European Commission (DG GROW) tender to assess agronomic efficiency and safety for use of certain ABPs in fertilising products of certain ABPs, ss per art. 51-1(b) of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/2009. Budget 120 000 €. Submission deadline 18^th September 2023. The study does NOT concern health safety aspects which are assessed by EFSA (European Food Safety Agency, see ESPP eNews n°61). It concerns environmental safety and worker safety, for use as or in fertilising products, and “agronomic efficiency” either in itself in a fertilising product or to facilitate production of effective fertilising products. The study covers (i) materials listed in the DG SANTE Delegated Act (not yet published, see C(2023) 3366 here) and (ii) twelve other ABP materials specified in the tender documents. The study does NOT cover “Processed Manure” (as defined in the EU Animal By-Product Regulations) because this is being assessed separately by JRC. Also, the study does NOT cover ABPs in composts, digestates, Cat. 2-3 ashes which are included in the Delegated Act (art. 3 a, b, c) because (to ESPP’s understanding) these are covered by CMCs 3, 5, 13 and so will not be added to CMC10 (the tender specifies that it concerns ABPs to “include in CMC 10”).

EU tender “Technical study to include new materials in CMC 10 to the Fertilising Products Regulation”, GROW/2023/OP/0027. Submission deadline 18^th September 2023 HERE.

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

Please subscribe www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Subscribe
Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews077
Download as PDF

SOFIE3: call for presentations & company showcases
3^rd Summit of Organic and organo-mineral Fertiliser Industries in Europe

Which recycled nutrients for Organic Farming? And why?
Monday 18^th September 2023, 14h–17h, online

Looking for consultant for EFSA dossier
ESPP is looking for a regulatory consultant to prepare a dossier on Cat1 ABP ashes

Research prizes and partner searches
1^st German Phosphorus Platform DPP P-recycling thesis prize
IFS 9^th Brian Chambers crop nutrition research prize
Partners wanted for consortium for EU Horizon Europe proposal

Policy
EU Soil Health Directive proposal
Evaluation of EU Sewage Sludge Directive published
EU proposed food waste reduction targets and actions
International Chamber of Commerce flags need to address obstacles to circularity
Draft of Guidance Document for EU FPR Technical Documentation

Research
Phosphorus limitation could limit CO₂ uptake by 7.5% globally
Filter media for phosphorus capture from domestic wastewaters
Recirculating struvite for nitrogen removal

Nitrogen recycling
ESPP summary of nitrogen recovery perspectives in Fertilizer Focus

Sewage sludge biochars as fertilisers
ESPP – EBI workshop at the Biochar Summit Helsingborg

Stay informed

ESPP members

SOFIE3: call for presentations & company showcases

3^rd Summit of Organic and organo-mineral Fertiliser Industries in Europe

16-17 January 2024, Brussels Plaza & hybrid

SOFIE is the only industry meeting place for organic-carbon-based fertiliser producers, distributors, advisory, technology suppliers. The first SOFIE (2019) attracted 125 participants, with 230 for SOFIE2 (January 2023, photo below).

SOFIE3 will cover:

• policy and market
• agronomic benefits, in particular field trials and case studies
• processing from divers input materials to consistent products for farmers
• application best practices, e.g. co-application with mineral fertilisers, biostimulants
• environment, carbon benefits, LCA, Circular Economy
• business models and product success stories

Short proposals for presentations, company showcases or posters should be sent by 15^th October to : see details HERE.

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2024

SOFIE3 is co-organised by ESPP, Eurofema and Fertilizers Europe, with support of the International Fertiliser Society.

Which recycled nutrients for Organic Farming? And why?

Monday 18^th September 2023, 14h - 17h, online

Co-organised by IFOAM Europe and ESPP.

Participants: representatives of Organic Farming organisations from across Europe.

Recycled struvite and precipitated phosphates have been added into the list of authorised inputs as fertilisers in certified EU Organic Farming (ESPP eNews n°73). Certain other recycled nutrients are already authorised with conditions.

This meeting will discuss which further recycled nutrient products might be appropriate for certified Organic Farming, based on practical examples, and under what conditions they might be considered. Questions considered: solubility and plant availability of nutrients, origin of raw materials, chemicals used in recovery process and LCA, contaminants and safety. Examples will be: calcined phosphates, biochars, phosphate fertilisers from ashes, recovered ammonium sulphate, recovered nutrients from aquaculture and other marine wastes.

Full meeting agenda HERE. Registration: Eventbrite.

Looking for consultant for EFSA dossier

ESPP is looking for a regulatory consultant to prepare a dossier on Cat1 ABP ashes

The European Commission (DG SANTE) has indicated that it will request from EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) an Opinion on the safety of possible use of Cat1 ashes and derivates in fertilisers. EFSA are susceptible to consider that the Brown et al. studies (2000, 2004, see ESPP eNews n°73) suggest possible prion infectivity after combustion, even in the absence of residual organic carbon or protein. ESPP organised an online meeting of companies and experts on Cat1 ash safety (22^nd May 2023), including two co-authors of these studies. This meeting concluded that there are today no practicable methods to reliably test ash samples to show absence of prion infectivity and no experimental evidence of elimination of infectivity by combustion under EU Industrial Emission Directive conditions. The meeting therefore proposed to develop a dossier of evidence to input to EFSA based on input material risk and on epidemiological data. ESPP is looking for a service provider to collect data and prepare a dossier to submit to EFSA, and also to support coordination with concerned companies and organisations.

See relevant background documents at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Full details of services requested HERE. To express interest, please contact ESPP before 15^th September 2023.

ESPP is looking for a regulatory consultant to prepare dossier on Cat1 ABP ashes

The European Commission (DG SANTE) has indicated that it will request from EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) an Opinion on the safety of possible use of Cat1 ashes and derivates in fertilisers. EFSA are susceptible to consider that the Brown et al. studies (2000, 2004, see ESPP eNews n°73) suggest possible prion infectivity after combustion, even in the absence of residual organic carbon or protein. ESPP organised an online meeting of companies and experts on Cat1 ash safety (22^nd May 2023), including two co-authors of these studies. This meeting concluded that there are today no practical methods to reliably test ash samples to show absence of prion infectivity and no experimental evidence of elimination of infectivity by combustion under EU Industrial Emission Directive conditions. The meeting therefore proposed to develop a dossier of evidence to input to EFSA based on input material risk and on epidemiological data. ESPP is looking for a service provider to collect data and prepare a dossier to submit to EFSA, and also to support coordination with concerned companies and organisations.

See relevant background documents at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Full details of services requested HERE. To express interest, please contact ESPP before 15^th September 2023.

3^rd Summit of Organic and organo-mineral Fertiliser Industries in Europe

16-17 January 2024, Brussels Plaza & hybrid

SOFIE is the only industry meeting place for organic-carbon-based fertiliser producers, distributors, advisory, technology suppliers. The first SOFIE (2019) attracted 125 participants, with 230 for SOFIE2.

SOFIE3 will cover:

• policy and market
• agronomic benefits, in particular field trials and case studies
• processing from divers input materials to consistent products for farmers
• application best practices, e.g. co-application with mineral fertilisers, biostimulants
• environment, carbon benefits, LCA, Circular Economy
• business models and product success stories

Short proposals for presentations, company showcases or posters should be sent by 15^th October to : see details here. 
All presentations, showcases and posters to be in Brussels (not online). 

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2024

SOFIE3 is co-organised by ESPP, Eurofema and Fertilizers Europe, with support of the International Fertiliser Society

ESPP is coordinating a joint declaration, for signature by concerned companies and other organisations, calling for Elemental Phosphorus (P₄ and derivates) and Purified Phosphoric Acid (PPA) to be included in the “Strategic Raw Materials” List.

The Declaration explains that phosphorus is necessary for the “Strategic” industry sectors defined in the draft Critical Raw Materials Act (batteries, renewable energies, electronics and data, aerospace) because it is needed for battery electrolytes and cathodes, photovoltaic panels, fuel cells, semiconductors, hydraulic fluids and for fire safety in all of these sectors. The objective is to input to the discussion of the draft Act in the European Parliament and Council.

If you wish to include your company or organisation signature, please contact ESPP.

Joint Declaration calling for phosphorus to be included in the EU Strategic Raw Materials List www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory and here.

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

Please subscribe www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Subscribe
Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews076
Download as PDF

ESPP new members
PYREG
NOAH AS

Consultations, calls & tenders
EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials to 30^th June
EU Polluter Pays Policy consultation to 4^th Aug. 2023
EU tender on new input materials and biostimulant micro-organisms for FPR
EU tender for study on Animal By-Products (ABPs) in fertilising products

Nutrient Platforms
Italian Phosphorus Platform restarts its activities

Critical and Strategic Raw Materials
Joint Declaration supporting phosphorus to be a Strategic Raw Material
EuChemS webinar discusses why phosphorus (P) is essential to humanity

EU knowledge report on nutrient management
JRC study to support INMAP

UK water industry collaborative research reports
Contaminants and biosolids
Review of sewage sludge biochar processes

Research and development
1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM, Brussels & hybrid, 7^th June 2023)
Energy and phosphorus recovery from fish farm discharge
27-year field trial of organic wastes as fertilisers
Cerium for P-removal and hypothetical recovery
Iron-loaded plastic fibre lab tested for P removal – recovery by adsorption
Pharmaceuticals and heavy metals release from sewage sludge biochar

Stay informed

ESPP members

ESPP new members

PYREG

PYREG is the global lead manufacturer of pyrolysis installations, with over 50 biochar plants operating worldwide, stabilising carbon into biochar and producing renewable energy. PYREG was set up in 2009 as a spin-off from TH Bingen, University of Applied Sciences. Today, PYREG’s installed biochar plants stabilise over 30 000 t/y of CO₂ from biomass or from wastes such as sewage sludge, food waste and biomass residues, binding the carbon long-term into biochar. The CO₂ bound into biochar can be certified and traded. The biochar can be used in technical applications or applied to soil. When phosphorus-containing substrates are pyrolysed (e.g. sewage sludge, food waste, food industry by-products), the phosphorus is retained in the biochar and can be returned to soil as a slowly plant-available nutrient. Six PYREG pyrolysis plants are today operating with dried sewage sludge as input, treating 1 300 – 3 900 t/y, and several others with various dry biomass residues as input, treating up to 3.300 t/y. The sewage sludge biochar contains 15 - 35% organic carbon, 6 - 7% P, around 1% N and more than 10% K (all as % of dry solids). PYREG sewage sludge biochar is registered as a fertiliser in Sweden (PYREGphos). By becoming a member of ESPP, PYREG will communicate with regulators, research, potential customers and companies offering technologies with potential synergies, and will promote pyrolysis as a route to fixing carbon in sewage sludge and to recycling phosphorus to agriculture.

https://www.pyreg.de/

NOAH AS

A waste management and recycling company, in minerals, stone and contaminated soils, as well as hazardous wastes and batteries, NOAH’s aims are circularity and a non-toxic material cycle, including nutrient recovery from fly ash. NOAH, part of Gjelsten Holdning group, has today around 135 staff and 25 years proven expertise in safe chemical-technical treatment solutions to manage wastes safely for people and the environment. Examples are zinc, mercury, arsenic, lead, hydroxides, and reactive metals. At Langøya (photo), NOAH processes the wastes into a gypsum matrix that binds and stabilises pollutants, treating around 500 kt/y of hazardous waste and relandscaping an old lime quarry. NOAH is developing recovery of mineral salts using a purification system to remove remaining impurities (sulphates, heavy metals, other metals) then a concentration process where sodium and potassium chlorides precipitate from the calcium chloride rich mother brine. Sodium and potassium salts are separated, crystallised and dried. NOAH is also testing phosphorus recycling from calcium phosphate slag, using the nitro phosphate process to produce pure gypsum and phosphoric acid. NOAH believes policies should move away from landfilling to circularity. EU regulations need to be optimised to make the transition to the Circular Economy. NOAH is joining ESPP to work together for these transitions

https://en.noah.no

Consultations, calls & tenders

EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials to 30^th June

Consultation extended to 30^h June 2023 on draft EU Critical Raw Materials Regulation, before discussion in EU Parliament and Council, covering Critical and Strategic Raw Materials Lists, with update of the EU Critical Raw Materials List. Elemental phosphorus (P₄) and phosphate rock are NOT included in the proposed list of “Strategic” Raw Materials (see ESPP eNews n°74).

ESPP has input to provide reasons why Elemental Phosphorus (P₄ and derivates) and Purified Phosphoric Acid (PPA) should both be included in the “Strategic Raw Materials” List.

ESPP also suggests that materials critical for EU food security should be assessed and defined Strategic.

ESPP’s input to the public consultation is on the EU website here and the full document submitted is at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory (see under “EU Critical Raw Materials”)

Individuals, companies and organisations can input to the EU public consultation until 30^th June here (4000 characters free text plus optional document).

EU Polluter Pays Policy consultation to 4^th Aug. 2023

Consultation asks questions about Polluter Pays Policy implementation. At the same time, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive recast proposes PPP for costs of removing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in sewage works. The public consultation on PPP open to 4^th August asks about pollutant costs, which pollutants should be targeted, how PPP should be implemented including how the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) should be integrated into prices of products and what impacts this could have. This consultation is open to input from the general public, companies and organisations. At the same time, the recast of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, currently in discussion in European Parliament and Council, raises the question of PPP. The Commission’s proposed text would introduce PPP (here called “Extended Producer Responsibility”) for costs of removing pharmaceutical and cosmetics residues in sewage works (Recital 13, arts. 9, 10, 30 and Annex 3) and will evaluate for 2030 whether this should be enlarged to other chemicals found in wastewater.

Legislative dossier underway Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive recast https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2022/0345(COD)&l=en

“Polluter Pays Principle – fitness check of its application to the environment”, EU public consultation open to 4^th August 2023 HERE

EU tender on new input materials and biostimulant micro-organisms for FPR

The European Commission has opened a tender for studies on microorganisms for inclusion as biostimulants and on possible other new materials as inputs for the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR). The tender includes two lots. The first will develop methodology for assessing microorganism which are candidates for inclusion in EU FPR “biostimulants” (addition into CMC7), including their safety, agronomic effectiveness, legal status, production and processing, potential for significant trade, etc. The study will then use the methodology to assess a number of microorganisms proposed under the EU survey held in 2022 (see ESPP eNews n°69). The second study lot will assess candidate new input materials and treatments for possible inclusion into CMCs of the EU FPR, starting by screening submissions made under this 2022 survey. “Indicative examples” cited include materials from: human excreta; algae grown on waste waters; nutrients from battery recycling; from feed industry; sewage sludge; sludge from fish farming; seafood processing residues; and additional processing methods or input materials for a number of CMCs. This study will then assess potential for significant trade, environmental and health safety, agronomic efficiency, and will then make technical proposals for FPR Annex II amendments for materials identified as relevant. Estimated total tender value is 275 K€ (125 K€ for microorganisms, 150 K€ for new CMC materials).

DG GROW tender (TED), open to 17^th July @ 9h00 GROW/2022/OP/0046 “Technical Studies to Support the Inclusion of New Materials and Microorganisms under the Fertilising Products Regulation” HERE

EU tender for study on Animal By-Products (ABPs) in fertilising products

The European Commission has pre-announced an upcoming tender for a study on agronomic value and environmental safety of certain Animal By-Products in fertilising products (CMC10). As indicated in ESPP eNews n°75, the authorisation of certain ABPs in CE-mark fertilising products (under the EU Fertilising Products Regulation FPR – CMC10) is very, very slowly progressing. It is our understanding that the DG SANTE Delegated Act amending the Animal By-Product Regulations to define “end points” allowing use of certain ABPs in EU fertilising products (that is, without traceability) is now finalised and will hopefully be published in the Official Journal within a few months (link below). However, these ABPs can only be added to the EU FPR (CMC10) after assessment by the European Commission (DG GROW) of their agronomic value and environmental safety. For “processed manure”, this will be done by the Commission itself (JRC), see ESPP’s input HERE. For ABPs other than “processed manure” cited in the SG SANTE Delegated Act, and possibly for other ABPs which could be considered for future integration into the FPR, the study of agronomic value and environmental safety will be contracted, and for this DG GROW has published a tender pre-announcement.

DG GROW CMC10 ABP agronomic and environmental safety study pre-announcement 5/6/2023: HERE

DG SANTE Delegated Act for “end points” for certain ABPs for use in fertilisers: HERE

Nutrient Platforms

Italian Phosphorus Platform restarts its activities

A new two-year collaboration agreement has been signed between the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and ENEA for the resumption of the activities of the “Italian Phosphorus Platform”. A webinar on the 15^th March launched this second ENEA contract which covers two years. The meeting was opened by Carlo Zaghi (MASE), who emphasised the challenges and opportunities of circularity. Maria Grazia Verdura (MASE Technical Secretariat) introduced the Italian National Table on Critical Raw Material, which aims to enhance national coordination and generate proposals to establish regulatory, economic, and market conditions that promote a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, including phosphorus. Claudia Brunori (ENEA) introduced the Italian Phosphorus Platform objectives of closing the loop in the phosphorus cycle to achieve long-term Italian self-sufficiency in phosphorus supply. Representatives from ENEA presented results achieved by the four thematic groups during the first two-year Platform programme (2018-2019, six published reports, in Italian, here) and planned activities for the 2023-2024 period. Alessandro Spagni (ENEA) presented the reports prepared in 2019 on phosphorus recovery technologies. At that time, only one full-scale P-recovery plant was operating in Italy (Colsen struvite recovery in Emilia-Romagna), but there was significant research interest and company pilot tests. The report emphasised that Italian phosphorus fluxes are primarily linked to agriculture and that there is a strong focus on recovery from liquid and solid organic fractions from wastewater treatment. The future activities include updating the “technology catalogue” (13 technology summaries) and assessing potential replicability of international technologies in Italy. Over 30 people, primarily from industries and sector associations, participated in the report on legislation (coordinated by Sergio Cappucci, ENEA), which analysed more than 90 legislations related to phosphorus at the European, Italian and regional levels. This report will now be updated. Francesca Ceruti (ENEA) presented a comparative study of other Member States' policies related to phosphorus and a market analysis on the phosphorus cycle in terms of supply and demand. The main critical issues in the sector, hindering the closure of the phosphorus cycle and market development, were identified as the lack of specific regulation on end-of-waste and recovery, as well as a lack of public awareness. The two reports will also be updated over the next two years, and a feasibility study will be conducted to establish a national database on phosphorus. This database will track the main users and sellers of phosphorus on the basis of stakeholder inputs, including those who recover it from secondary sources.

