Researchers reported an experimental fertilizer that uses recycled canola oil and sulfur to form a polymer matrix holding plant nutrients. In a tomato-plant demonstration, the material released nutrients gradually and reportedly avoided nutrient burn and fertilizer loss in runoff compared with free nutrients. The report describes an early research result—not a quantified field trial or a product for home gardeners.
How the recycled-oil fertilizer works
In the 2018 report, used canola oil is a feedstock for making a polymer, not a fertilizer ingredient poured directly onto soil. Researchers combined sulfur with the oil’s triglycerides, which contain multiple carbon–carbon double bonds, using a process called inverse vulcanisation. The resulting cross-linked sulfur polymer held nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients within its matrix.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As water moved into pores and channels in the material, it dissolved and released the embedded nutrients. The polymer also released sulfur, itself an essential plant nutrient. This approach aims to keep nutrients available to plants over time rather than having free nutrients readily wash away.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11What the tomato demonstration found
The researchers demonstrated the material by growing tomato plants. Chemistry World reported that, compared with free nutrients, the formulation averted nutrient burn and reduced fertilizer loss in tailwater—the water that drains away after irrigation. The report gives no numerical effect size, so it does not establish how much either outcome improved.
#1 Best Overall
- OPERATION: Adjustable arm support on this seed, salt and fertilizer spreader helps provide maximum comfort
- HAND-HELD SPREADER: Perfect hand-held fertilizer, salt and seed spreader for small yards
- CAPACITY: A seed, fertilizer and salt spreader that holds up to 1,500 sq. ft. of Scotts lawn products for year-round lawn care
- USAGE: These hand spreaders for lawns are great for year-round use to seed, fertilize, salt and ice melt
- COVERAGE: These salt, fertilizer and seed spreaders for lawns are engineered for smooth, even coverage
The comparison is promising but narrow: it is a reported experimental demonstration with tomato plants. The report does not establish performance in field-scale farming, across other crops or under a range of soils and weather conditions.
Why nutrient runoff matters
When excess fertilizer washes into waterways, farmers lose a resource they paid to apply, and the nutrients can harm surrounding ecology. A controlled-release material could help address that problem by holding nutrients in a matrix and releasing them as water reaches it. The 2018 report presents that as a potential benefit; it does not quantify pollution avoided or demonstrate watershed-level effects.
Rank #2
- 64-OUNCE BOTTLE: high-capacity poly bottle with a wide opening and easy screw top, quickly remove the lid to add your preferred seed, salt, fertilizer, etc. and simply screw back into place
- TURF AND SALT: year-round use; for steps, sidewalks and small paths in the winter; grass patches, shaded areas, gardens, and small sections the rest of the year
- 3 OPENINGS IN LID: twist lid to choose small, large and wide openings; each designed to fit different particulates like ice melt, salt, fertilizer, grass seed, sand and most pelletized products
- LARGE HANDLE: easy to grip, scoop and fill; accommodates small and large-sized hands, with or without gloves for use any time of the year
- PORTABLE: keep it on a shelf, in a closet or in the car and pull it out when it’s needed; you can even store it with product inside when not in use
What this does—and does not—mean for gardeners
The report describes a research formulation, not a named commercial fertilizer, and does not establish that it is available to buy. It also does not show that mixing cooking oil, sulfur and ordinary fertilizer at home would reproduce the polymer or its release behavior. The used oil’s role is as a chemical feedstock transformed during polymer formation; pouring cooking oil onto garden soil is not supported by this finding.
The research behind the report
The report cites M. Mann and colleagues’ 2018 paper in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry (DOI: 10.1039/c8ob02130a). Justin Chalker, identified as a Flinders University researcher, called the work “a step towards a circular economy,” noting that recycled food-waste canola oil and sulfur, a byproduct of petroleum refining, form key components of the fertilizer. David Mecerreyes of the Basque Center for Macromolecular Design and Engineering said the plant-growth result opened new avenues for sulfur polymers in agriculture.
Rank #3
- NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: Scotts spreader comes pre-calibrated and ready-to-use; use it year-round including as an ice melt spreader or salt spreader for snow
- CAPACITY: Broadcast spreader holds up to 15,000 sq. ft. of Scotts lawn products, and can be used as a lawn food, salt, ice melt or grass seed spreader
- OPERATION: These fertilizer spreaders for lawns feature a hopper and agitator designed for smooth product funneling and consistent coverage
- SIDE SHIELD: Scotts exclusive EdgeGuard Technology on these broadcast spreaders for lawns keeps lawn product off landscaping, driveways, and sidewalks
- BROADCAST SPREADER: Use the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard DLX Broadcast Lawn Spreader to apply Scotts lawn care products, like grass fertilizer for lawns
Read the Chemistry World report, published October 26, 2018, and the cited 2018 research paper.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: Scotts spreader comes pre-calibrated and ready-to-use with a fold-down handle for easy storage; use it year-round including as an ice melt spreader or salt spreader for snow
- CAPACITY: Broadcast spreader holds up to 5,000 sq. ft. of Scotts lawn products, and can be used as a lawn food, salt, ice melt or grass seed spreader - ideal for treating smaller areas
- OPERATION: These fertilizer spreaders for lawns feature a hopper and agitator designed for smooth product funneling and consistent coverage
- SIDE SHIELD: Scotts exclusive EdgeGuard Technology on these broadcast spreaders for lawns keeps lawn product off landscaping, driveways, and sidewalks
- BROADCAST SPREADER: Use the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Lawn Spreader to apply Scotts lawn care products, like grass fertilizer for lawns
Rank #4
- SEEDING MADE SIMPLE: This grass seed spreader eliminates the slow, uncomfortable struggles of using a manual spreader. With a powerful motor, it delivers an impressive max 5' spreading distance and covers up to 4600 sq. ft. per load
- SAME BATTERY, EXPANDABLE POWER: The same Power Share battery that runs this lawn spreader can conveniently be used with 140+ power tools, outdoor power equipment, and lifestyle products from the Worx Power Share platform
- PREVENTS CLOGS: Our spreaders for lawns features an anti-clog agitator to eliminate the headache of jamming up, allowing you to broadcast seed at a uniform rate and achieve proper coverage for a healthy lawn with even growth
- VERSATILE USES FOR EVERY SEASON: This cordless spreader does much more than seed lawns. Use it to spread ice-melt to de-ice pavement or apply weed control. These tools also work as fertilizer spreaders for lawns and can feed livestock
- LIGHTWEIGHT, ONE-HANDED OPERATION: Designed for ease-of-use, this lightweight spreader only weighs 3 lbs. for comfortable carrying across the yard. The handle boosts control with an easy-squeeze trigger for effortless one-handed application
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
