Prospects of Alternative Energy Harvest from Placenta Degradation

Globally, the first use of placentas to generate energy was at Perpetual Succor Hospital, Cebu City, Philippines. Currently, placentas are objects of rituals in many countries of the world. They are either planted beside trees of attached significance to the family or consumed in some instances. This study examines this practice, and its alternative channeling into digesters to produce bioenergy. Previous research on biodigesters constructed near Mwananyamala Regional Hospital, Tanzania and the Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, generates 2.5 m³ and 5.78 m³ respectively of biogas daily from co-digestion of placenta and food waste. Its main use is to power the healthcare facility and generate gas to boil water needed by patients. But the utilization of placentas as sole biogas feedstock for energy generation hasn’t been carried out.