The first meeting of the four thematic groups took place online on May 30^th 2023, 9h-16h, with around 2 hours per thematic group. To participate in future meetings contact:

Italian Phosphorus Platform website: https://www.piattaformaitalianafosforo.it/en

Critical and Strategic Raw Materials

Joint Declaration supporting phosphorus to be a Strategic Raw Material

ESPP is coordinating a joint declaration, for signature by concerned companies and other organisations, calling for Elemental Phosphorus (P₄ and derivates) and Purified Phosphoric Acid (PPA) to be included in the “Strategic Raw Materials” List. The Declaration explains that phosphorus is necessary for the “Strategic” industry sectors defined in the draft Critical Raw Materials Act (batteries, renewable energies, electronics and data, aerospace) because it is needed for battery electrolytes and cathodes, photovoltaic panels, fuel cells, semiconductors, hydraulic fluids and for fire safety in all of these sectors. The objective is to input to the discussion of the draft Act in the European Parliament and Council. If you wish to include your company or organisation signature, please contact ESPP.

You can input to the EU public consultation to 30^th June here

ESPP’s input to the public consultation here

Joint Declaration calling for phosphorus to be included in the EU Strategic Raw Materials List www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

EuChemS webinar discusses why phosphorus (P) is essential to humanity

Nearly 200 participants at the EuChemS webinar organised from the European Parliament, discussing phosphorus uses, stewardship and recycling, and concluding that the element P should be identified as critical.

The webinar was opened by Maria Spyraki, Member of the European Parliament, and Christos Vasilakos, Senior Policy Advisor to Ms. Spyraki, who highlighted the essential role of the European Chemical Society and underlined that phosphorus is essential for both biological life and the human body, and for industry, but that build ups in water and soils are problematic. P-recycling is necessary both to reduce losses and for the Circular Economy.

Evamarie Hey-Hawkins, Leipzig University and Floris Rutjes, Radboud University and EuChemsS President, underlined that P is essential for food production. Mineral nitrogen fertilisers ensure food for around half the world’s population. For phosphorus, ESPP estimates that mineral P fertilisers currently feed 4/5 of the world’s population, but this is an estimate, and better data from science would be welcome.

Nicola Armaroli, CNR Italy (National Research Council) explained that EuChemS has developed a Periodic Table based on the abundance of elements on Earth and identifying by colours which elements are critical for humanity and subject to resource scarcity or conflicts (latest version here): P is currently indicated as yellow (limited availability, future risk to supply). Participants at the webinar suggested that P should also be indicated as deep red (problems due to losses and over-use) and that specific forms of P should be included in the EU “Strategic” Raw Materials list, currently open to public consultation and to debate in the European Parliament and Council (see under public consultations, above).

Alessandra Quadrelli, CNRS France (National Research Council) outlined work on Planetary Boundaries and discussed challenges of resource sustainability, indicating that P use and losses show exceedance by a factor of more than 4x and that this prejudices food security. Dana Cordell, University of Technology Sydney, underlined the nature of phosphorus vulnerability, including geopolitical risks, short-term supply-chain disruptions that led to last year’s 400% phosphate price spike, in addition to P losses, and that only around 20% of mined P applied to crops ends up consumed in food, as P is bound to soil and lost to water, causing eutrophication. She spoke of overcoming market barriers to scaling up circular phosphorus value chains and the need to improve P governance so that all farmers worldwide have access to sufficient phosphorus to ensure soil fertility and food security whilst avoiding eutrophication. Chris Slootweg, University of Amsterdam, underlined the need for systems thinking to develop phosphorus circularity and address losses and eutrophication. Jan Weigand, Dresden Technical University, summarised work underway to find routes to organophosphorus chemicals needed by industry without using the chlorinated vector chemical PCl₃.

Andreas Rak, Remondis, presented the company’s TetraPhos process to recover phosphoric acid (brand name: REPACID) from sewage sludge incineration ash. A first full scale installation (20 000 t ash / year) is currently underway starting operation in Hamburg. The plant is owned and operated by HPHOR (Hamburger Phosphorrecyclinggesellschaft mbH), a public private partnership between REMONDIS and HAMBURG WASSER.

Chris Lawson, CRU, summarised trends in P use. Today around 200 million tonnes/year of phosphate rock is mined, of which around 95% is sedimentary and nearly 5% igneous. Prices spiked following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but have since come down and are currently around twice their 2000 level, with considerable differences between different grades of rock. Only around 2/3 of world mine capacity is currently utilised, so that there is little incentive to invest to increase production. Morocco and Saudi Arabia have significantly increased rock extraction over recent years. World trade in phosphate rock fell from 2000 to 2015 (more or less stable since) as mining countries tend to move to process rock to phosphoric acid, fertilisers or other products, trading these not rock. This means that the world’s biggest exporter of phosphate rock is today Jordan. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries are expected to develop considerably in coming years, in particular for grid energy storage, and may require 9-10 million tonne/year of phosphate rock by 2035, but this remains small compared to total world phosphate rock production.

Robert van Spingelen, ESPP President, explained why two specific forms of P, elemental phosphorus (P₄) and Purified Phosphoric Acid (PPA) are both essential for the “Strategic” industry sectors targeted by the proposed EU Critical Raw Materials Act (batteries, renewable energies, electronics and data, aerospace). ESPP therefore considers that these two materials should be added to the EU “Strategic Raw Materials” list. The EU public consultation is open to 30^th June (see above). ESPP also suggests that food security is “Strategic” for Europe and that raw materials essential for food security should be assessed for a second “Strategic” list.

EuChemS Science-Policy Phosphorus Workshop “The role of chemicals in our daily life: the phosphorus element, feeding the world and beyond”, online from the European Parliament, 25^th May 2023 here.

EuChems periodic table “The 90 natural elements that make up everything. How much is there? Is that enough? Is it sustainable?”, 3^rd version 2023 https://www.euchems.eu/euchems-periodic-table/

EU knowledge report on nutrient management

JRC study to support INMAP

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has published a study to support the upcoming Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan (INMAP) and Biodiversity Strategy and Farm-to-Fork target of reducing nutrient losses by 50% by 2030.

ESPP comment: this is a knowledge review and does not make regulatory/political proposals: these should be in the European Commission’s INMAP proposal which is forthcoming. The report does however assess whether current policies can be expected to achieve this 2030 target.

The study reviews available literature and data to assess nutrient flows, divergences from environmental targets and measures to reduce nutrient losses, including spatial maps and summaries by EU country. The current relevant regulatory context applicable to waste management is summarised.

Annual input of P in the EU is estimated at 1 MtP/y and reactive nitrogen 8 MtN/y to air and 5 MtN/y to water. Planetary boundaries for the EU are estimated at c. 0.4 MtP/y and 4.4 MtN/y, so in both cases considerably lower than 50% of current inputs. Around 40% of P and 50% of N entering agricultural production is estimated to end up in waste.

Nutrient recycling is addressed in particular as a route to reduce losses, including assessing nutrient recycling potential, possible contribution to reducing nutrient losses, costs and economic benefits. A range of nutrient recycling routes and technologies are discussed in detail (pages (pages 49-62). Four nutrient recycling routes are considered in detail: mineral P and N fertilisers recovered from digestates by precipitation and scrubbing, P-recovery from ashes, mineral N recovery from offgases (from stables, manure storage, composting), use of digestate or compost in organic fertilisers (organic carbon containing fertilisers). The report notes that nitrogen recovery from combustion flue gases is not today operation, and that flue gas treatment often uses catalysis with ammonia or urea injection to convert N₂O/NO_x to N₂, so effectively consuming reactive nitrogen not recovering. JRC estimates that a maximum of 0.3 MtP/y and 1 MtN/y could be recovered to mineral fertilisers from waste or losses plus 0.3 MtP/y and 0.7 MtN/y by using wastes in organic fertilising products.

ESPP comment: these JRC estimates do not necessarily mean replacing fertilisers, as the waste may currently be reused as an organic fertilising material, e.g. manure slurry / digestate or sewage biosolids. For P, this JRC compares to 0.3 – 0.4 MtP/y estimated without including manure by Van Dijk et al. 2015, see SCOPE Newsletter n°117).

JRC suggests (p. 128-129) that recovery of nutrients to concentrated nutrient products could substitute a maximum of 25% and 10% of EU P and N mineral fertiliser consumption. This is estimated to have a cost of c. 6 billion €/y (additional cost compared to virgin mineral fertilisers) compared to environmental benefits to society of > 7 bn€/y.

Impacts of possible measures are analysed for atmospheric nitrogen losses and nutrient deposition to land, balanced mineral N fertilisation, reduction measures on P and N losses to freshwater and the sea and for different scenarios for the EU agro-food system. Actions currently announced or planned for wastewater treatment (revision underway), under CAP or for atmospheric nitrogen emissions (e.g climate actions FitFor55) are estimated to reduce nutrient losses (reaching the sea) by around 17% for P and 32% for N. ESPP comment: this is significantly less than the Biodiversity Strategy and Farm-to-Fork 50% reduction target. The report suggests that achieving food and feed self-sufficiency in Europe within nutrient environmental constraints will require structural changes to agri-food production and to dietary patterns. Regional variations could enable specific opportunities for nutrient loss reduction.

The report concludes that the results are preliminary and not exhaustive with uncertainties in modelling and data.

ESPP recommends to consult the full report, in particular key findings and conclusions (pages 124-131).

European Commission JRC, Grizzetti et al., “Knowledge for Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan (INMAP)”, 184 pages, 200 references, ISBN 978-92-68-02654-0 DOI.

UK water industry collaborative research reports

Contaminants and biosolids

UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) has published a number of reports into practical investigation of removal of contaminants in wastewater treatment and levels in treated sewage sludge (biosolids), including microplastics and antimicrobial resistance. See also summary of UKWIR report on sewage sludge biochar below and summaries of UKWIR phosphorus removal technology trials in ESPP SCOPE Newsletter n°129.

The UK National Chemicals water industry’s Investigation Programme (CIP) is the UK water industry’s response to current and emerging concerns about trace chemical substances in the water environment. It brings together the 10 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales, with their environmental regulators, to investigate a range of chemical substances often present in domestic products that find their way into wastewater and biosolids and ultimately rivers and streams.

One of the investigations analysed 173 chemical contaminants in biosolids from eleven UK sewage sludge treatment centres (waste water treatment plants (wwtps) treating their own and other sewage sludge), finding 128 of these chemicals (above detection limits in at least half of samples) at one or more works, with wide variations both within and between centres (“Biosolids Products Data Report”). Some chemicals showed consistent patterns in sludge across the different centres, whereas others varied widely. Chemicals tested include pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, flame retardants (halogenated, non-halogenated), AMPA (metabolite of particularly glyphosate), PCBs, cosmetics, detergent chemicals, heavy metals, PFAS chemicals, as well as ions such as calcium, chloride, phosphorus, iron …

This data feeds into the “Biosolids Report” which aims to assess how wastewater and sludge treatment processes influence the fate of these contaminants in biosolids. This report concludes that the data enables to identify which chemicals are likely to be introduced into the environment by use of sewage biosolids in agriculture, but does not enable risk assessment. The studies did not analyse directly how levels of chemicals were impacted by wastewater treatment and sludge processes but it is concluded that fate of PFAS (removal, partitioning) is particularly uncertain and that some pharmaceuticals may be broken down in wastewater treatment but further data is needed. Most of the organic contaminants considered are removed from effluent discharge in wastewater treatment works by sorption to sewage sludge, not by breakdown (table 3.6, pages 45-46).

Microplastics were specifically studied at ten wwtps operating different treatment systems (trickling filters, activated sludge, fixed film activated sludge, biobead biological aerated fixed film). Microplastic removal (from discharge water) was very high (>99% by mass and by number of microparticles). Mostly acrylate, polyethylene and polypropylene polymers found, with no significant fibre forms. Microplastics are transferred to sewage sludge, not broken down, resulting in around one million microplastic particles per kg sewage biosolids (dry weight), so a total over 8 000 t/y of microplastics going to land in the UK. (although potential weaknesses in the mass prediction method mean that these values should only be seen as a starting point and not definitive). Managing the microplastic load to wwtps would therefore seem to be a suitable candidate for source control.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was also specifically studied concluding that wastewater treatment eliminates over 97% of ARG (antibacterial resistance genes). The treatment can however select for certain ARGs, this being related to metal concentrations not antibiotic pharmaceutical concentrations. Also, ammonia levels correlated to AMR in final effluent, suggesting that treatment conditions not favouring nitrification were related to lower ARG removal. No clear conclusions could be drawn concerning which wastewater treatments were more effective in reducing AMR, but anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge did reduce AMR. It is noted that further investigation is needed into AMR in sewage sludge and its fate in soils after land application of biosolids.

UKWIR National Chemical Investigations Programme 2020-2022:

“Biosolids Products Data Report”, vol. 6, ref. No. 22/EQ/01/27 (60 pages)

“Biosolids Report”, vol. 12, ref. No. 22/EQ/01/2339 (33 pages)

“Fate and behaviour of microplastics within wastewater treatment”, vol. 2, ref. No. 22/EQ/01/23 (117 pages)

“Changes to antimicrobial resistance through wastewater and sludge treatment processes”, vol. 1, ref. No. 22/EQ/01/22 (182 pages)

UKWIR research reports online https://ukwir.org/water-industry-research-reports

Review of sewage sludge biochar processes

UKWIR analysis suggests that pyrolysis can offer benefits for sewage sludge valorisation but raises questions on technology demonstration, fertiliser properties of sewage sludge biochars, regulatory and market aspects. The feasibility and options review of pyrolysis, gasification and HTC (hydro thermal carbonisation) is based on a literature search, contacts with technology suppliers (Green Waste Energy, Pyreg, Aqualia, Kobelco, Amey), technology scenarios and analysis by water industry operators. The report underlines that no one technology fits all, and that conclusions and implementation scenarios must be adapted to each water company’s context. Potential benefits of sewage sludge pyrolysis are identified as reduction of quantities (reducing transport), energy recovery (heat, biofuels), potential reduced carbon footprint and long-term carbon sequestration, reduction in emerging contaminants, elimination of pathogens. Uncertainties identified concern the wide range of technologies and different implementation scenarios, resulting in limited references relevant to sewage sludge and lack of data concerning energy consumption, sludge drying, operating challenges, robustness, cost; lack of evidence on long-term stability of carbon and of pollutants in sewage sludge biochars; legal uncertainties regarding output products and questions on whether carbon accounting will credit sequestration in biochar. The report recommends installing a demonstration plant in a UK sewage works as a water industry collaborative trial, undertaking long-term trials on the agronomic benefits and impacts of sewage sludge biochar applied to land, testing of uses of sewage sludge biochars for example as adsorbents in sewage works as well as further research into energy balances, carbon benefits, integration into sewage sludge processing (e.g. solid-liquid separation) and costs.

UKWIR 2023 “Converting sewage sludge to biochar – a review of options & feasibility”, ref. No. 23/SL/07/2 (254 pages).

UKWIR research reports online https://ukwir.org/water-industry-research-reports

Research and development

1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM, Brussels & hybrid, 7^th June 2023)

This first workshop on nitrogen recovery research attracted 70 participants in Brussels and 50 online. A wide range of routes for reusing N in organic waste streams were presented. A SCOPE Newsletter summary will be published soon. Different N recovery routes discussed included using waste streams to feed biomass production (algae, duckweed, microbial protein), N-recovery from separately collected urine, manure N stabilisation or local processing to organic fertilisers, recovery of ammonium sulphate solution, or production of ammonia gas for industry use (e.g. by adsorption from waste liquors or offgas followed by desorption as ammonia gas). Discussion suggested that ammonia sulphate solution is mainly adapted for local distribution to farmers (not economic to transport, even if concentrated, unless in specific use chains). Industry participants suggested that further R&D is needed on possible new technologies (adsorption/desorption by ionic liquids, geopolymers, recovery logistics for ammonia gas, recovery from NO_x/N₂O stripping) whereas researchers proposed more modelling studies.

https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/nrecovery

Energy and phosphorus recovery from fish farm discharge

PwC says that the 1 Mt/y of sludge from Norway fish farms which will be produced by 2050 could provide energy for 600 000 households and over 33 000 t/y of phosphorus. A full scale pilot is planned in Norway. Currently the sludge of fish excrements and food remnants goes into fjords and the sea, with discharge today of some 16 000 t/y of phosphorus to the sea, expected to triple as aquaculture increases by 2050. A full scale solution developed by Framo LiftUP, AquaProp and Ragn-Sells Havbruk is underway at Eide Fjordbruk Hardangerfjorden, and will collect some 18 000 t/year wet weight of sludge and dead fish instead of their sinking to the seabed (= c. 1 800 t/year dry weight, containing 3 - 3.5 % phosphorus). The sludge is taken to anaerobic digestion, where energy is recovered as methane. Phosphorus can then be recycled as a fertilising material in the processed digestate and studies are underway into nitrogen recovery in the digestate processing. A report by PwC for Vestland County Norway and the business network ARAL estimates that implementation of this technology can recover around 70% of sludge from fish farms, so reducing environmental footprint and enabling increased production (+600 t fish/y for an average size fish farm), offering the potential to produce 350 – 950 billion m³/y of biogas and recycle 33 500 t/y of phosphorus by 2050.

“Norwegian fish poo can power 600,000 households and supply entire countries with phosphorus”, Ragn-Sells 27/2/2023 LINK

“Circular solution for sludge recycling in Norwegian fish farming”, Ragn-Sells 31/8/2022 HERE.

27-year field trial of organic wastes as fertilisers

Long-term trial with sewage sludge and manures confirms the need to balance nutrients to crop needs not simply to nitrogen application rates. The 27-year trial at Cervený Újezd, Czech Republic, with maize each year, compared control (no added nutrients), mineral N-fertiliser (with or without also straw), sewage sludge and two manures, all at 120 kgN/ha/year. This resulted in c. 80 kgP/ha/y of phosphorus with sewage sludge (from a sewage works using iron and aluminium salts for chemical P removal) and 23-32 kgP/ha/y with manures. Above-ground maize biomass production was highest with N-fertiliser and wheat, followed by the two manures, then sewage sludge and N-fertiliser alone (these last two being around one third higher than control). Soil P decreased slightly in the control over the 17 years and decreased significantly with N-fertiliser (c. -10%) but increased nearly +50% with sewage sludge and c. +25% with the manures. Water soluble P was however 20-30% lower with sewage sludge than with manures, suggesting a lower risk of phosphorus losses despite higher soil P (presumably due to iron and aluminium).

