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Project’s context & challenges

Decibel Outdoor is a large-scale music festival in Hilvarenbeek, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually. Such high visitor numbers place extreme pressure on local wastewater treatment facilities, which are not designed for sudden spikes in ammonium levels—one of the main components of human urine. This can lead to operational challenges and environmental stress. The challenge: implement a decentralized system to collect and process urine onsite, minimizing impacts on municipal infrastructure while recovering valuable nutrients for sustainable reuse.

Key figures

50.000 L

Urine collected and processed

1.4 m³

Fertilizer produced

Customer benefits

Prevents ammonium spikes

By separating and treating urine on-site, the system prevents sudden surges of ammonium-rich wastewater from entering municipal treatment plants. This helps avoid overloads, ensures stable plant operation, and protects local water bodies from harmful discharges.

Produces sustainable fertilizers

Nutrients captured from urine are transformed into high-quality fertilizers with a 60% lower CO₂ footprint compared to conventional synthetic fertilizers. This reduces dependence on fossil-based fertilizer production while providing a tangible, eco-friendly product for agriculture.

Enables circular nutrient recovery

Instead of losing valuable nitrogen and phosphorus through the sewer system, these resources are recovered and reintroduced into the food chain. By closing the loop, festivals like Decibel Outdoor contribute to a more resilient and sustainable food production system.

Showcases innovative water management

Large-scale festivals are high-visibility events. By implementing circular water and nutrient solutions, Decibel Outdoor not only reduces its own environmental footprint but also demonstrates how innovation can transform water management — inspiring visitors, policymakers, and other organizers to rethink resource use.

Solution

Nijhuis Saur Industries deployed a mobile, decentralized urine collection and processing system at Decibel Outdoor. Urine is captured via specialized urinals and troughs, temporarily stored onsite, and transported to a treatment facility in Duiven. Using a smart air-heat-ammonia extraction process, ammonium is converted into high-quality ammonium sulfate fertilizer. Residual solids are sent for biogas production, and treated water is safely discharged to conventional wastewater systems.

Scope of supply

  • Onsite collection infrastructure (urinals and troughs)

  • Temporary storage tanks

  • Transport logistics to processing facility

  • Fertilizer production via ammonium recovery technology

  • Integration with biogas production from residual sludge

  • Monitoring, operations, and process optimization

Applied solutions

  • Decentralized nutrient recovery for circular economy applications

  • Modular, mobile infrastructure suitable for festival environments

  • Advanced ammonium recovery and biogas integration

  • Proven operational model from previous festivals

  • Scalable and transferable approach for future events and other commercial applications

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