(NOMINATION FOR AUREA 2015 AWARD): Ragweed destruction device

In 2014, Serbian inventor Milos Stankovic developed the latest generation of ragweed destruction devices that use frequency and electricity to destroy ambrosia in its root in an environment-friendly manner, with no chemical products and pesticides involved. At the moment, there is no efficient solution for destroying this weed either in Serbia or anywhere else around the world. Pesticides that are usually used to destroy ragweeds are also polluting the soil, food and subterranean drinking water, while reaping and physical removal are inefficient because ambrosia will grow back and produce pollen again.

The ragweed destruction device developed by the Serbian inventor is harmless to the environment, while ambrosia destroyed in this way does not grow back again during the same season and, thus, causes no health issues to people allergic to this weed. According to the Institute of Medical Ecology, over 20 percent of the population in Serbia is allergic to ambrosia.

The use of this device brings about substantial savings as well. It costs EUR 50 to destroy ambrosia on one hectare of land using chemical products, meaning that minimum EUR 87,150 is required to buy enough pesticides to destroy ragweeds in the entire territory of the City of Belgrade.

Competent people in Belgrade plan to begin using the Serbian inventor’s device for mass destruction of ambrosia this season, and the city is also interested in starting the serial production of this device. Opening of a production facility for ambrosia destruction devices would make it possible to hire people to destroy ambrosia at the beginning of the season as well as to renovate existing factories for producing electrical components.

INNOVATION

A large number of people all around the world are allergic to pollen produced by ambrosia. People of all ages have serious health problems and must buy medications to fight allergy. Currently, there is no efficient solution for destroying ragweeds. Pesticides that are usually used to destroy ambrosia are expensive and harmful to the environment and people’s health, while ambrosia destroyed in this way, as well as when harvested or physically removed, grows back and produces pollen again during the same season. Europe already tried to find a solution for destroying this weed (project name: FA 1203), for the purpose of which EUR 120 million were earmarked in 2012, but no adequate ecological solution was found.

Serbian inventor Milos Stankovic has been developing the ragweed destruction device over the last five years. He made the latest generation of these devices in 2014. The device was then tested in Belgrade, Slovenia, Germany and Sweden in cooperation with the Swedish Faculty of Agriculture which also attested this device that is patent protected in 135 countries of the world.

The device consists of a special electronic box and electrodes. It regulates frequency and electricity to destroy ragweeds in an environment-friendly manner, with no chemical products and pesticides involved, preventing ambrosia from growing back again during the same season. Treating the ambrosia in this way also leaves its pollen sterile. The device destroys only ragweeds, causing no harm to other useful plants surrounding the weeds or microorganisms in the soil.

It can be mounted on a tractor, train, truck, cultivator, handcart, and there is also a handheld version. In that way, the device can destroy ambrosia in city parks, around the houses, in cultivated fields, pastures, meadows...

It is easy to handle, isolated and harmless to people. Aside from consuming very little power, approximately 20 watts per hour, it also has a high level of efficiency. The time it takes to destroy ambrosia is measured in milliseconds.

The device for households is priced at about EUR 30, while the version for city public utilities costs around EUR 100.

SOCIAL UTILITY

The most famous allergy inducing weed ambrosia starts growing in early May. People of all ages suffer from allergy to pollen produced by ambrosia and have serious health issue, which is why they must buy medications against allergy. According to the Institute of Medical Ecology, over 20% of the population in Serbia has allergic reactions to this weed, making the social utility of this device immeasurable given that it efficiently destroys ragweeds at the start of the season and prevents them from growing back again and causing health issues to people during the same season.

The ragweed destruction device is harmless to the environment. It is an environment-friendly product because it utilizes frequency changes and electricity to destroy ambrosia instead of using chemical compounds as before.

Pesticides that are usually used to destroy ragweeds are also polluting the soil, food and subterranean drinking water and causing a number of diseases: soft tissue sarcoma, lung cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, liver cancer, urinal tract cancer, leukemia, skin rashes, asthmatic seizures, sterility, defects in newborns, hormonal, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder, etc. According to the World Health Organization, 25 million people all around the world get poisoned and 350,000 of them die from pesticides ever year.

The use of this device brings about substantial savings as well, mainly because pesticides are quite expensive, and the opening of a production facility for ambrosia destruction devices would make it possible to hire people to destroy ambrosia at the beginning of the season as well as to renovate existing factories for producing electrical components.

FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

Milos Stankovic received support for his invention from the City of Belgrade, Secretariat for Environmental Protection and the public utility company Gradsko zelenilo which this season plans to increase the use of this device in the territory of Belgrade. The plan is to start mass production of this device in cooperation with foreign and domestic investors.

In addition to the fact that the use of this innovation would destroy ambrosia right at the start of the season in the territory of Belgrade, the City would also cut the costs of ambrosia eradication pertaining to the machines used, manpower, maintenance of machinery, and pesticides.

As the Institute of Biocides and Medical Ecology wrote in a report, the year 2012 saw ambrosia destroyed on an area of 580,955 square meters in Belgrade, 546,915 square meters of which were treated with chemical products, while reaping was done on the remaining 34,040 square meters. Chemical destruction of ambrosia takes place 2-3 times a year during the season, while reaping is done every 10-15 days, depending on the weather. It costs EUR 50 to destroy ambrosia on one hectare of land using chemical products, meaning that minimum EUR 87,150 is required to buy enough pesticides to destroy ragweeds in the entire territory of the City of Belgrade. Every time ambrosia needs to be destroyed, certain number of workers, equipment and machinery must be employed, which additionally increases expenses.

The potential of this invention is huge as the number of countries having the problem with ambrosia around the world is quite big.

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT

For inventing the ragweed destruction device, Serbian inventor Milos Stankovic has won the following awards:

- International Fair of Innovation Technologies and Design in Hong Kong – a Gold Medal and a Gold Cup for the best innovation technology

- European Academy of Natural Sciences in Hannover – a Diploma for a permanent member of the Academy and their most prestigious award - the European Order of Distinction

- In the People’s Republic of China - the Academic Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding international achievements

- World Genius Convention in Tokyo - the Award for a World Genius

- International Innovation Center in Moscow - a Gold Medal for creativity for high contribution to the development of international science and technology

- Italian International Academy of Economics and Culture - the Award for First Degree Merits and Social Welfare

- European Academy of Natural Sciences in Hannover - an Order and the title of "Honorable Inventor of Europe"

- In Moscow - the Lomonosov Gold Medal

- European Scientific Society from Germany - a Diploma and the Alexander von Humboldt medal

- International Fair of Technology and Technical Achievements in Belgrade - a Golden Invent Cup

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