“Side effect of organic fertilizing on the phosphorus transformation and balance over 27 years of maize monoculture”, D. Asrade et al., Field Crops Research 295 (2023) 108902, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.108902

Cerium for P-removal and hypothetical recovery

Cerium oxides are widely used in glass polishing. Lab study recovered cerium chloride from glass polishing slurry, tested for phosphate precipitation from brewery wastewater, then cerium recovery. The brewery wastewater had 630 mg/l suspended solids, 20 mgP/l, 46 mgN_-total/l, and significant levels of other ions including sulphur, calcium, potassium, magnesium. Cerium chloride crystals were recovered from the glass grinding slurry (which contained 82% CeO₂) by leaching with HCl and H₂O₂. This cerium solution was added as 0.05 mol/l to the wastewater in beakers to precipitate phosphorus (stirring 10-20 minutes with pH adjustment, settling for 5 minutes, tested Ce:P ratio of 1 to 2). Total P removal was >99% and suspended solids removal of >96%. Cerium recovery from the precipitated sludge was tested by leaching cerium with 15% hydrochloric acid, then precipitating with sodium hydroxide. Over 70% cerium recovery was achieved. The authors suggest that the remaining leached precipitation sludge enable phosphorus recovery but this was not demonstrated. This leached sludge contained nearly 25% P but also >12% cerium which could be an obstacle to use in fertilising products (cerium is both mildly toxic and also a plant micronutrient), and if the process was used on municipal wastewater the sludge would likely contain other heavy metals and contaminants.

“Removal of phosphate from brewery wastewater by cerium(III) chloride originating from spent polishing agent: Recovery and optimization studies”, P. Lejwoda et al., Science of the Total Environment 875 (2023) 162643 DOI.

Iron-loaded plastic fibre lab tested for P removal – recovery by adsorption

Plastic fibres loaded with iron were tested at lab-scale for phosphorus removal from synthetic solutions and for P-recovery by desorption with fibre reuse for P-removal. 99% P-removal was achieved. 5 reuse cycles were tested. Polypropylene fibres were aminated then loaded with iron by 3-step reaction with acrylamide, ammonium iron sulphate, benzoyl peroxide, toluene and iron chloride. An iron loading of 13.5% was identified as optimal. The iron-loaded fibres (PPFFe) were tested for P-removal from synthetic solutions of potassium sulphate, with also chloride, nitrate, carbonate and sulphate ions. The PPFFe fibres removed over 99% of soluble phosphate in continuous flow conditions, with good ion selectivity, reducing phosphate from 2 mgP/l to <0.2 mgP/l. P adsorption capacity of the PPFFe fibres was 3%P. The P-loaded PPFFe fibres were regenerated using 0.1 mol/l EDTA (chelating agent) showing 99% desorption over five PPFFe reuse cycles. The authors note that waste polypropylene fibres could be used. ESPP notes that testing in real wastewater, with other competing ions and suspended solids / organic carbon is needed, as is demonstration of how to recover a useable phosphorus material from the EDTA regeneration solution, to enable application for phosphorus recycling.

“Fabrication of recyclable Fe³⁺ chelated aminated polypropylene fiber for efficient clean-up of phosphate wastewater”, S. Zhao et al., Front. Chem. Sci. Eng. (2023) DOI.

Pharmaceuticals and heavy metals release from sewage sludge biochar

Pyrolysis of sewage sludge can reduce the content of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals in the resulting biochar and their availability to plants, depending on pyrolysis temperature and duration. Sludge from the municipal sewage treatment plant in Binhai District, Tianjin, China, was hydrothermally treated (2 litre reactor) at 180 and 240°C for 6 and 15 h. The sludge contained c. 50 µg/kg caffeine and c. 100 µg/kg acetaminophen (a pharmaceutical). The resulting sludge biochars were characterised in terms of elemental composition, surface properties, PPCPs and heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Cu and Zn), and added to a hydroponic solution at doses of zero to 0.8 g/l to test their toxicity for wheat growth. For all of the contaminants tested (caffeine, acetaminophen and the heavy metals) concentrations in the sludge biochars were of similar magnitude to those in the sewage sludge (from c. 4x lower to c. 2x higher), with no general relation to the two tested temperatures or times. Lower doses of the biochars in the hydroponic solution had benefits for wheat growth or health, but higher doses showed toxicity and damage to plants. Caffeine, acetaminophen and heavy metals from the biochars were taken up and accumulated in the wheat, but with levels in wheat shoots below China drug and food additive standard limits.

“PPCPs and heavy metals from hydrothermal sewage sludge‑derived biochar: migration in wheat and physiological response”, K. Zhen et al., Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29, 83234–83246 (2022), DOI

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ESPP members

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

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Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews075
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White Ammonia – Nitrogen Recovery
1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM) - 7^th June 2023

EU public consultations
EU draft update of Slaughterhouse BAT BREF
EU public consultation on “Taxonomy”: green investment funding
EU public consultation on fertiliser digital labelling
EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials

EU input needed – recycled fertiliser products
Input on processing of manure products
Comments on proposed analysis standards for STRUBIAS materials
Animal By-Products (ABPs) in EU Fertilising Products Regulation delayed again

Policy
European Commission document on Food Security
European Parliament position on fertilisers
Updated EU Regulation on agricultural statistics (SAIO)
European Environment Agency report on soil monitoring

Nutrient recovery inauguration
Inauguration of Ragn-Sells - EasyMining first Ash2Salt plant 5

Research and development
Ammonia losses to air from livestock and combustion
Black soldier fly for wastewater resource recycling
Overview of agricultural P loss challenges
Benefits of Legacy Phosphorus

Stay informed

ESPP members

White Ammonia – Nitrogen Recovery

1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM) - 7^th June 2023

ESPP is organising a first White Ammonia and N-recovery Research Meeting (WARM) in Brussels and hybrid, Wed. 7^th June 2023 (plus nitrogen recovery site visit 6^th June). This will showcase research and innovation into nitrogen recovery and make links from EU R&D policy to industry implementation. Confirmed presentations to date include: European Commission DG Research and DG Environment, Fertilizers Europe, Severn Trent and ACEA.

This is within EU Green Week, Brussels, and back-to-back to the 6^th Power to Ammonia Conference by NH3 Event, Europe’s biggest ammonia event, Rotterdam 8-9 June 2023 (one hour train from Brussels).

Proposals for presentations or posters are welcome:

Registration is now open: http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/events

EU public consultations

EU draft update of Slaughterhouse BAT BREF

Draft update of EU BAT BREF for Slaughterhouse & Animal By-Product and Co-Product Industries is published. Public comments are invited. IED (Industrial Emissions Directive) Forum members (includes ESPP) are invited to input comments by 11^th May latest, so please send any comments to ESPP by 8^th May. The 540 document is a proposed update of the existing 2005 BAT BREF. Techniques presented as BAT (Best Available Technology) include: phosphorus recovery as struvite for resource recovery ($2.3.2.7 page 96) and wastewater treatment ($2.3.6.5.3 page 157) and in BAT12 and BAT14 (for wastewaters with P_total > 50 mg/l, $5.1.6 and $5.1.7 pages 450-451); P-removal from wastewater by chemical precipitation or enhanced biological P-removal (EBPR); dicalcium phosphate manufacture from gelatine production ($4.5.2.2 page 427); anaerobic digestion with use of digestates as N, P, K containing fertiliser ($2.1.2 page 31). It is indicated page 378 that wastewater treatment sludge can be sent to incineration then P-recovery. Total phosphorus and total nitrogen emissions to water are KEIs (Key Environmental Indicators, p.25). Use of sludge from gelatine production, feathermeal, PAP processed animal proteins or blood byproducts directly on farmland as a fertilising material are cited (pages 354, 369, 374, 433). Ammonia N-recovery from rendering condensate is cited ($4.3.4.2.2 page 397). BAT14 specifies limits (for direct discharge) of 4 – 30 mg/l for N_total and 0.25 – 2 mg/l for P_total – ESPP suggests that these limits seem non-ambitious compared to limits widely applicable to municipal wastewater treatment plants. ESPP will input comments to propose to add to BAT1 (Overall Environmental Performance) a nutrient valorisation plan, conform to the waste hierarchy (food, feed, fertiliser). ESPP will also comment that anaerobic digestion should ensure Animal By-Product Regulation 142/2011 End-Point heat/time conditions, to ensure sanitisation, and to enable use of digestates as fertiliser.

Draft “Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Slaughterhouses, Animal By-products and/or Edible Co-products Industries”, proposed update of existing 2005 BREF http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reference/ Comments to ESPP by 8^th may.

EU public consultation on “Taxonomy”: green investment funding

Consultation open to 3^rd May 2023 for EU Taxonomy Regulation, defining technologies eligible for green investment funding (and possibly by extension other support or policy tools): includes P-recycling from municipal wastewater (Annex II = contribution to the circular economy, § 2.1). The draft Delegated Regulation will be adopted by the European Commission after the public consultation period and internal concertation, and does not go to the European Parliament and Council. The proposed Regulation and Annexes are based on the initial reports published by the European Commission in 2021 and 2022, see ESPP eNews n°s 59 and 66. Some of ESPP’s comments on the first draft are taken into account (clarifications regarding recovery routes, inclusion of end-uses other than in fertilisers, requirement of end-product to have a use …). The criteria require that at least 15% of incoming phosphorus is recovered for processes at the waste water treatment plant, and at least 80% for processes treating sewage sludge ashes.

ESPP continues to regret that recovery of nitrogen or of other nutrients is not included, that the wording is likely to exclude some processes for processing P in sewage sludge to organic fertilisers (e.g. biochars), and that the criteria cover only phosphorus recycling from “waste water treatment plants” not from e.g. manure*.

The proposed Regulation also includes, amongst many other sectors, with specified conditions:

• treatment of separately collected bio-waste through anaerobic digestion or composting with the resulting production and utilisation of biogas, digestate, compost or chemicals (Annex II – 2.5);
• urban waste water treatment systems (Annex I – 2.2);
• mechanical material recovery form non-hazardous waste (Annex II – 2.7). This does not cover chemical recovery of e.g. potassium from waste-to-energy combustion ashes, however the preamble (14) states that recovery of “metals and inorganic salts from … ashes from non-hazardous waste incineration” should be considered for inclusion in the next update of the Taxonomy criteria.

Unlike the initial Commission report, the proposed Regulation does not cover agriculture.

* The draft text refers to “recovery of phosphorus from on-site waste water treatment plants (WWTP) (aqueous phase and sludge) and from materials (i.e. ashes) after thermal oxidation (i.e. incineration) of sewage sludge”. It is unclear what this means. On the one hand, the text later refers to “sewage sludge”, but on the other hand it cites NACE codes “in particular” E37.00 = sewerage, E38.32 = does not exist (maybe should read E38.3.2 - Recovery of sorted materials ?) and F42.99 = does not exist (maybe should read F42.9.9 - Construction of other civil engineering projects n.e.c.).

“Sustainable investment – EU environmental taxonomy”, EU public consultation to 3^rd May 2023 and draft Delegated Regulation establishing further Technical Screening Criteria for the EU ‘Taxonomy’ Regulation 2020/852  HERE.

See also: European Commission taxonomy and sustainable finance web page HERE and EU Taxonomy Navigator online tool HERE.

EU public consultation on fertiliser digital labelling

Consultation open to 29^th May 2023 on draft amendments to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) to enable digital labelling of EU fertilising products before discussion in EU Parliament and Council. The proposed amending Regulation modifies both articles of the FPR itself and of its annexes. Modifications enable obligatory labelling information to be provided by digital means and specify functioning of this, and also modify definitions of packaging and labelling requirements, in some cases, for labelling soluble content of nutrients, organic carbon, dry matter, micronutrients, pH and stability ranges …

Proposal for a regulation COM(2023)98. Consultation open to 29^th May HERE.

EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials

Consultation extended to 19^th June 2023 on draft EU Critical Raw Materials Regulation, before discussion in EU Parliament and Council, covering Critical and Strategic Raw Materials Lists, with update of the EU Critical Raw Materials List, including phosphate rock and P₄ – details in ESPP eNews n°74 and Consultation here (4000 characters free text plus optional document).

EU input needed – recycled fertiliser products

Input on processing of manure products

The European Commission (DG GROW) is preparing criteria for use of hygienised manure materials in EU fertilisers, and looks for input to define what “post processing” methods to include in CMC10. The DG SANTE delegated act authorising the use of certain hygienised manure materials in EU fertilisers (defining an ABP End-Point “processed manure” as defined in the Animal By-Products Regulations) is now nearly finalised and may be published in coming months. The European Commission (DG GROW) will then prepare a modification to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) to specify the inclusion of such “processed manure” in EU-fertilisers (in CMC10), see below. “Processed manure” here means manure which has been hygienised using the “standard methods” defined in the Animal By-Products (ABP) Regulation 142/2011, Annex XI, Chapter I, Section 2 (a), (b), (d) and (e). However, under the EU FPR, a CMC material can only be used in, or as, a fertilising product if there is no further treatment or processing. It is therefore important that the future CMC10 criteria for hygienised manure materials (ABP “processed manure”) specify the treatments which can be carried out (after the ABP hygienisation) for its use in fertilisers. Such treatments could include drying, granulation, solid-liquid separation, stabilisation, pH adjustment, possibly with additives to be specified necessary for such processes. Please send to ESPP specifications of treatments you suggest are relevant for hygienised manure (ABP “processed manure”) and which you suggest should be included in CMC10.

Input by email by 10^th May to ESPP

Comments on proposed analysis standards for STRUBIAS materials

The European Commission has circulated for comment a proposed mandate to CEN to develop some 30 new analysis standards for CMCs 11 – 15, that is by-products, STRUBIAS and recovered mineral materials, including precipitated phosphates, ash-based materials, pyrolysis/gasification materials. Proposed standards include methods for determination, in these materials where relevant for EU Fertilising Products Regulation criteria, of levels of phosphate, iron, other elements, organic carbon, H / C_org, macroscopic impurities, PAH₁₆, PCDD/F, pathogens and of hygienisation conditions (temperature, time).

Commission draft standards mandate here (for new proposed standards for STRUBIAS, by-products, recovered minerals) see Annex II, page 29 onwards). Comments by 10^th May to ESPP

Animal By-Products (ABPs) in EU Fertilising Products Regulation delayed again

The European Commission informed the Fertilisers Expert Group, 18^th April, that inclusion of “processed manure” into the EU Fertilising Products Regulation is delayed to at least end 2023 and other ABPs to at least end 2024. This is because environmental safety assessments are legally required. This concerns the Animal By-Products covered by the draft DG SANTE delegated act defining “End Points” for use in EU fertilisers (see ESPP eNews n°70). The Commission confirmed that manure (and other specified Cat. 2 and 3 ABPs) will however be authorised as input materials to EU fertilising product composts, digestates, precipitated phosphates, ash-based materials and pyrolysis materials (CMCs 3, 5, 12, 13, 14) as soon as the DG SANTE delegated act enters into force. It is ESPP’s understanding that this will mean that for these CMCs will be able to include manure / specified ABPs either (i) if these have been hygienised (by ABP ‘standard methods’: Regulation 142/2011) BEFORE entering the composting / digestion / combustion / pyrolysis process or (ii) raw manure / specified ABPs is input into the composting / digestion / combustion / pyrolysis process and this process itself respects the ABP “standard methods” obligations. ESPP will ask that this be clarified in the EU FPR Frequently Asked Questions document after the DG SANTE delegated act is published.

Policy

European Commission document on Food Security

EU communication on Food Security reminds that the EU is largely food self-sufficient but that food inflation is nearly 20%/year. Fertilisers supply and price accentuates other pressures reducing agricultural productivity: climate change, loss of pollinators, labour shortages … 61% of agricultural land is arable (and more than half of this is to produce animal feed), and 31% of agricultural land is grassland. Ecosystem contribution to crop yield values is estimated to be 21%, with the remainder resulting from human inputs (planting, labour, chemicals). Agriculture is the main source of nitrogen discharge to waters and contributes to eutrophication, and contributes over 10% of EU greenhouse emissions (over 2/3 of this related to livestock). The 100 page Communication discusses a wide range of drivers of food security including climate, pollution, soil health, pests and diseases, biodiversity, research and technology, production intensity, trade, speculation, energy prices, fertilisers, workers, economics and finances, land use, supply chain, food loss and waste and demography. Mineral fertilisers are considered to “play a significant role for food security”, but (nitrogen) fertiliser prices are directly connected to energy prices and the EU is largely dependent on fertiliser imports. The EU is estimated to be around 30% dependent on imports for N fertilisers, 68% for P and 85% for K. High energy prices risk increasing these dependencies. Increased fertiliser prices lead farmers to apply less, resulting in lower yields and impacting food availability and access. Nutrient management plans, soil conservation, precision agriculture, crop rotation with legumes and nutrient recycling are cited as mitigating pressure from high fertiliser prices. For the fertiliser industry, a “green transition” is considered critical, using green hydrogen, digestate and compost, with improved nutrient use efficiency and so lower nutrient losses to the environment.

“Drivers of Food Security”, European Commission SWD(2023)4, 4^th January 2023 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/analysis-main-drivers-food-security_en

European Parliament position on fertilisers

Parliament resolution supports development of organic and recycled fertilisers, underlines negative impacts of fertiliser prices on farmers, supports livestock farming and calls to increase the EU farm budget (CAP). The position notes that phosphorus and nitrogen exceed planetary boundaries in the EU, but also calls for increased regional flexibility to exempt from Nitrates Directive nitrogen application limits and for the “presence of livestock on most territories” for “a more uniform availability of organic fertilisers”. Parliament calls to amend the Nitrates Directive and to enable “temporary derogations” for RENURE materials and digestates. Parliament notes that many secondary nutrient sources are not optimally used, calls for Member States’ CAP Strategic Plans to stimulate development of organic fertilisers and for actions, including investments and business plans, to support and improve market access for organic and recycled fertilisers, as well as crop rotation with plants which fix nitrogen, nutrient use efficiency and precision farming. Parliament calls for implementation and upscaling of the Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients (FaST) to develop nutrient balances for farms.

Availability of fertilisers in the EU”, European Parliament resolution 16^th February 2023, “P9_TA(2023)0059 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0059_EN.html

Updated EU Regulation on agricultural statistics (SAIO)

New Regulation requires reporting of all fertilising products (as defined by the EU Fertilising Products Regulation), and of both nutrients used in fertilisers and nutrient balances. Member States will be required to report average fertiliser purchase prices for different fertiliser products, nutrients in fertilising products and nutrient balances, at either the national or regional NUTS2 level (to be defined by the European Commission), and covering 95% of the Member State agricultural area. Data on nine different parameters relevant to calculating national nutrient balances will be required: inorganic fertilisers, organic fertilisers (excluding animal manure), crop and forage nutrient contents, crop residues and nutrient coefficients, biological N fixation coefficients, atmospheric N deposition coefficients, seed nutrient content coefficients, livestock manure volumes and nutrient content coefficients.

