old) admired many people when he shared his research path, enthusiasm for the project. production of microbial organic fertilizer from domestic solid waste . Having taught at the University of Natural Sciences, Ho Chi Minh City National University majoring in chemistry and microbiology, Prof. Quy has spent nearly 20 years researching to find useful microorganisms for waste treatment and construction. microbial fertilizer production process.

Prof. Tran Kim Quy (second from the right) received the first prize from the Organizing Committee.

Prof. Tran Kim Quy said that for a long time, the treatment of domestic waste in urban areas has always been a problem of many levels and industries and as a burden of pollution everywhere. When taken to landfill, rubbish causes groundwater pollution and waste land. If burned, garbage will discharge a lot of CO _2, causing climate change and creating dioxin which is harmful to people's health and the environment. Since 2004, he has sought to solve this problem to be able to take advantage of resources from garbage.

Thousands of documents from countries have been consulted. There have been four research projects and experimental projects that he carried out, and in 2012 he found microorganisms to help disintegrate garbage and build up the process of creating nutrient fertilizer for plants, being scientific boards. learning experience.

He said that, unlike the existing technologies, his garbage solution does not need to be classified from the upstream. According to the procedure, when the garbage gathered to the production facility, it was sprayed with deodorant microorganisms and then run on the conveyor. There will be two people sitting at the top of the conveyor belt picking up bottles and cans. Then there will be two people who specialize in plasticizing plastic materials to recycle plastic for the composite table surface. Inert substances are used to make unburnt block bricks. Organic waste will be sprayed with microbial products, bio-degradation to make microbial fertilizer. "Everything in garbage is exploited without leaving anywhere," Quy said.

There are three microorganisms used for decomposition in the treatment process. One that specializes in deodorizing garbage (this is taken from yogurt); one is taken from the black soil at the bottom of the lake at a depth of 15 cm. One has the function of nitrogen fixation in nodules in the roots of vegetables."The experience of finding specialized microorganisms is in the places where it was born, there will be many. For example, in the dirtiest places, the worst will have the most decomposing microorganisms" , GS Quy shared. and said his way of doing so was to dispose of garbage as quickly as possible. So he implanted microorganisms to feed one from the inside, one from the outside, one to eat when the garbage temperature incubated up to 50 degrees C.

When the waste is classified after being put into compost and microbial inoculation, about 20-25 days all organic waste will be decomposed and form micro-organic fertilizer to provide nutrients for the plant.

Do not want businesses to monopolize technology

Through the pilot production projects of GS Quy coordinated implementation in Thuy Phuong Waste Treatment Plant (Thua Thien - Hue) showed that, adding all stages from classification to handling one ton of garbage is 800,000 VND. Every 100 tons of waste will produce 38-40 tons of microbial fertilizer. Each ton is sold for VND 2.5 million (half as cheap as the market price of micro-organism fertilizer). According to Mr. Quy, this price helps many people buy good fertilizer to use and investors still earn profits.

Prof. Dr. Tran Kim Quy said that he used both of his life and wagering to earn a lot of money.(Photo: Bich Ngoc).

In 2008, enterprises paid a billion dong for technology transfer, but he refused because he wanted to invest himself to build the model, then replicated for many places. His solution has been granted the Patent Protection Certificate by the National Office of Intellectual Property since 2016.

With the determination to go to the destination of scientific research to create commercial products, he collected, borrowed from his relatives nearly 20 billion VND to build a 10,000 tons / year factory in Lam Ha district (Lam Dong). Circulation license for microbial fertilizer products is available. The factory has been invested in production equipment and is waiting for a license to operate.

He said, with a model of 100 tons / day, enough for a district to handle waste. Later on, each district with such a treatment area will be very beneficial to the environment, people have difficulty accessing micro-organic fertilizer (VND 2,500 / kg). Fertilizers are on the market with low organic ratios but are selling for between 5,000 and 10,000 VND / kg. Microbial fertilizer produced by GS Quy is cheap and has a high microbiological rate, good for crops and soil humus.

Microorganisms are also studied, isolated and developed, introduced into carriers (powdered peat) for gradual use. Handling one ton of waste only needs one kilogram of substances containing microorganisms (50,000 VND).

Professor Quy said, although his age is high, he still pursues the research path. Not stopping at garbage disposal, he is registering for patent protection at the National Office of Intellectual Property to produce bio-pesticides made from leaves.