(Amending) Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 on “statistics on agricultural input and output”, 23 November 2022, HERE.

European Environment Agency report on soil monitoring

EEA 200 page report proposes soil health indicators including parameters for phosphorus and nitrogen to ensure that low levels do not compromise productivity but also to limit nutrient losses. Chapter 3 on soil nutrient loss (phosphorus and nitrogen) underlines and explains the concept of “critical” phosphorus levels for crop yield, below which yields will be reduced, and above which additional phosphorus input makes little difference, but which may be different from the critical level for phosphorus losses, above which losses increase rapidly with higher inputs. The following soil health indicators and monitoring parameters are proposed for phosphorus and nitrogen (in combination with parameters including organic carbon, pH, contaminants, soil compression …):

• Falling below of optimal phosphorus
• P limitation based on exceedance of N:P ratio
• Exceedance of critical levels of mineral nitrogen
• N limitation based on exceedance of C:N ratio
• Total (organic) nitrogen
• C:N ratio
• Total N
• Mineral N
• Total P
• Available P: Pox/Al+Feox
• Available K

Threshold levels are proposed for contaminants, but not for nutrients.

“Soil monitoring in Europe — Indicators and thresholds for soil health assessments”, European Environment Agency EEA Report No 08/2022 https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/soil-monitoring-in-europe and DOI

Nutrient recovery inauguration

Inauguration of Ragn-Sells - EasyMining first Ash2Salt plant

The first commercial facility recovering potassium, calcium and sodium salts from municipal waste incineration fly ash was inaugurated in Högbytorp, Sweden by the Swedish Minister of Climate and Environment, Romina Pourmokhtari, alongside Erik Sellberg, Chairman of Ragn-Sells Board. The Minister emphasised Sweden’s commitment to achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2045, that transitioning to a circular economy is crucial to achieving this goal, and underlined the role of active companies prioritising sustainable development. Pär Larshans (Director of Sustainability at Ragn-Sells) then led a panel discussion with Anette Blücher from EON/Nordic, Emma Nohrén from the Swedish Parliament, Ellen Einebrant from The Recycling Industries, and Mattias Peterson Ersoy from Upplands-Bro Municipality. The panel stressed the importance of industrial symbiosis in achieving the environmental targets, and the need to shift away from the current paradigm of waste plants towards that of resource plants.

Fly ash is a waste product generated during the cleaning of flue gases in municipal waste incineration plants. Due to its high content of salts (200 kg per ton of ash) and heavy metals, it is classified as hazardous waste. In Sweden alone, 300 000 tons of fly ash are produced annually. The Ash2Salt process allows the recovery of the salts (potassium, calcium, and sodium chloride) present in fly ash (Fig. 1,2). The inaugurated plant, which cost 70 million €, can treat up to 150 000 tons of fly ash per year, producing roughly 10 000-12 000 tons of NaCl (solid), 6 000 tons of KCl (solid), and 25 000 tons of CaCl₂ (saturated solution (36%) per year. The fly ash is received from 15 Swedish incineration and waste-to-energy plants, and is loaded into silos on the plant roof from ten 180 m³ silos on the side of the plant (Fig. 3), as shown by Mattias Lindblad, Head of Production at the Ash2Salt plant. The ash is then dropped to vessels and mixed with water using propeller agitators, to dissolve the salts. After this, the ash is passed onto a belt (Fig. 4), allowing the water containing the salts and heavy metals to percolate through, leaving a "washed ash" or "cleaned ash" that can be deposited at a landfill for non-hazardous waste. Some research is underway to find alternative uses for the washed ash, while the cleaning water coming out of the filter, containing the salts and heavy metals, is treated to remove heavy metals (through precipitation and separation). Additionally, organics are removed through a carbon filter. An evaporator is used to increase the concentration of salts in the cleaning water, which can process 20 m³ of water per hour (Fig. 5). Once the solution becomes saturated in CaCl₂, NaCl and KCl begin to crystallize and are separated based on their different properties. This process leaves behind a 36% CaCl₂ solution, while ammonia released during the evaporation process is scrubbed out to (NH₄)₂SO₄. The recovered salts can be used for various purposes, including fertilisers (KCl, (NH₄)₂SO₄), dust control and deicing (CaCl₂), or other industrial processes (NaCl, KCl).

The inauguration event was preceded by a visit to EasyMining's R&D facilities in Uppsala. During the visit, Jan Svärd (CEO) and Yariv Cohen (Head of Research and Development) presented EasyMining’s Ash2Phos and Aqua2N technologies (see eNews 62 and 74, respectively), and Michael Pohl (Head of Research and Development, Omya) presented new approaches for Zero Liquid Discharge, including the Brine2Mineral project collaboration, which aims to remove Mg and Ca from brine effluent in the Ash2Phos process.

Research and development

Ammonia losses to air from livestock and combustion

Isotopic analysis distinguishes ammonia air emissions from agriculture from combustion emissions, suggesting that around half are in Europe are from farming (fertilisers, animal wastes) and around half from combustion. The authors distinguish “v” ammonia emissions to air (volatilisation from fertilisers, fertilised and natural soils, animal wastes, water) from “c” emissions (combustion of fossil fuels or biomass). The authors compared the data for different N-isotopes in the ambient atmosphere (a), atmospheric particulates (p) and precipitation (w) for East Asia, Europe and North America. Comparison of ratios enables estimation of volatilised ammonia “v” (assumed by the authors to be mainly related to agriculture) and combustion ammonia “c”. They conclude that around 51%, 54% and 60% of ammonia losses to air are from volatilisation “v” in Europe, North America and East Asia respectively, but with margins of error of +/- 20%. They thus conclude that ammonia emissions are generally significantly underestimated.

“Significant contributions of combustion related sources to ammonia emissions”, Z-L. Chen et al., Nature Communications (2022) 13:7710, DOI.

Black soldier fly for wastewater resource recycling

Innovative process (patented) enables cultivation of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae in liquid, so coupling treatment of high organic carbon wastewaters and valorisation of nutrients and carbon. BSF are already commercially cultivated on solid organic wastes, to produce proteins, lipids, aquaculture feed and organic fertilisers (see Protix at SOFIE2). The fly larvae cannot normally survive in a liquid medium. The patented process overcome this by providing an inert physical support for larvae mobility: diving for eating and re-emerging for breathing. The process has been successfully tested to date at lab scale (0.15 l, 180 cm² surface area) using synthetic wastewaters and real wastewaters, including food processing wastewaters, landfill leachate. This suggests that the larvae need at a minimum organic carbon level in the feed wastewater to ensure sufficient food. Results (not yet published) suggest that the larvae system can remove c. 80% of nitrogen and 50% of phosphorus from waste water with initial levels c. 150 mgN/ and 16 mgP/l. After depletion of carbon and nutrients in the wastewater by the fly larvae, treatment can be completed with conventional technologies, while larvae are separated and recovered.

“The treatment of leachate using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae: Adaptability and resource recovery testing”, V. Grossule et al.,  2020, J. Environ. Manage. 253, 109707, DOI.

“Treatment of wastewater using black soldier fly larvae , under different degrees of biodegradability and oxidation of organic content”, V. Grossule et al., 2022, J. Environ. Manage. 319, 115734, DOI.

“Treatment of wastewater using Black Soldier Fly larvae: Effect of organic concentration and load”, V. Grossule et al., 2023, J. Environ. Manage. 338, 117775, DOI.

Overview of agricultural P loss challenges

8-page layperson’s summary update article explains farm P-losses are today key to surface water quality problems (eutrophication), discusses challenges of soil Legacy-P and possible solutions. Agricultural phosphorus losses are today the main cause of major eutrophication problems in the US/Canada Great Lakes, the Mexico Gulf Dead Zone and in many other lakes in North America, because wastewater treatment plant discharges have been now mostly addressed. At the same time, uptake of applied phosphorus in the first crop season is <20% global average and P-losses linked to soil erosion are a major route for phosphorus resource depletion (Alewell et al., 2020). The challenge is that P applied tends to bind in soils, so is not readily crop available, whereas many crops need P rapidly (e.g. half of maize’s P requirement is after flowering). But when P is applied up to levels such that it is readily available, then it tends to be lost in surface runoff or drainage with rainfall. On the other hand, P applied in the past and bound in soil (Legacy-P) slowly becomes available, so can contribute to today’s P-losses. Illinois, an intensive agriculture State, has a negative P balance over recent decades, but P losses continue as soil Legacy-P shows a “lag time”. Solutions discussed include not only appropriate P application (fertiliser, manure …), but also improving soil P testing and linked P application recommendations, phosphorus trap using specific underground filter structures, streambank buffer vegetation, cover crops, biostimulants to improve crop P uptake and fertilisers which release P according to plant needs (e.g. struvite).

“Blue Waters, Green Fields. Going Beyond BMPs and 4Rs to Control Future Phosphorus Loss to the Environment”, S. Windsor, Crops & Soils Magazine (American Soc. Agronomy) Jan-Feb 2023 DOI.

Benefits of Legacy Phosphorus

Incubation and pot trials demonstrate how P accumulated in soil, by long-term P fertilisation, improves effectiveness of further P-fertiliser application for crops, and underlines need to consider buffering capacity in soil P testing. Soil with different levels of “Legacy-P” was simulated by incubating low-P soil, with high buffering capacity, from West Bengal, India, at 70°C for 30 days in soluble P solutions 0 – 5000 mgP/kg soil. This is estimated to be equivalent to five years at 20°C. A second incubation in 0 – 1000 mgP/kg soil showed no further modification of P levels in the simulated Legacy-P soils, indicating that P had stably reacted with the soil. The five legacy P soils showed increases of Olsen-P up to nearly 2000 mg/kg (then divided b 1/5 in the pots, see below). Pot trials using the simulated Legacy-P soil (20% mixed with 80% non-incubated soil = without Legacy-P) and mustard (Brassica campestris) showed that plant growth responded much more to fertiliser addition (c. 0 – 200 mgP/kg soil), that is the maximum fertiliser dose was needed to achieve maximum plant growth in the soils without Legacy-P, whereas the lowest fertiliser does (50 mgP/pot) was sufficient in the pot with the highest Legacy-P. The authors conclude that Legacy-P is shown to be beneficial in improving crop response to fertiliser, effectively be preventing/reducing fixing of fertiliser P onto soil buffering sites. They underline that their results show that soil tests such as Olsen-P tend to underestimate the effectiveness of P-fertiliser application, because they involve increasing soil pH, and that P-fertilisation can be better planned if the soil P test is combined with measurement of soil buffering capacity (e.g. method Burkitt et al. 2022 or other).

“Evaluating the benefits of legacy phosphate”, N. Barrow et al., Plant Soil (2022) 480:561–570, DOI.

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ESPP members

Draft update of EU BAT BREF for Slaughterhouse & Animal By-Product and Co-Product Industries is published. Public comments are invited. IED (Industrial Emissions Directive) Forum members (includes ESPP) are invited to input comments by 11^th May latest, so please send any comments to ESPP by 1^st May. The 540 document is a proposed update of the existing 2005 BAT BREF. Techniques presented as BAT (Best Available Technology) include: phosphorus recovery as struvite for resource recovery ($2.3.2.7 page 96) and wastewater treatment ($2.3.6.5.3 page 157) and in BAT12 and BAT14 (for wastewaters with P_total > 50 mg/l, $5.1.6 and $5.1.7 pages 450-451); P-removal from wastewater by chemical precipitation or enhanced biological P-removal (EBPR); dicalcium phosphate manufacture from gelatine production ($4.5.2.2 page 427); anaerobic digestion with use of digestates as N, P, K containing fertiliser ($2.1.2 page 31). It is indicated page 378 that wastewater treatment sludge can be sent to incineration then P-recovery. Total phosphorus and total nitrogen emissions to water are KEIs (Key Environmental Indicators, p.25). Use of sludge from gelatine production, feathermeal, PAP processed animal proteins or blood byproducts directly on farmland as a fertilising material are cited (pages 354, 369, 374, 433). Ammonia N-recovery from rendering condensate is cited ($4.3.4.2.2 page 397). BAT14 specifies limits (for direct discharge) of 4 – 30 mg/l for N_total and 0.25 – 2 mg/l for P_total – ESPP suggests that these limits seem non-ambitious compared to limits widely applicable to municipal wastewater treatment plants. ESPP will input comments to propose to add to BAT1 (Overall Environmental Performance) a nutrient valorisation plan, conform to the waste hierarchy (food, feed, fertiliser). ESPP will also comment that anaerobic digestion should ensure Animal By-Product Regulation 142/2011 End-Point heat/time conditions, to ensure sanitisation, and to enable use of digestates as fertiliser.

Draft “Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Slaughterhouses, Animal By-products and/or Edible Co-products Industries”, proposed update of existing 2005 BREF http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reference/ Comments to ESPP by 1^st May.

Consultation open to 29^th May 2023 on draft amendments to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) to enable digital labelling of EU fertilising products. before discussion in EU Parliament and Council. The proposed amending Regulation modifies both articles of the FPR itself and of its annexes. Modifications enable and obligatory labelling information to be provide by digital means and specify functioning of this, and also modify definitions of packaging and labelling requirements, in some cases, for labelling soluble content of nutrients, organic carbon, dry matter, micronutrients, pH and stability ranges …

Proposal for a regulation COM(2023)98. Consultation open to 29^th May HERE.

Consultation open to 3^rd May 2023 for EU Taxonomy Regulation, defining technologies eligible for green investment funding (and possibly by extension other support or policy tools): includes P-recycling from municipal wastewater (Annex II = contribution to the circular economy, § 2.1). The draft Delegated Regulation will be adopted by the European Commission after the public consultation period and internal concertation, and does not go to the European Parliament and Council. The proposed Regulation and Annexes are based on the initial reports published by the European Commission in 2021 and 2022, see ESPP eNews n°s 59 and 66. Some of ESPP’s comments on the first draft are taken into account (clarifications regarding recovery routes, inclusion of end-uses other than in fertilisers, requirement of end-product to have a use …). The criteria require that at least 15% of incoming phosphorus is recovered for processes at the waste water treatment plant, and at least 80% for processes treating sewage sludge ashes.

ESPP continues to regret that recovery of nitrogen or of other nutrients is not included, that the wording is likely to exclude some processes for processing P in sewage sludge to organic fertilisers (e.g. biochars), and that the criteria cover only phosphorus recycling from “waste water treatment plants” not from e.g. manure*.

The proposed Regulation also includes, amongst many other sectors, with specified conditions:

• treatment of separately collected bio-waste through anaerobic digestion or composting with the resulting production and utilisation of biogas, digestate, compost or chemicals (Annex II – 2.5);
• urban waste water treatment systems (Annex I – 2.2);
• mechanical material recovery form non-hazardous waste (Annex II – 2.7). This does not cover chemical recovery of e.g. potassium from waste-to-energy combustion ashes, however the preamble (14) states that recovery of “metals and inorganic salts from bottom ashes from non-hazardous waste incineration” should be considered for inclusion in the next update of the Taxonomy criteria.

Unlike the initial Commission report, the proposed Regulation does not cover agriculture.

* The draft text refers to “recovery of phosphorus from on-site waste water treatment plants (WWTP) (aqueous phase and sludge) and from materials (i.e. ashes) after thermal oxidation (i.e. incineration) of sewage sludge”. It is unclear what this means. On the one hand, the text later refers to “sewage sludge”, but on the other hand it cites NACE codes “in particular” E37.00 = sewerage, E38.32 = does not exist (maybe should read E38.3.2 - Recovery of sorted materials ?) and F42.99 = does not exist (maybe should read F42.9.9 - Construction of other civil engineering projects n.e.c.).

“Sustainable investment – EU environmental taxonomy”, EU public consultation to 3^rd May 2023 and draft Delegated Regulation establishing further Technical Screening Criteria for the EU ‘Taxonomy’ Regulation 2020/852  HERE.

See also: European Commission taxonomy and sustainable finance web page HERE and EU Taxonomy Navigator online tool HERE.

The proposed CRM Act defines two levels of importance: “Strategic” and “Critical”. Strategic are related to electronics. New targets and tools are proposed for these, but not for “Critical”, so not for Phosphate Rock or P₄ (meaning P₄/derivatives).

The Strategic Raw Materials (SRMs) are defined as those needed for “strategic technologies underpinning the green and digital transitions or for defence or space applications” (16 materials, all metals or related elements), and are a subset of 34 Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), defined as “all strategic raw materials as well as any other raw materials of high importance for the overall Union economy and for which there is a high risk of supply disruption”. The proposed CRM Regulation sets out actions to be engaged, at either EU or Member State levels. As written, it seems that some of these actions apply to all CRMs, and some only to SRMs.

The Commission’s proposals for the SRM list are indicated to be based on the new JRC Foresight Report (2023). It is therefore very surprising that the essential role of P₄ derivatives for electronics, batteries, renewable energy is not recognised and that “Phosphorus” is not included in the list of Strategic Raw Materials. White Phosphorus (P₄, referred as “Phosphorus” in the EU CRM documents) is necessary for battery electrolytes, microchip etching, semiconductors, fire safety, all of which are essential for the “Strategic” sectors of green energy, digital and aerospace.

ESPP notes that food materials are excluded from the definition of CRMs but we regret that the proposed CRM Act does not recognise the important links between CRMs and food security. This could be achieved by indicating in the proposed CRM Act the links to the Commission Communication on Fertilisers price and supply.

The Act is a proposed EU Regulation, published 16^th March 2023, which is now open to public consultation until 30^th June 2023 then will go to the European Parliament and Council for discussion and possible amendment and modification before adoption.

ESPP draft input to public consultation and proposed amendments – for comment and input HERE

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

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White Ammonia – Nitrogen Recovery
1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM) - 7^th June 2023
Call for nominations of nitrogen recovery science papers
ESPP moving forward on Nitrogen Recovery

Consultations, calls, surveys
EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials
EFSA call for scientific experts
Open and upcoming Horizon Europe research funding calls related to nutrients
IFS survey on definition of “plant nutrient”
Looking for “best of” science publications on Nitrogen Recovery
Call for experts for EU Fertiliser Market Observatory

EU (Strategic and …) Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM)
Phosphate Rock and P₄ stay on EU Critical Raw Materials List
JRC Foresight Report on materials for strategic technologies
SCRREEN2 Fact Sheet

Policy
United Nations adopts 50% nutrient loss reduction target
Sewage plants are currently incompatible with small river & stream water quality

Summary of 15^th CRU Phosphates conference

ESPP new member
European Biochar Industry Consortium (EBI)

Research
IFS webinar debate on definition of “plant nutrient”
Vegan diets require lower N, P and K fertiliser inputs
Phosphorus Use Efficiency (PUE) is improving in China but is still low
Phosphorus uptake controls plant response to increased atmospheric CO₂

Nutrient recycling
Lex4Bio survey on “Bio-Based Fertilisers”
EasyMining LIFE RE-Fertilize N-recovery webinar
Implementation of German sewage P-recovery obligation
Phosphorus in sewage sludge incineration ash (SSIA) is not short-term plant available
Phosphorus uptake from nine secondary materials and P extraction methods
Freeze concentration to concentrate digestate RO liquor

Stay informed

ESPP members

White Ammonia – Nitrogen Recovery

1^st White Ammonia Research Meeting (WARM) - 7^th June 2023

ESPP is organising a first White Ammonia and N-recovery Research Meeting (WARM) in Brussels and hybrid, Wed. 7^th June 2023 (plus nitrogen recovery site visit 6^th June). This will showcase research and innovation into nitrogen recovery and make links from EU R&D policy to industry implementation.

This is within EU Green Week, Brussels, and back-to-back to the 6th NH3 Event (& 6th Power to Ammonia conference), Europe’s biggest ammonia event, Rotterdam 8-9 June 2023 (one hour train from Brussels).

Details coming soon on http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/events

Call for nominations of nitrogen recovery science papers

ESPP is preparing a SCOPE Newsletter special presenting the “best of” of recent scientific papers or reports on Nitrogen Recovery and Recycling. This will summarise a selection of around 25 scientific publications for the last few years, similar to SCOPE special editions on climate change – eutrophication links (n°137) or phosphorus sustainability (n°128).

Selection will target papers representing significant knowledge progress in N-recovery, both technical recovery (N recycling to industry or fertilisers) and biological or other N recycling routes, in particular: operating experience at full/pilot scale or innovative technologies leading to N-recovery in a form likely to be a marketable product.

Please send copies of or links to papers you suggest should be included, your own or other authors’, to .

ESPP moving forward on Nitrogen Recovery

ESPP is establishing a Start-Up Steering Committee to take forward actions on nitrogen recovery and recycling. First meeting online 29^th March. Persons interested to engage are invited to contact This working committee will function by online and/or physical meetings and email.

ESPP has also completed the detailed summary of the 19^th January Nitrogen Recovery Workshop, published as SCOPE Newsletter n°145 with summaries of presentation and discussions, and key facts on the different nitrogen recovery technology providers.

Consultations, calls, surveys

EU public consultation on Critical Raw Materials

Consultation open to 16^th May 2023 for public input on draft EU Critical Raw Materials Act, covering Critical and Strategic Raw Materials Lists, including phosphate rock and P₄ – details see article below. Consultation here.

EFSA call for scientific experts

EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) call for candidates for its scientific panels and committee, including BIOHAZ (Biological Hazards), the committee dealing with safety of animal by-products use in fertilisers and animal feeds. The call is open for scientists to 3 April 2023.

EFSA “Call for Expressions of Interest for Membership of the Scientific Panels and the Scientific Committee of EFSA 2023” HERE

Open and upcoming Horizon Europe research funding calls related to nutrients

Several open and upcoming Horizon Europe calls concern nutrients, in particular soon-to-open calls on N and P regional boundaries and recycled nutrient fertilising products (first deadline February 2024). In December 2022, the European Commission adopted the 2023-24 work programme of Horizon Europe – the EU’s funding for research and innovation.

At the moment, ten calls open are related to nutrients. One call, closing soon on 23^rd March 2023, aims at developing EU advisory networks on the optimal fertiliser use, while other calls with a submission deadline on the 28^th March 2023 are focused on benefits of leguminous crops and their contribute to reducing the EU’s dependency on imports of nitrogen fertilisers and protein crops for feed, sustainable and circular management and use of water resources, including nutrient recovery, and innovative solutions in agriculture for water availability and quality. Two stages calls belonging to the “Clean environment and zero pollution” topic, first stage closing on 28^th March 2023, are open on manure use to mitigate GHG emissions and minimize nutrients/contaminants dispersion in the environment and bio-based platform chemicals, additives, materials or products. On the 12^th April 2023, five calls indirectly related to nutrients will close, dealing with strategies to improve yields in organic cropping systems, activities for the European Partnership Water Security for the Planet (Water4All), sustainable production of renewable energy at farm-level and urban farming impacts.

Particularly relevant calls for nutrient research will open on 17^th October 2023, with a (first) submission deadline 22^nd February 2024 (both one- and two-stage calls):

• respecting safe ecological and regional nitrogen and phosphorus boundaries,
• recovered / recycled fertilising products from secondary raw materials,
• irrigation practices and technologies in agriculture, including potential of sewage sludge and other biowaste streams, ensuring high agronomic efficiency of the nutrients they contain,
• inputs in organic farming,
• nutritional value of animal feed under different production management conditions,
• decentralised approaches for water and wastewater management,
• monitoring of water quality in urban areas,
• technologies for preventing and controlling pollution from bio-based industries.

ESPP is interested to support networking, dissemination and communication activities. Please contact Veronica Santoro for more information and possibilities (). See our ESPP list of running and finished EU and national funded nutrients research projects.

ESPP research activities and ESPP nutrient related R&D project list www.phosphorusplatform.eu/R&D

IFS survey on definition of “plant nutrient”

See article below. Survey open HERE.

Looking for “best of” science publications on Nitrogen Recovery

See above and HERE

Call for experts for EU Fertiliser Market Observatory

European Commission (DG Agriculture) call for experts to participate in EU Fertilisers Market Observatory as a group of experts on availability and affordability of fertilisers, following the Commission Communication on fertilisers supply and price (November 2022, see ESPP eNews n°72). Candidates should be representatives of organisations representing stakeholders of at least 10 EU Member States active in the fertilisers supply chain. The Observatory will have up to 20 members and will play a consultative role, providing the Commission with advice and expertise on factors impacting the fertilisers market and market developments.

“Commission calls for applications to join the upcoming EU Fertilisers Market Observatory”, 16^th march 2023. Deadline: 4^th April 2023 HERE

EU (Strategic and …) Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM)

Phosphate Rock and P₄ stay on EU Critical Raw Materials List

But the proposed CRM Act defines two levels of importance: “Strategic” and “Critical”. Strategic are related to electronics. New targets and tools are proposed for these, but not for “Critical”, so not for Phosphate Rock or P₄.

The Act is a proposed EU Regulation, published 16^th March 2023, which is now open to public consultation until 16^th May 2023 then will go to the European Parliament and Council for discussion and possible amendment and modification before adoption.

The “Strategic Raw Materials” are defined as those needed for (Preamble §4) “strategic technologies underpinning the green and digital transitions or for defence or space applications” and are listed in Annex I (16 materials, all metals or related elements). These are a subset of 34 Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) listed in Annex II and defined as (Preamble §5) “all strategic raw materials as well as any other raw materials of high importance for the overall Union economy and for which there is a high risk of supply disruption” and are listed in Annex II. Both lists will be reviewed every four years.

“Phosphate Rock” and “Phosphorus” (meaning P₄/derivatives) are maintained in this proposed 5^th CRM list, which now includes 34 materials, increased from 30 in the 4^th CRM list (2020, see ESPP eNews n°48). Arsenic, helium, copper, nickel (battery grade) and feldspar* are added; natural rubber is deleted. However, they are not included in the subset of 16 Strategic Raw Materials (SRMs).

The Commission’s proposals for the SRM (Strategic) list are indicated to be based on the new JRC Foresight Report (2023), see below. It is therefore very surprising that the essential role of P₄ derivatives for electronics, batteries, renewable energy is not recognised and that “Phosphorus” is not included in the list of Strategic Raw Materials.

White Phosphorus (P₄, referred as “Phosphorus” in the EU CRM documents) is necessary for battery electrolytes, microchip etching, semiconductors, fire safety, all of which are essential for the “Strategic” sectors of green energy, digital and aerospace. Indeed, “Phosphorus” is identified in the accompanying JRC Foresight Report, as used in batteries, photovoltaics, hydrogen iron/arc furnaces, laptops/smartphones and space/satellites and as having high supply risk (see below).

As per ESPP’s input to the public consultation in November 2022 (HERE), ESPP notes that food materials are excluded from the definition of CRMs but we regret that the proposed CRM Act does not recognise the important links between CRMs and food security. This could be achieved by indicating in the proposed CRM Act the links to the Commission Communication on Fertilisers price and supply (see ESPP eNews n°72).

The proposed CRM Regulation sets out actions to be engaged, at either EU or Member State levels. As written, it seems that some of these actions apply to all Critical Raw Materials, and some only to Strategic Raw Materials (this could be modified by Parliament/Council).

Definitions

The proposed Regulation includes a considerable number of definitions. Although these are “for the purposes of this Regulation”, they may pose jurisprudence. As well as some unexpected definitions (e.g. tumble dryer, dishwasher …), the definitions include:

• Reserves: all mineral occurrences that are economically viable to extract.
• Raw material: a substance in processed or unprocessed state used as an input for the manufacturing of intermediate or final products, excluding substances predominantly used as food, feed or combustion fuel.
• Recycling: any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes.
• Recovery: any operation the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfil a particular function, or waste being prepared to fulfil that function, in the plant or in the wider economy.

JRC Foresight Report on materials for strategic technologies

Forecasts for EU material demand and supply risks for strategic technologies. “Phosphorus” (P₄) is cited for all five sectors and as supply-critical. This seems to include misunderstandings, but other essential uses of P₄ are missing. The report covers 15 technologies in five strategic sectors: renewable energy, e-mobility, industry, information & communications technology (ITC) and aerospace/defence. P₄ is identified as used in lithium ion batteries, solar photovoltaics (PV), hydrogen direct reduced iron and electric arc furnaces (H2-DRI), smartphones – laptops and space launchers – satellites. Phosphate rock is identified as used in data transmission networks.

The report identifies ‘Phosphorus’ (P₄) as the raw material with the highest supply risk for batteries and for H2-DRI (p. 20, p77) and amongst the 15 with highest supply risk for data storage & servers, PV, smartphones-laptops and space-satellite, with 79% of production in China (p.76. Note: JRC indicated 87% in the P₄ MSA 2021, see ESPP eNews n°58). However, the need for P₄ in batteries seems to be based on the error that P₄ is needed to produce lithium iron phosphate for LFP batteries (to ESPP’s understanding, this is incorrect: battery grade LiFePO₄ can be and already is today produced via purified merchant-grade phosphoric acid, see SCOPE Newsletter n°136). The JRC Foresight Report further suggests that LFP batteries will compete with fertiliser production for phosphate rock (this is referenced to only one P-rock mine project company’s promotion, Epstein 2022). Not only is this largely wrong (see summary of CRU Phosphates 2023 below), it also suggests the report is confusing “Phosphate Rock” with “P₄”. P₄ is however a necessary input to produce lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆), which is cited in the Foresight Report for batteries (electrolytes) and tablets-laptops.

The Report also notes (p.90) that P₄ is increasingly essential for fire safety, under data storage and servers, stating “increasing move to green materials and chemicals … Phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are often proposed as alternatives to brominated flame retardants (BFRs)”. Flame retardants are also needed in smartphone-laptops, but – without explication nor coherence – the Report apparently does not consider the need for phosphorus in fire safety for wind turbines, photovoltaics, heat pumps, space-satellites, 3D-printing …

Gallium indium phosphide and indium phosphide, which do need P₄ for their production, and which are used in semiconductors, are cited as needed for photovoltaics and data storage. Other essential uses of P₄ in the considered technologies are not cited, in particular thermal phosphoric acid for micro-chip etching, and phosphine for semi-conductor doping (partial modification of Si to P in semiconductors).

Phosphate rock is indicated as needed for data transmission networks, but for no other technology (p84), with no explanation (p.81), but P₄ is not cited whereas it is used in fire safety of cables, semiconductors, microchips. Again this suggests that the Report is confusing these two CRMs.

Overall, the designations of which technologies require “Phosphorus” (meaning P₄/derivatives) and “Phosphate Rock”, and why, are largely unexplained, often incoherent, and in some cases seem to be based on erroneous information and confusion between these two CRMs. Despite this, and even more so when considering the essential uses of P₄ which are not cited or only partly taken into account (chip etching, fire safety, semiconductor doping), the Foresight Report identifies P₄ as needed for all the strategic sectors and a significant number of the technologies, and as one of the materials with the highest supply chain risk (this is certain: no production of P₄ in the EU, and import dependency on three countries: China, Vietnam and Kazakhstan).

ESPP therefore considers it very surprising that the CRM “Phosphorus” (P₄ and derivatives) is not included in the proposed list of EU Strategic Raw Materials, see above.

SCRREEN2 Fact Sheet

Published SCRREEN2 input to CRM Act confuses the two CRMs ‘Phosphorus’ (P₄) and ‘Phosphate Rock’ and contains various errors.  ESPP had understood that the EU-funded SCRREEN2 project (3 million € EU money, led by the French Atomic Energy Commission CEA), was supposed to deliver input information to support the update of the CRM List, in the form of SCRREEN2 CRM “Factsheets”. The project has apparently failed to do this in time for Phosphate Rock and P₄ in that the draft Factsheet (not dated, online 19^th March 2023) contains various errors suggesting a lack of relevant understanding (e.g. sodium is cited as one of the three main plant nutrients p.16) and confuses the CRM “Phosphate Rock” with “Phosphorus” (P₄) by treating both in the same Factsheet. The separation into two Factsheets of the two CRMs Phosphate Rock and P₄ was requested, but is apparently not done in time to input to the CRM Act. Also, the authors do not seem to understand the chemical difference between “phosphate” and “phosphorus”: on p.26 phosphate is calculated to have the molar weight of the element phosphorus. ESPP pointed to such problems already at SCRREEN workshops and in letters in July and September 2022 (see HERE). Many comments are not taken into account in this draft Factsheet. This failure of SCRREEN may explain the apparently confused treatment of P₄ in the JRC Foresight Report.

* Feldspar: a naturally occurring alumino-silicate mineral, source of alumina for e.g. glassmaking, ceramics.

European Commission Critical Raw Materials web page:
https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en

European Commission press release, 16^th March 2023 IP_23_1661 “Critical Raw Materials: ensuring secure and sustainable supply chains for EU's green and digital future” – includes links to Commission Communication, FAQ, etc. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_1661

Proposed EU Critical Raw Materials Act, COM(2023)160, 16^th March 2023 https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/publications/european-critical-raw-materials-act_en

JRC Foresight Report 2023 “Supply chain analysis and material demand forecast in strategic technologies and sectors in the EU – A foresight study”, S. Carrera et al., ISBN 978-92-68-00339-8 (266 pages) https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC132889

SCRREEN2 (“Solutions for CRitical Raw materials - a European Expert Network 2) draft FactSheets https://scrreen.eu/crms-2023/

Public consultation open to 16^th May 2023 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13597-European-Critical-Raw-Materials-Act_en

Policy

United Nations adopts 50% nutrient loss reduction target

The COP15 Kunming-Montreal convention Global Biodiversity Framework, December 2022, includes the target to reduce nutrient losses by 50% by 2030, that is the same nutrient loss reduction target as the EU Green Deal (Farm-to-Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, both May 2020, see SCOPE Newsletter n°139). Target n°7 of Global targets for 2030 aims to reduce all pollution to levels not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystems and specifies “reducing excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half, including through more efficient nutrient cycling and use” as well as reducing by 50% risks from pesticides and hazardous chemicals and addressing plastic pollution.

United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, decision adopted 7-19 December 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-15/cop-15-dec-04-en.pdf

Sewage plants are currently incompatible with small river & stream water quality

Statistical analysis suggests that sewage works discharge flow > 6.5% of low flow* of small rivers and streams means likely failure to achieve Good Quality Status required by the EU Water Framework Directive. The correlation is not found in larger rivers (Strahler order >3). Nearly 60% of the 1.7 million km of Europe’s rivers and streams are not in Good Ecological Status, usually as a consequence of multiple pressures. The correlation between higher proportion of (low) flow from sewage works discharge to quality status failure held for smaller rivers and streams held not only for the EU overall, but also for 7 out of 10 of the largest catchments (not for the Rhône catchment) and to some extent for all of 6 river types. Across Europe, 82% of length of smaller rivers and streams were not in Good Ecological Status. A maximum recommended discharge / river Q10* low flow ratio of 6.5% was derived, based on 50% probability of achieving Good Quality Status. If 90% probability of Good Quality Status was targeted, this would result in a ratio of 12%. Nearly 60% of segments of small rivers and streams in Europe today exceed the 6.5% ratio and this concerns 9 700 of the EU’s 26 500 sewage works (mainly smaller sewage works: 2/3 < 10 000 p.e.). These sewage works are distributed across the UK, but >80% of sewage works exceed the 6.5% ratio in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Solutions to mitigate discharges to smaller rivers and streams include re-routing discharge to larger rivers, additional wastewater processing, appropriate re-use of wastewater or restoration of ecosystems.

* 10% quartile low flow

“Are waste-water treatment plants failing to protect the ecological health of European streams?”, EU Commission Science for Environment Policy n°595, 15^th February 2023 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/are-waste-water-treatment-plants-failing-protect-ecological-health-european-streams-2023-02-15_en

“Why wastewater treatment fails to protect stream ecosystems in Europe”, O. Büttner et al., Water Research 217 (2022) 118382 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118382

Summary of 15^th CRU Phosphates conference

Phosphates 2023 took place in Istanbul, 27th February – 1st March 2023, with 370 participants, 50 industry stands and nearly 30 technical presentations. Ludwig Hermann, for ESPP, presented European policy perspectives.

Humphrey Knight, CRU, summarised market challenges of 2022: prices hit a 15-year high, resulting in a significant drop in demand. Despite high crop sales prices, phosphate fertiliser affordability was unfavourable. Demand for high-grade rock fell more than for low-grade rock. With the fall in demand for phosphate fertilisers, industry thus managed to ride through major supply disruptions. China’ exports fell by nearly 50% in 2022, and may remain reduced as the country’s priority turns to national supply. Contrary to initial expectations, Russia was able to continue exporting fertilisers, but showed a considerable decrease in exports of high-grade phosphate rock comparable to other high-grade rock suppliers. Price and supply challenges are expected to become less acute in 2023.

Technical presentations particularly addressed speciality fertilisers and sustainability. Ravi Hiremath, Solvay, presented a chemical additive (ACCO-PHOS) to chelate cadmium, copper, arsenic and other metals out of phosphoric acid, so enabling producing of fertilisers with low heavy metal levels. Michael Meyer, EasyMining, presented the Ash2Phos process to recover phosphorus as high-quality calcium phosphate from sewage sludge incineration ash. Agnes von Garnier, Collin Bartlett and Hannes Storch, Metso Outotec, presented a process to recover sulphuric acid from phosphogypsum stockpiles, to address the expected shortfall in sulphuric acid supply when supply from oil refineries slows down. Hadrien Leruth, Prayon Technologies, presented the GetMoreP and Ecophos processes, as routes to upgrade secondary phosphorus sources, low grade phosphate rock or phosphate mine tailings to dicalcium phosphate.

Sam Adham, CRU, discussed expected future development of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, as a lower cost alternative to Lithium Ion. Phosphate rock consumption for LFP battery cathode production is disproportionally high due to very high purity requirements. This could be balanced by co-production of merchant grade phosphoric acid carrying the impurities that have been removed from LFP grade. Demand for phosphate rock for LFP production is expected to reach 4 – 5 Mt/y (rock) per year in coming decades, compared to current total world production of around 200 Mt/y of phosphate rock (see ESPP FactSheet).

Several phosphate rock mining projects were presented, in Europe (Norge Mining, Stavanger Region, Norway), South Africa (Schiel Phosphate Mining Project, Limpopo Province), Canada (First Phosphate, Quebec) and Australia (Verdant Minerals and Arianne, both in the Northern Territories). Most of them target high grade resources suitable for LFP batteries and other industrial uses.

15^th CRU Phosphates Conference (2023)

The 16^th CRU Phosphates Conference will take place in Warsaw, Poland, 26-28 February 2024

https://events.crugroup.com/phosphates/home

ESPP new member

European Biochar Industry Consortium (EBI)

EBI is the voice of leading players in the rapidly developing European biochar industry. EBI supports biochar as a high-potential solution for phosphorus recycling (from sewage sludge and certain animal by-products), carbon mitigation, and agricultural soil improvement. For a broad range of feedstocks, particularly those where contaminants or sanitary safety pose challenges, such as sewage sludge or certain animal by-products, pyrolysis enables a circular economy. By increasing awareness of the benefits of biochar and advocating for science-backed regulations and industry standards, EBI is working towards developing the European biochar industry into an important and established sector. The overall aim is to contribute to Europe’s fight against climate change. The sector development is already in process, by end of 2022, the EU had 130 installations, producing around 53 000 t/y of biochar. See EBI Market Report here. EBI has 83 members, who are pyrolysis plant owners and operators, users, system and technology providers. Depending on the process and input materials, which can include plant-based, non-plant-based and waste streams, biochars can be used in animal feed, air, soil and water purification (activated carbon), as well as fertilisers or soil improvers. Moreover, the market potential of biogenic carbon-based construction materials and polymers obtained through pyrolysis is growing fast. By becoming a member of the ESPP, EBI finds an important ally in advancing nutrient recovery and waste stream valorisation, including pyrolysis as a treatment path for residues like sewage sludge and work towards a circular economy as well as the creation of quality carbon removals. EBI has recently launched advocacy to request that the European Commission revisit the current exclusion of sewage sludge biochar from the Fertilising Products Regulation (CMC14). The position paper is based on a reassessment of recent data showing that pharmaceuticals, microplastics and PFAS are eliminated in pyrolysis under appropriate conditions (see ESPP eNews n°73).

European Biochar Industry Consortium (EBI) www.biochar-industry.com

EBI European Biochar Market report 2022/2023 HERE

Research

IFS webinar debate on definition of “plant nutrient”

International Fertiliser Society webinar proposed a new definition of a “plant nutrient”, aiming for a wider concept of “one nutrition”, following 2022 concept paper from scientists and industry (IFA). A survey is now open for input. The authors suggest that current definitions of “plant nutrient” are widely interpreted to mean that the nutrient must be essential for all plants, whereas science is today showing that a number of elements can improve plant growth and development, where this was not previously recognised (e.g. silicon, iodine), or may be only essential for some crops in some conditions (e.g. aluminium for certain tea varieties, sodium for some species). The authors note that US regulation currently defines a plant nutrient as being “essential for normal growth of plants” but does not specify for all plants*.

The authors propose as a new definition “A mineral plant nutrient is an element which is essential or beneficial for plant growth and development or for the quality attributes of the plant or harvested product, of a given plant species, grown in its natural or cultivated environment”.

They call for a consensus agreement on a new definition of “Plant Nutrient”, suggesting that this process should bring together scientists, industry and regulators. ESPP suggests that this is the logical remit of standardisation (ISO). The authors also suggest that a global body should be established to periodically review evidence as to which elements can be considered to meet the new definition under which conditions.

ESPP notes that the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) has fixed a clear and simple definition of Plant Nutrient: “substance that is essential or beneficial for plant growth” (ISO 8157:2022 Fertilizers, soil conditioners and beneficial substances — Vocabulary).

ESPP also notes that the EU Fertilising Product Regulation (FPR) uses the term “nutrient” but does not include a definition for it. However, the FPR does in effect specify a limited list of recognised nutrients, in that it defines a Macronutrient fertiliser (cf. PFC1(C)(I)(a)(ii)) as providing N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na or S and a Micronutrient fertiliser (PFC1(C)(II)) as providing B, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn.

* Source: AAPFCO “Official Publication” n°76, 2003, which indicates as the definition for “Secondary Nutrient (T-9, page 94) “those other than the primary nutrients that are essential for the normal growth of plants and that may need to be added to the growth medium …”

IFS (International Fertiliser Society) webinars: https://fertiliser-society.org/product-category/recordings-and-webinars/webinars/

“What is a plant nutrient? Changing definitions to advance science and innovation in plant nutrition”, P. Brown, F-J. Zhao, A. Dobermann, Plant Soil (2022) 476:11–23 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05171-w

IFS webinar “A new definition of ‘Plant Nutrient’ and its implications for fertilizer regulations globally”, 22^nd February 2023 https://fertiliser-society.org/ifs-events/2023-ifs-technical-webinar-programme/

Survey open: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxAqeOSMCwfszUov9PXv78zdFqd7Dz8ONf_jdvcfH9tDw3wA/viewform  

Vegan diets require lower N, P and K fertiliser inputs

Fertiliser requirements are calculated for vegan vs. omnivore diet, with different animal feed use efficiency, crop use efficiency and recycling rates. Overall results are presented as total mass of fertiliser, but calculations are presented separately for N, P and K. Key influencing parameters are identified as: livestock feed use efficiency (IFE), fraction of animal manures reaching and taken up by crops (depending on manure and agri-food waste recycling / reuse scenarios, and crop use efficiency) and N-loss during composting of manures and food wastes. It is underlined that in intensive livestock systems not all manure is returned to land (e.g. China only 35-75% of livestock manures returned to land, Ma 2010, Hou 2013) or manure may be applied in excess to some land or not distributed usefully on land*. The authors conclude that estimates of fertiliser requirements vary widely depending on the coefficients used for these different efficiency factors. With a relatively high hypothesis of 70% of return and uptake of manure by crops, an omnivore diet would require (table 5) 12 – 120 x more P-fertiliser than a vegan diet and 5 – 30 x more N-fertiliser. These estimates compare to estimates published by other authors of 20 – 36 x for P and 6 – 13 x for N. The authors note that Van Kernebeek 2016 estimated that including some meat in diet would be optimal, but that this assumes that livestock and animal feed crops are produced on marginal land and that there is no competition for this land space for other uses (e.g. energy crops).

* ESPP notes that it is nearly inevitable that manure will not be appropriately distributed even in extensive livestock systems, because animals tend to concentrate excretion at feeding, drinking or rumination points – see Kreuzer in SCOPE Newsletter n°131.

See also Lancet Commission, Springmann et al. in ESPP eNews n°48

“Savings in fertilizer requirements from plant-based diets”, L. Harvey, Resources, Conservation & Recycling 190 (2023) 106820 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106820

Phosphorus Use Efficiency (PUE) is improving in China but is still low

Despite improvements, China still has low PUE (c. 40% national average) and significant phosphorus surplus (over 25 kgP/ha), with high regional variations. Both PUE and surplus are however improving since around 2005 – 2015. Phosphorus flow analysis is based on data for crop yields, straw, livestock, fertiliser and cultivated areas for Chinese official data, FAO and literature. Assessment was made at the national level for 1990 – 2018 and at the provincial level (grouped into seven regions) for 2005 – 2018. Around 7.5 MtP/y were input to China’s farmland over this period, of which c. 80% in mineral fertiliser, whereas the average output was <3 MtP/y. Higher phosphorus use efficiencies (PUE) in the North East China probably correspond to climates with rainfall, allowing organic matter accumulation in soil. Lower PUE and soil P accumulation (P-surplus) correspond to intensive crop production regions with high fertiliser use. The authors conclude that China crossed the Kuznets curve for phosphorus in 2007, with use efficiency improving and environmental losses decreasing since then, but that China still has one of the highest fertiliser inputs in the world, and phosphorus use efficiency relatively low, and suggest the need for regionalised policies to improve PUE and reduce agricultural phosphorus surpluses.

“Phosphorus use efficiency has crossed the turning point of the environmental kuznets curve: Opportunities and challenges for crop production in China”, W. Shen et al., J. Environmental Management 326 (2023) 116754 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116754

Phosphorus uptake controls plant response to increased atmospheric CO₂

Meta-analysis of 111 studies shows that effects of elevated carbon dioxide (eCO₂) on plant biomass are best explained by plant phosphorus uptake and that eCO₂ modifies aboveground biomass P pool and biomass P concentration. A literature search for paper covering both increasing CO₂ and phosphorus found over 1600 papers (since 1950), of which nearly 550 were found relevant after analysis, of which 111 were retained as including data on biomass or P pools/concentrations. eCO₂ showed a +13% increase in above ground biomass, but no increase in litter biomass, and to a +20% increase in above ground biomass P pool, +14% increase in biomass below ground P pool, but a decrease in above ground biomass P concentrations (+7%) and no change in below ground biomass P concentrations. Plant P uptake, which was related to biomass, was the variable which best explained increased biomass with eCO₂. Effects of eCO₂ on the phosphorus cycle were impacted by variables such as duration of experiment and aridity. The authors conclude that plant phosphorus uptake should be considered in future biosphere carbon dioxide modelling.

“Plant biomass responses to elevated CO₂ are mediated by phosphorus uptake”, X. Han et al., Science of the Total Environment 863 (2023) 160775 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160775

Nutrient recycling

Lex4Bio survey on “Bio-Based Fertilisers”

EU Horizon 2020 project Lex4Bio launches online survey of farmers, consumers, fertiliser producers and food & beverage industry to identify drivers and barriers to uptake of bio-based fertilisers (BBFs). The surveys, for each target sector, are online in several different languages. Depending on the target, questions cover attitudes to using waste or recycled materials to fertilise food crops, perceived safety of recycled nutrient sources, different recycled materials.

Lex4Bio surveys on bio-based fertilisers https://lnkd.in/dsB5AxFB

EasyMining LIFE RE-Fertilize N-recovery webinar

One-hour webinar (available online) offers detailed presentation of EasyMining’s Aqua2N nitrogen recovery process operational experience (4 m3/h) and now upscaling (10 m³/h), including Biophos’ R&D Director. The two step process removes >95% of ammonium from wastewater liquors by struvite precipitation, then dissolves the struvite in sulphuric acid, recycling the magnesium and phosphorus back to the precipitation stage, and producing ammonium sulphate solution (c. 10% solution = c. 2% N/ww, with objective to concentrate to 30 - 40% solution). Dines Thornberg, Biofos, responsible for treating Copenhagen area’s wastewater explains that the ammonium from sewage sludge digestate liquid fraction (which is returned to the sewage works) can reduce N loading to the works considerably, so increasing biological treatment capacity. Anna Lundbom, EasyMining, explains that the Aqua2N process can reduce sewage works nitrous oxide losses by 15 – 30 %, significantly reducing climate impact. Mikael Hedström, EasyMining, explains that the process is part of EasyMining’s objective to recycle resources and so mitigate climate emissions. The process has been tested, in the EU-funded LIFE RE-Fertilize project on municipal wastewater sludge liquor (Biofos Lynetten wwtp) and landfill liquor (Högbytorp) with a 4 m³/h pilot, a scale appropriate for smaller wastewater plants, enabling optimisation, and demonstrating replicability and transferability. A 10 m³/h unit for larger plants has been designed and is now entering the commercialisation phase. The recovered ammonium sulphate solution has been tested in pot trials by the Swedish Agricultural University and by farmers (Lantmännen).

Photos: EasyMining Aqua2N pilot

RE-Fertilize webinar, 26^th January 2023, watch replay here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mbuENQsJfo

See also ESPP-DPP-NNP Nutrient Recycling Technology Catalogue http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/techcatalogue  

Implementation of German sewage P-recovery obligation

Comparison of 3 digestion and 3 analysis methods, plus interlaboratory comparison recommends ICP-OES after microwave digestion to provide reliable analysis of sewage sludge phosphorus content. 14 sludge samples from 11 different sewage works were analysed for phosphorus content using the two digestion methods and three analysis methods indicated as regards P-recovery in the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (*): aqua regia digestion in a microwave or under reflux conditions, then inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), or photometric phosphorus determination with ammonium molybdate. These methods (tested in some cases by several laboratories) showed variation of around +/- 20% in results for P-content. ICP-OES after aqua regia digestion in a microwave was identified as the most reliable method. A mixed sludge sample was analysed using these methods by 28 laboratories, showing around 7.2 % reproducibility variation in results for P content. Data show, for the sludges from these eleven wwtps, P-content of 1.7 – 3.8% and iron content of 1.4 – 5 % Fe (dry weight).

Phosphorus in sewage sludges:

Previous studies suggest similar levels of P in sewage: 0.8% - 31% (Krogstad et al. 2005), 0 - 4 % (Guivarch 2001), 2 - 6% (Frossard 1996) SCOPE Newsletter n°73, 2.6–3.4% (Cydzik‑Kwiatkowska & Nosek 2020), 3.4 % (Phong 2022), 4.3% (Falk 2020).

The European Commission seminar of 1980 indicated P-content of sewage sludges:

• For Switzerland, increase from 1.1 % P/dm in 1971 to average of 2.7 % P/dm in 1979: (0.2 - 4.6 % in wwtp without P removal and 0.9 - 7.9 % in wwtp with P-removal). The increase is considered to be due to implementation of P-removal.
• For Belgium (Wallonia), 0.2 – 0.9 % P/dm
• For Finland, 2 – 3.7% P/dm for chemical P-removal sludge

* German sewage P-recovery Ordinance: AbfKlärV 2017 German sewage sludge directive (Verordnung zur Neuordnung der Klärschlammverwertung) LINK

“Determination of the phosphorus content in sewage sludge: comparison of different aqua regia digestion methods and ICP‑OES, ICP‑MS, and photometric determination”, T. Sichler et al., Environmental Sciences Europe (2022) 34:99 LINK.

See also Sichler et al. in ESPP eNews n°66.

Phosphorus in sewage sludge incineration ash (SSIA) is not short-term plant available

Ashes from four German sewage sludge incinerators were tested as phosphorus fertilisers in 4-week pot trials, showing considerably lower P Use Efficiency than mineral P fertiliser (MCP) and similar or worse than phosphate rock in these short-duration tests. Pot trials used the P-sensitive flowering plant Tagetes patula (French marigold) with soil pH of 6 or 4.5 with weekly applications of P fertiliser/ash and of nitrogen as required. Particle size distribution of the ashes was recorded. Phosphorus Use Efficiency was calculated based on P uptake. At soil pH 4.5 plant fresh weight was similar with the sludge ashes compared to MCP (water soluble P fertiliser) or phosphate rock, whereas at pH 6 fresh weight was significantly higher with ash than with phosphate rock, but lower than with MCP. Plant P uptake and P Use Efficiency was significantly lower than for MCP at both soil pHs, and was four times lower at soil pH 6. The authors note that phosphorus solubility test methods with calcium chloride + diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (CAT) and calcium-acetate-lactate (CAL), as widely used in Germany, do not give useful predictions of plant P availability in sewage sludge incineration ash.

“Phosphorus Availability from German Sewage Sludge Ashes to Plants Cultivated in Soilless Growing Media of Contrasting pH”, D. Hauck et al., Agronomy 2022, 12, 2610 DOI.

Phosphorus uptake from nine secondary materials and P extraction methods

Phosphorus efficiency of struvite in pot trials was the same or better than mineral P fertiliser, but was considerably lower for an iron phosphate containing sewage sludge and for two sewage sludge ashes.

In papers 2021 and 2022-1, RAE (relative agronomic efficiency) of phosphorus in secondary materials was compared to mineral phosphate fertiliser (TSP = triple super phosphate) and no phosphate (control) in seven month pot trials with perennial ryegrass at three P dose levels (one application at start):

• Two different struvites, both recovered from sewage, both c. 8% P, C_-org < 0.5%,
• Dried pelletised sewage sludge from a sewage works, 0.8% P, 16 % C_-org, 2% Fe
• ASH1: ash from sewage sludge from a rotary kiln process, 900-1000°C with sodium sulphate additive, 6% P, low C_-org, 4.4% Fe
• ASH2: ash from sewage sludge from a two-step rotary kiln process (pyrolysis 650-750°C then incineration 900-1100°C, without chemical additives at this stage of the technology development), c. 6% P, c. 8% C_-org and 16% Fe.

The first paper (2021) compares the phosphorus fertiliser effectiveness of the five secondary materials to TSP. At 9 and 19 kgP/ha, after one month, one of the two struvites showed phosphorus fertiliser efficiency (RAE relative agronomic efficiency) similar to mineral fertiliser (Fig 3). The other struvite, the two ash materials and the sewage sludge pellets showed considerably lower RAE after one month. However, RAEs were similar after one month at 28 kgP/ha application (except for ASH2 which was much lower). After four months the two struvites showed RAEs similar to mineral P fertiliser. After seven months, the RAEs of the two struvites were > 110% (better than TSP), whereas the two ashes and sludge pellets showed RAEs of below 75% at 9 and 19 kgP/ha and 30 - 84 % at 28 kgP/ha.

A second paper (2022-1), based on the same pot trial data, compares P measured by eleven different extraction methods, ranging from strong acid “destructive” total-P to Olsen-P, to shoot P uptake in seven cuts from one to seven months. This shows (table S11)  that, for these six materials (two struvites, dried FeP sludge, two ash materials, TSP) and for cumulative P uptake after seven months, only six extraction methods showed correlation > 0.6 (in order of highest correlation: 2% citric acid, microwave digestion + nitric acid, nitric acid, ammonium lactate, NAC = neutral ammonium citrate, microwave digestion + aqua regia) whereas (table 4) five showed correlation < 0.5 (Mehlich3, Bray 2, water, calcium chloride and Olsen-P). However, all extraction methods showed correlation for P uptake after seven months > 0.6 if the mineral fertiliser TSP was excluded. After only one month, six methods showed correlation > 0.6 to shoot P uptake (in order: water, calcium chloride, NAC, Mehlich3, microwave + nitric, ammonium lactate).

The third paper (2022-2) shows results of 4-month pot trials with perennial ryegrass for Euphore output ash (two-step rotary kiln process without chemical additives at this stage of the technology development, see ESPP-DPP-NNP Technology Catalogue), iron phosphate extracted from sewage sludge, crab carapace material and microalgae, in three different substrates (compared to TSP and control), concluding that four months were needed for P from these materials to become plant available.

2021: “Impact of time and phosphorus application rate on phosphorus bioavailability and efficiency of secondary fertilizers recovered from municipal wastewater”, Chemosphere 282 (2021) 131017 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131017

2022-1:“Phosphorus Availability in Recycled Fertilizers: Comparison of 11 Chemical Extraction Methods with Plant Uptake During a 7‑Month Growth Experiment”, A. Bogdan et al., J. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 2022 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-022-01075-5

2022-2: “Substrate-Driven Phosphorus Bioavailability Dynamics of Novel Inorganic and Organic Fertilizing Products Recovered from Municipal Wastewater - Tests with Ryegrass”, A. Bogdan et al., Agronomy 2022, 12, 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020292

Freeze concentration to concentrate digestate RO liquor 

Progressive and suspension freeze concentration (FC) were tested at lab scale to concentrate the nutrients from a membrane filtrate (ultrafiltration + reverse osmosis RO) liquor from pig slurry and agro-industrial waste digestate, from an anaerobic digester in Catalonia, Spain. The RO process, operating on the liquid fraction of solid-liquid separated digestate, gives clean effluent water which can be discharged and a nutrient “concentrate” (1%N, 0.02%P, 2%K). Freeze concentration was tested in 2 litre lab reactors with circulating refrigerant at -5, -10 and -15°C with the aim to further concentrate the nutrients present in the RO “concentrate”. After two hours of freeze concentration, around 56 % of N, 90 % of P and 63 % of K was concentrated in the liquid fraction (50% of the initial volume), that is phosphorus concentration was nearly doubled by the freeze drying whereas N and K concentration not increased by more than 20%. In an earlier paper, the same authors tested multi-stage progressive freeze concentration in the same 2 litre lab reactor on cheese whey from a dairy processing factory, achieving 2 – 3 x increases in lactose and protein contents after 2 – 4 freeze concentration cycles. Further studies underway, but not published yet, assess the freeze concentration technology at a pilot scale using a 40-litre reactor tested with digestate (in the Fertimanure Horizon 2020 project). The authors conclude that freeze concentration has a similar or lower operational energy consumption than membrane concentration technologies and offers significant energy-saving potential compared to thermal and evaporation processes.  

“Application of Freeze Concentration Technologies to Valorize Nutrient-Rich Effluents Generated from the Anaerobic Digestion of Agro-Industrial Wastes”, I. Uald-lamkaddam et al., Sustainability 2021, 13, 13769. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413769

“Progressive freeze concentration of cheese whey for protein and lactose recovery”, I.Uald Lamkaddam et al., International Dairy Journal 139 (2023) 105572 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2022.105572

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ESPP new members
C-Green
SNB

SOFIE and Nitrogen Recovery Workshop
Follow-up to successful events

What does the term “Bio-Based Fertiliser” mean?
EU Communication on “Bio-Based" and relevance to nutrients

Regulatory
Recovered struvite authorised in EU Certified Organic Farming
Lack of data on Cat1 ABP ash safety
Preparatory study for Sewage Sludge Directive (SSD) revision
Spanish Royal Decree on sustainable fertilisation in agriculture
CEN has published 82 Technical Specifications for fertilising products

Nutrient recycling
Updated inventory of operating P-recovery sites
Fluidised-bed sewage sludge recovery and ash reuse as fertiliser
Biogas digestate resources will be increase by five by 2050
Braunschweig sewage nutrient recovery trials
European Biochar Industry (EBI) position paper on pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Nutrient stewardship and food security
Global and European food security highly dependent on fertiliser supply
Scientists propose UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy
NGOs welcome revised Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) proposal
JRC study suggests EU+UK are accumulating 130 ktP/y in soil
Transgressing planetary boundaries for P and N

Stay informed

ESPP members

ESPP new members

C-Green

C-Green has developed and patented OxyPower HTC™, converting sewage sludge, manure, and food digestate into solid hydrochar by a combination of hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) and wet oxidation of the separated water. HTC or wet pyrolysis was invented in 1913 by the Nobel prize-winning German chemist Friedrich Bergius. Wet oxidation produces heat, which is used to heat the incoming sludge and to convert the nitrogen in the separated water into ammonium ions.

OxyPower HTC™ simplifies both nitrogen and phosphorus recovery. Nitrogen is extracted from the separated nitrogen-rich wet oxidized process water by ammonia stripping. Up to 60% of the nitrogen in the sludge is separated as ammonium sulphate.

The hydrochar can be used as a biofuel or for soil improvement depending on local regulations. Mono-incineration of the hydrochar makes it possible recover phosphorus from the ash. NO_x emissions are significantly lower compared to sludge incineration. In addition, more than 50% of the nitrogen in the sludge can be recovered as fertiliser.

If the hydrochar is used for soil improvement, virtually all phosphorus and up 90% of the nitrogen in the sludge (60% ammonia water and 30% in the hydrochar) is used. 

C-Green is confident that membership in ESPP will help us contribute to developing sustainable carbon and nutrient recycling through information, monitoring, networking and contacts with decision makers.

Website: www.c-green.se

SNB

SNB, a Dutch company established in 1994 by Dutch Water Authorities, operates the largest sewage sludge incineration plant in Europe. Their aim is to treat sewage sludge sustainably by recovery of energy and raw materials. Furthermore, they are engaged to reduce their environmental footprint, including the objective of carbon neutral sewage sludge treatment. Currently SNB processes about 410.000 to 430.000 tons of dewatered sewage sludge a year. Their strategic goal is to achieve circular sewage water and sludge treatment. To achieve this goal SNB is and has been involved with several partners to recovery phosphates from sewage sludge incineration fly ashes. These sludges contain phosphorus concentrations comparable to low grade phosphate rock. In addition to phosphate recovery, SNB is investigating recovery and recycling nitrogen from sewage sludge. As a member of ESPP, SNB contributes, together with the other members, to a phosphorus sustainable Europe by recovery of phosphates from waste, through research and by steering regulation towards a circular economy.

https://www.snb.nl/

SOFIE and Nitrogen Recovery Workshop

Follow-up to successful events

ESPP’s January 2023 events, 2^nd SOFIE and 1st Nitrogen Recovery Workshop, saw nearly 400 participants in Brussels and online. SCOPE Newsletter summaries of both events are currently being finalised.

Registered participants to each event already have full access to slides, session recordings, edited Chat, list of participants with emails (on Swapcard (for SOFIE) or via link sent for N-Recovery).

 SOFIE2 (Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe) confirmed the considerable enthusiasm and interest in this growing and restructuring sector, which is strategic for the nutrient circular economy. SOFIE showed active engagement both by upstream sectors supplying raw materials (in particular digestates and compost, of which production is expected to grow considerably in the coming decade with EU biomethane and biowaste policies), organic fertiliser producers, processing equipment suppliers, and also the mineral fertiliser industry, motivated by complementarities between organic and mineral nutrients for crop nutrition and by market and logistics synergies. SOFIE is the only event for organic fertilisers industry, and the only place to meet this growing industry’s different partners.

SOFIE3 is already fixed for 16-17 January 2024 (Brussels & hybrid)

Further information soon www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE

The Nitrogen Recovery Workshop showed strong interest in “White Nitrogen” (recovery and reuse of reactive nitrogen), accelerated by the current energy and fertiliser supply crisis. Technologies exist, some longstanding (stripping and scrubbing), some innovative and new, but with challenges of producing dilute solutions, logistics, cost. The workshop agreed the need to establish some form of working group to develop proposals on policy, R&D funding, information gathering and supply-chain networking and collaboration. A Steering Committee is now being established to take this forward and is open to companies and volunteers wishing to contribute.

If you wish to be involved on Nitrogen Recovery, contact:

What does the term “Bio-Based Fertiliser” mean?

EU Communication on “Bio-Based" and relevance to nutrients

The European Commission has published a communication on the use of the term “Bio-Based Plastic” which can be seen as relevant for the term “Bio-Based Fertiliser”. The Communication refers to the CEN/TC4111 definition of Bio-Based (see below) and indicates that Bio-Based plastics are made from biomass, with a preference for organic wastes and by-products, whereas conventional plastics are made from fossil resources. The Communication notes that Bio-Based Plastics can be made fully or partly from biobased feedstock, but underlines that generic claims such as “biobased” may be banned by the Green Deal proposed directive “Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition”, unless underpinned by recognised environmental performance, and therefore that the exact and measurable share of biobased content should be specified (in a Bio-Based Plastic).

The CEN (TC4111) European Standard EN 16575 (August 2014) “Bio-based products: vocabulary” defines (2.1, 2.5) a bio-based product as “Wholly or partly derived from biomass. May have undergone physical, chemical or biological treatment” and (2.4) bio-based content as “fraction of a product that is derived from biomass. Normally expressed as a percentage of the total mass of the product”. Biomass is defined (2.7) as “material of biological origin excluding material embedded in geological formations and/or fossilised”. CEN has outlined methodology for quantifying the bio-based content of products in CEN/TR 16721. This takes as starting point the % of bio-based carbon based on C¹⁴ ratio. Unfortunately, this method does not seem appropriate for assessing whether N or P or K are “bio-based” when recovered from organic wastes.

ESPP notes that the term Bio-Based Fertiliser (“BBF”) is already being used in R&D publications (see e.g. Wester-Larsen et al. Lex4Bio 2022 in ESPP eNews n°72) and that a comparable discussion is ongoing concerning the wording “nutrients of solely biological origin” in the EU FPR (Fertilising Products Regulation).

ESPP considers that the definition and usage of these vocabulary terms are important for market clarity (product communication to users and consumers) and for a possible future European Standard on defining and measuring “Bio-Based nutrient” content (nutrients of “biological origin”) to support environmental claims and EU Fertilising Products Regulation certification.

ESPP is therefore developing a Position Paper on the definitions of “Bio-Based Fertiliser” or “Bio-Based Nutrient”.

This document is open to comment on the ESPP public website www.phosphorusplatform.eu. The objective is to achieve consensus on a proposed definition to submit for consideration by the European Commission and by CEN.

European Commission Communication COM(2022)682, 30^th November 2022 “EU policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics” HERE

Regulatory

Recovered struvite authorised in EU Certified Organic Farming

The EU Organic Farming Regulations have been modified to authorise “Recovered struvite and precipitated phosphate salts”, as defined in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR). The modifying Regulation (2023/121 modifying 2021/1165), published 17^th January 2023, specifies that, to be authorised for use in Certified Organic Farming, the recovered phosphates “must meet the requirements laid down in” the FPR and that “animal manure as source material cannot have factory farming origin”. ESPP notes that there is to date no official EU definition of “factory farming”. The European Environment Agency indicates a definition here and the EU Expert Group on Organic Farming (EGTOP 2013) refers to 1995 EU Guidance*. ESPP also notes that the modification to the Organic Farming Regulations does not include the words “and derivates” which are included in the FPR CMC12, suggesting that recovered precipitated phosphates can be used in Certified Organic Farming as such, but not after chemical reprocessing. ESPP further notes that the text specifies that the recovered precipitated phosphates must “meet the requirements” of the FPR, and does not state that they must be EU-Certified under the FPR. It could be surmised that this choice of wording means the precipitated phosphates must respect the criteria of FPR CMC12, and of at least one FPR PFC, and of FPR Labelling (Annex III), but do not require FPR Conformity Assessment (Annex IV), but this interpretation should be verified with national Certified Organic Farming implementation authorities. ESPP notes that the obligation to respect CMC12 excludes (for the present) any struvite or precipitated phosphates derived from manure or from other animal by-products (ABPs) (e.g. from digestate where manure [even if not from factory farming] or separately collected municipal biowaste are inputs to the digester), until the ABP Regulations are modified to include relevant ABP End-Points (amendment underway, see ESPP eNews n°71). It is ESPP’s understanding that under the wording of this amendment as proposed, precipitated phosphates derived from ABPs would only be authorised in the FPR CMC12 if (1) they are precipitated from digestate where the digestion process respects the Standard Processing Requirements of the ABP Regulation 142/2011 “standard” processing requirements (Annex V, ch. I, II and III) or (2) if the precipitated phosphate is sterilised according to the requirements of 142/2011 Annex XI, chapter I ($2 a, b & d, that is treatment at ≥70°C for ≥60 minutes), and (in both cases) if the processing plants were appropriately authorised and controlled by national ABP authorities.

Note: the German language published version of this Regulation contains a translation error (the materials are “deleted” from the list instead of being “added”). The European Commission is aware and correction is underway.

* 1995: Commission Guidelines for the use of excrements in organic farming (Annex II, part A, to Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91), VI/5684/95-EN Rev5(PPQPP/EN/95/5684R5.doc). These guidelines are out of date and refer to interpretation of “factory farming” in EU Regulation 2381/94 which has been repealed, but this used exactly the same wording “factory farming origin prohibited” as in the current Organic Farming Regulations which have replaced it. See reference to this 1995 document in a 2020 European Commission answer to the European Parliament (1/7/2020). This 1995 document is no longer available on the European Commission website and can be found on the ESPP website www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/121 of 17 January 2023 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1165 authorising certain products and substances for use in organic production and establishing their lists https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R0121

Lack of data on Cat1 ABP ash safety

Data search and analysis for ESPP concludes that incineration and co-combustion are not proved to inactive prions. Cat1 animal by-products represent a significant, high-quality potential for phosphorus recovery. ESPP considers that the priority is safety, and in particular inactivation of prions (which cause BSE, scrapie and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). A literature search, commissioned by ESPP to Dr Kevin McDonnell, University College Dublin, identified only 22 studies, recent or not, relevant to pathogen reduction in animal by-products by thermal/chemical processes, of which 13 reported pathogen reduction following thermal treatment. None of the studies addressed the specific conditions of the EU Industrial Emissions Directive IED (850°C, 0.2 seconds). Data suggests that increasing temperature and time improve prion deactivation. The only directly relevant studies (Brown et al. 2000 et 2004) use a highly heat resistant prion (strain 263K, comparable to BSE) and show >8 log ₁₀ reduction at 612 °C for 15 min and total inactivation at 1 000 °C for 5 and 15 min. Dr McDonnell concludes that this does not enable conclusions concerning prion deactivation under EU IED conditions.

“Sanitary Safety of Animal by-product Ash”, K. McDonnell, UCD and Bio-e Biosystems, for ESPP, 47 pages, 2022, online here www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

“New studies on the heat resistance of hamster adapted scrapie agent: Threshold survival after ashing at 600°C suggests an inorganic

template of replication”, P. Brown et al. 2000, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 97(7), https://doi.org/10.1073/PNAS.050566797

‘Infectivity Studies of Both Ash and Air Emission from Simulated Incineration of Scrapie-Contaminated Tissues”, P. Brown et al. 2004, Environmental Science Technology, PP. 6155-6160. https://doi.org/10.1021/es040301z

Summary of the Brown et al. studies cited: Brown et al. 2000 tested injection of prion-infected brain material from hamsters into healthy hamsters, with or without dry heat combustion under air at 600°C or 1000°C. This showed prion reinfection after combustion at 600°C. Brown et al. (5 out of 35 healthy hamsters infected). Brown et al. repeated their trials because the results were surprising, taking precautions on possible contamination by combustion flue gases, and obtained the same results in the second study (2004). The authors note some residual organic carbon at 600°C. In the second study, samples were also heated under nitrogen, and in this case there was no reinfection at 600°C, leading the authors to conclude that incomplete combustion was not preventing prion deactivation. They hypothesise that at 600°C the prions are leaving an “inorganic template” (rather like a fossil) in the ash and that this template can cause refolding of healthy prions, so causing reinfection.

ESPP comment: The literature search conclusions and the Brown studies would seem to lead to the conclusion that there is today no evidence that IED incineration of Cat1 animal by-products ensures safety (prevents risk of TSE transmission). This is problematic, not only as regards possible use of Cat1 ash in P-recovery or fertiliser production, but also as regards current management of Cat1 by-products, which are currently incinerated under IED conditions.

ESPP plans to organise a webinar of concerned companies, stakeholders and experts, to discuss how to take forward these questions. If you are interested to input, please contact

Preparatory study for Sewage Sludge Directive (SSD) revision

EU preparatory study for the SSD concluding mainly that there is a lack of data of possible impacts of emerging pollutants, in particular pharmaceuticals, and also a lack of data on sewage sludge treatment and use. The report assesses implications for sewage sludge management of different current or anticipated EU policies. Risk assessment of different emerging pollutants in sludge are presented, including microplastics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). For industrial chemicals, the highest PEC/PNEC ratios (indicator of potential risk) were for the brominated flame retardant Deca-BDE (BDE209) and for PAHs (poly aromatic hydrocarbons). PFAS were also identified as “of potential concern for human health” and some pharmaceuticals as possibly posing health risks through sludge use on soils. The contribution of sewage sludge to microplastic inputs to soils is considered small (most inputs to the environment are from vehicle tyre wear), and most sludge microplastics are fibres. Possible impacts of microplastics on soil, plants and health is considered to be poorly understood. The report underlines that data on how sewage sludge processing modifies emerging contaminant inputs to soil is inadequate and should be developed. The report also underlines that data on use routes for sewage sludge in Europe are incoherent and incomplete: unidentified “other” category is often reported, “Compost is reported as an end-use whereas it is in fact a pre-treatment before different destinations. Also, there is inadequate data as to how much sewage sludge undergoes anaerobic digestion, which impacts both final sludge volumes and energy recovery. The report notes that phosphorus can be recovered by different routes. Application of sludge to agricultural land “remains a key end-of-life option”, ensuring nutrient return to agriculture, with currently around one third of EU sewage sludge used in this way. However, the report notes that “future trends for use of sewage sludge on land are not clear … there are uncertainties with regard to the environmental impacts, specifically linked to pollutants of emerging concern”.

“Support to the evaluation of the Sewage Sludge Directive. Exploratory study - final report”, Wood, Trinomics, Ricardo, IMDEA, Tyrsky, March 2022 https://dx.doi.org/10.2779/582221

Spanish Royal Decree on sustainable fertilisation in agriculture

National Decree requires farmers to record all nutrient and organic carbon applications and implement a fertilisation plan, and specifies conditions for recycling secondary materials as fertiliser coherent with the EU FPR. The 43 page Decree states as context the EU Green Deal targets to reduce nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 without deteriorating soil fertility. It sets as aims to ensure farmers planning of and recording of fertilisation, define good agriculture practices for nutrient application (including of fertilisers, manures, sewage sludge and other secondary materials), establish by 2026 a mandatory register of manufacturers and other economic agents for fertilisers, define conditions under which waste and secondary materials can be either used in fertilising products (this largely refers to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation criteria) or applied as waste, define accreditation and intervention of “technical fertilisation advisors” to farmers. Farmers and foresters will be obliged to record all applications of nutrients or of organic carbon to soil in a new “fertilisation” section of the existing log established for phytosanitary products. Farmers will have to define a fertilisation plan, using soil and leaf analysis data, and this must prioritise the use of organic fertilisers and must include measures to mitigate ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions. Reference to a fertilisation advisor will be obligatory for these plans in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. The Decree also includes measures concerning heavy metal limits in fertilisers and in soils, storage and application of manures, limiting ammonia emissions from urea fertilisers (reference is made to the UNECE document “Options for ammonia mitigation”).

Spain Royal Decree 1051/2022 (27th December 2022) establishing legal standards for sustainable nutrition in agricultural soils - Real Decreto 1051/2022, de 27 de diciembre, par el que se establecen normas para la nutrición sostenible en las suelos agrarios https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2022/12/27/1051

CEN has published 82 Technical Specifications for fertilising products

In April 2022, CEN published 82 new Technical Specifications to support implementation of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation. This is expected to be followed, after laboratory validation, by European Standards.  The new Technical Specifications cover testing methods, sampling methods, terminology and concern soil improvers and growing media (CEN/TC 223), fertilisers and liming material (CEN/TC 260) and plant biostimulants (CEN/TC 455) and cover aspects such as terminology and classification, determination of physical properties and particle size, determination of nitrogen of different forms in organic and mineral fertilisers, determination of water soluble -, citric acid soluble -, formic acid soluble – and NAC soluble – phosphorus in fertilisers, determination of potassium, magnesium, calcium and micro-nutrients contents, nutrient release from coated fertilisers, determination of total organic carbon content …

“CEN published 82 new Technical Specifications on fertilizing products in support of the EU Circular Economy objectives”, 21^st April 2022 HERE.

Nutrient recycling

Updated inventory of operating P-recovery sites

The worldwide inventory list of operating full-scale installations for P-recovery from wastewater treatment (Christian Kabbe, P-REX Environment) is updated online here.  The inventory list has been fully updated, and identifies around 75 installations operating worldwide as currently operational and recovering phosphorus, of a total of around 120 installations listed. The technology supplier, the location, operating since, the recovered phosphate material/product and the annual tonnage of product output are specified. Christian Kabbe notes that these outputs are nominal capacities, whereas plants often produce significantly less. With units expected to come online this year, there will be around 45 struvite plants operational in Europe, producing struvite containing c. 2000 tP/y. This compares to expected recovery of around 50 000 tP/y from sewage sludge incineration ash in Germany alone, when the German P-recovery obligation comes fully into application (in 2032).

“Inventory of phosphorus “recovery and /or recycling” facilities operating or under construction at or downstream of wastewater treatment installations” v 11/2022 here: https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/activities/p-recovery-technology-inventory

Fluidised-bed sewage sludge recovery and ash reuse as fertiliser

Published paper presents ENDEV PAKU new-design sewage sludge incinerator achieves energy neutrality and ash of around 5% P content, successfully tested in continuous-operation 10 000 t/y dried sludge input pilot. The process developed by ESPP member ENDEV takes mechanically dewatered sewage sludge (20 - 25% DM), dries it at 110°C then mixes with sand and combusts at 850°C / 2 seconds (respecting IED requirements) in a double circulating fluidised bed dryer / incinerator designed to optimise energy. Organic contaminants and microplastics in sewage sludge are eliminated, and heavy metals are partly volatilised. Around 8% of mercury, 5% of zinc and 4% of copper are thus effectively removed from the ash to the flue gas filter waste stream. Sulphur is removed from flue gases by scrubbing. The pilot installation was constructed at Rovaniemi municipal sewage works, Finland (63 000 p.e., probably using iron for chemical P-removal), treating all the works sludge, and has now today been operated for nearly two years, producing around 1 MWh heat per tonne of mechanically dried sewage sludge. The scale and compact design enable at medium size sewage works, avoiding sewage sludge transport. Heavy metal contents of the ash are significantly lower than EU Fertilising Products Regulation limits for As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn but phosphorus solubility at 65-70% in NAC is too low for labelling as phosphate fertiliser under the EU Fertilising Products Regulation..

“A novel dual circulating fluidized bed technology for thermal treatment of municipal sewage sludge with recovery of nutrients and energy”, P. Petlola et al., Waste Management 155 (2023) 329–337, DOI. See also ESPP-NNP-DPP Nutrient Recycling Technology Catalogue.

Biogas digestate resources will be increase by five by 2050

The EBA Statistical Report 2022 provides detailed assessment of biogas production in Europe today and trends, concluding that digestate resources (220-260 Mt fresh weight/y today) will double by 2030 and increase five-fold by 2050. The European Biogas Association (EBA) combines data from national biogas associations, national statistics and industries in EU plus 6 adjacent countries, and presents detailed analysis and graphs. The report concludes that by 2050 biogas and biomethane* (from anaerobic digestion) could provide 35 – 60% of Europe’s gas consumption. This is driven by EU policies towards renewable energies, and accelerated by the current gas supply and price crisis. This will result in a several-fold increase in digestate production, providing a key resource of secondary nutrients. Estimates of nutrient content suggest that digestate today contains 0.5 - 0.6 Mt N-NH₄/y, expected to increase to 2.6 -3.1 Mt by 2050, and 0.4 – 0.5 MtP/y, increasing to 2.0 – 2.3 MtP. This corresponds, for 2050 estimates , to around 26% - 31% of today’s synthetic N fertiliser consumption and c. 86% for synthetic P fertiliser (2050). Digestate also brings, today, around 5 Mt/y of stable organic carbon to agricultural soils.

“Statistical Report 2022. Tracking biogas and biomethane deployment across Europe”, European Biogas Association, December 2022, 160 pages, price on request here https://www.europeanbiogas.eu/SR-2022/EBA/ 

* “Biogas” is the combustible gas generated by anaerobic digestion of organic materials, consisting mostly of methane, but with some other gases. “Biomethane” is high-purity or refined biogas, consisting almost solely of methane, and which can be reinjected into natural gas distribution networks to replace fossil methane. For definitions see: https://www.europeanbiogas.eu/about-biogas-and-biomethane/

Braunschweig sewage nutrient recovery trials

Three-year, full-scale tests at 380 000 p.e. wwtp assess thermal pressure sludge hydrolysis (TPH), anaerobic digestion, struvite precipitation and ammonium sulphate recovery. Identifying benefits, operating challenges and parameters. In the C19^th sewage nutrients were recycled by spreading sewage on farmland, after primary treatment since the 1950’s. From 1979, the waste water treatment plant (wwtp) integrated secondary treatment and anaerobic sludge digestion, with the digested sludge continuing to be used on farmland (storage in winter to enable use in summer only). However, nitrogen application limits since 2016 has led to 40% of sludge being incinerated. In 2019, for circularity objectives, thermal hydrolysis was added between two sludge digestion stages, with struvite precipitation in the digestate dewatering liquor, and ammonia recovery by stripping from the digestate liquor. Optimal conditions for the thermal pressure hydrolysis were identified through the trials as around 145°C, 4 bars, 1 ½ hours. The resulting breakdown of the sludge led to a +20% increase in biogas production, resulting in more than enough additional secondary heat after electricity generation to heat the TPH. After two years of process optimalisation reliable struvite recovery (without loss of fines, >80% P precipitation in reactor) was achieved with the NuReSys reactor. With the TPH in place, around 15% of total P in sludge was recovered in struvite, operating with MgCl₂ dosing at around 2:1 Mg:P ratio and pH 8.5 (NaOH dosing). This is not sufficient to achieve the German P-Recovery Ordinance obligations, because the dewatered sludge exceeds 20 g P/kg DM. Some 250 t/y of struvite are now being produced, and this is fairly pure, with < 0.5% calcium, potassium, iron etc and heavy metals below German fertiliser legislation levels (organic contaminants not reported). The ammonia stripping unit was operating on digestate with c. 1200 mgNH₄-N/l and optimal conditions were identified as pH 9.5 (NaOH dosing) and temperature 55°C (heating needed). This generated an ammonium sulphate solution of concentration about 38 % based on weight. This is conform to German fertiliser legislation requirements and is distributed locally by a third party in the region so ensuring effective recycling to crop production.

“Technology related results of the case study Braunschweig (DE)”, A. Kleyöcker, J. Heinze, F; Kraus, 10/2022, EU Horizon 2020 funded, online here.

European Biochar Industry (EBI) position paper on pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Policy paper concludes that pyrolysis removes most organic pollutants from sewage sludge. The paper requests a review of the current exclusion of sewage sludge from pyrolysis and gasification materials in the EU FPR (Fertilising Products Regulation CMC14). The 14-page paper explains the pyrolysis process and the resulting material, biochar. Evidence is summarised (based on 10 studies plus 2 review papers) indicating that pyrolysis eliminates pathogens and organic pollutants (including PFAS, PAH, microplastics), on condition that the pyrolysis temperature and residence time are sufficient [ESPP note: probably a minimum temperature of maybe 500°C – 650°C is required, see ESPP SCOPE Newsletter n°144, whereas the EU FPR CMC14 allows temperatures down to 180°C so adjustment would be necessary]. Evidence is also summarised indicating that biochar contributes to carbon storage in agricultural soils and can be a negative carbon emissions fertiliser. Phosphorus in sewage sludge biochar seems to be slowly crop available, with NAC solubility generally up to 80% [ESPP note: in this case, cannot be labelled as a phosphorus fertiliser under the EU FPR, Annex IV, part II, PFC1 point 4(b)]. Pyrolysis is considered as scalable for medium or large sewage works (> 20 000 p.e.). It is noted that sewage sludge biochar can be used in agriculture under national regulations such as in the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden.

EBI (European Biochar Industry) is an ESPP member since January 2023.

“Sewage Sludge as feedstock for pyrolysis to be included in the scope of the EU Fertilizing Products Regulation”, EBI Position Paper sent to the European Commission, 23 January 2023 https://www.biochar-industry.com/2023/ebi-position-paper/

Nutrient stewardship and food security

Global and European food security highly dependent on fertiliser supply

Modelling of agricultural input shocks impact on crop production shows that fertiliser supply is highly critical to global food security, with risks of 30 – 50% crop production losses, especially in Western Europe and the USA. This paper models impacts on crop yield of hypothetical reductions in supply of different agricultural inputs (fertilisers, machinery, pesticides) for 12 crops for which relevant data was found (barley, cassava, groundnut, maize, millet, potato, rice, sorghum, soybean, sugar beet, sugarcane and wheat), 25 climate types and different countries or continents. A “random forest” modelling method was used, because this has been shown to applicable to crop yields. Generally, input shocks impacted crops in climate types with highest current yields. Reductions in fertiliser inputs (in particular N, and in some cases K) cause the most significant crop yield losses. A 50% reduction in N-fertiliser inputs would case a25% - 75% reduction in wheat yield in much of Western Europe and in parts of North and South America, Asia and Southern Africa. A 50% reduction in all of the modelled agricultural inputs would reduce maize production by 30% in China, around 50% in France and in the USA, 70% in Argentina and would reduce wheat production by 40 – 50% in Germany and France, around 20% in Australia and Canada and 10% in the USA. Worldwide wheat production could be reduced by 30% and maize production by 50% with a 75% reduction in all modelled agricultural inputs. The authors underline the dependency of crop yields, and so food security, on global trade flows of fertilisers and other agricultural supplies.

“Agricultural input shocks decrease crop yields globally”, A. Ahvo et al., Research Square preprint December 2022 DOI.

Scientists propose UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy

Researchers conclude the 4-year RePhoKUs project with the co-development of six key strategic pathways for the UK food system to transition to a desirable phosphorus future. Based on consultation with around 60 stakeholders, the scientists assessed the UK’s phosphorus vulnerability, finding that the UK imports nearly all the phosphorus in processed fertilisers used in the UK, and around half of the phosphorus in processed animal feeds (not including locally used manure, grass and fodder). They estimate that theoretically the UK has nearly enough phosphorus circulating in the food system to be self-sufficient, based in part on the analysis that only 43% of P imported (total of 172 ktP/y net, in fertilisers, chemicals, animal feed, food products) ends up in food products. Their P-flow analysis for the UK suggests that 48 ktP/y is lost to water and landfill, which is around 30% of net imported phosphorus; They estimate that nearly 90 ktP/y is accumulating in agricultural soils due to over application, principally driven by manure application. [Note: this is coherent with UK official Defra data but is contradictory to Panagos et al. below]. The report underlines significant regional phosphorus imbalances have resulted from high concentration of livestock production in North West England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the South East cropping regions remain in phosphorus deficit [this is also the conclusion of Panagos et al. see below]. The researchers suggest that over-application of phosphorus in manure to farmland in England’s North West alone is equivalent to almost 30 million UK£/year of phosphorus fertiliser (not including nitrogen).

The report concludes that the current linear phosphorus use coupled with fragmented governance has led to serious water pollution, trade security risks and regional imbalances that are costly and inefficient. It analyses vulnerability to different agricultural sectors to fertiliser price increases and identifies structural obstacles to more sustainable P management. Cost is identified as a major obstacle, both cost of P-recycling (e.g. manure processing) and cost of recycled P products.

The report concludes that actions are needed to render coherent the institutional framework, raise awareness, bring together different stakeholders and develop targets and indicators for P sustainability for different sectors or scales (e.g. catchments, supermarket chains) and proposes the establishment of a “government supported” national phosphorus platform.

Below: stakeholder vision for a transformed phosphorus management system for the UK (RePhoKUs 2022).

RePhoKUs partners: Lancaster University, University of Leeds, University of Technology Sydney, AFBI, UK CEH. Funded by UKRI under the UK’s Global Food Security research program.

“UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy. Towards a circular UK food system”, RePhoKUs, D. Cordell et al., 2022, HERE.

“A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system”, RePhoKUs, S.Rothwell et al., 2022, HERE.

“Regional phosphorus imbalances” - interactive maps. RePhoKUs. 2021, HERE

“Phosphorus in the UK Food System: risks and opportunities” RePhoKUs animation HERE

NGOs welcome revised Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) proposal

Environment associations joint position welcomes UWWTD revision proposal, especially treatment of further pollution sources, circular economy and polluter pays principle. The NGOs call to apply the “zero pollution hierarchy” to sludge. The joint EEB (European Environment Bureau), Surfrider, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) position welcomes the proposed requirement of energy-neutrality for the wastewater treatment sector by 2040 [art.11] (inc. anaerobic digestion of sludge) and proposed monitoring of greenhouse gases [art.21.1d]. The NGOs welcome the proposed empowerment of the European Commission to set minimum recycling rates for phosphorus and nitrogen [art.20]. The position states that “while it is essential to favour recovery of resources from wastewater and sludge, the risk of contamination and the associated limits for direct reuse needs to be acknowledged”. The NGOs request that treatment of sludge should be based not only on the “Waste Hierarchy” [this is already specified in art.20] but also on the “Zero Pollution Hierarchy” defined in the Green Deal Zero Pollution Action Plan, that is “Prevent” above “Treat”, application of the Precautionary Principle and of Polluter Pays. ESPP is not clear as to what this would mean in implementation for sewage sludge. The NGO’s welcome the proposed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to require producers and importers of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to cover costs of monitoring and removing these (in wastewater treatment) [art.9].

“Joint NGO Analysis of the European Commission’s Proposal for a Revised UWWTD”, EEB – Surfrider – HCWH, 14^th December 2022, 7 pages HERE.

JRC study suggests EU+UK are accumulating 130 ktP/y in soil

Data on soils, crops, fertilising inputs, erosion losses, etc. suggests average P surplus of 0.8 kgP/ha/y for EU+UK, with very wide regional variations. This suggests considerable opportunities for improvement in phosphorus management by reducing inputs in regions with high surplus and high available soil P and increasing inputs in regions at risk of soil fertility depletion. This study follows on from the study estimating phosphorus offtakes in crops and crop residues in EU+UK published earlier in 2022 (see ESPP Scope Newsletter n°142). With the new study, JRC makes available online P budgets (inputs – outputs) at the NUTS2 (regional) and at country scale, and also a dataset for both Total P and Olsen P (available P) based on LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey) topsoil data. The study estimates that EU+UK topsoil (173 million ha, 0 – 20 cm depth) contains an average of 1 400 kgP_total/ha (total 245 Mt P), but that < 6% of this is available to crops (P_Olsen). The study estimates that inorganic fertilisers and manure contribute similar levels of P in fertilisation (both c. 7.6 kgP/ha/y = total 1.3 MtP/y). This assumes that 90% of manure phosphorus is applied locally as organic fertilisation. Displaced P lost from fields by erosion and sediment flux is estimated at c. 2 kgP/ha/y (370 ktP/y EU+UK) but only around 18% (66 ktP/y EU+UK) of this is considered to be lost to surface waters (the remainder being redeposited in soil close to the field of loss). The study includes visual maps illustrating, for regions across Europe, soil P stocks, mineral fertiliser use, manure, P erosion, P losses to surface waters, phosphorus budget (excess or deficit). The majority of European regions show a P-surplus (121 regions of 223). Most of Northern and Central Europe (except The Netherlands, Belgium and Western France) shows a P deficit, as does Scandinavia. The largest P surpluses (as tP/country) are Spain, Italy and Poland (fig. 9) and the largest P surpluses (per hectare) are Malta, The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Denmark and Ireland (fig. 10). Regional variations are considerable, Brittany France has a P-surplus of > 10 kgP/ha/y whereas parts of Northern/Central France show a deficit <-8 kgP/ha/y.

European Commission JRC summary (ESDAC European Soil Data Centre) “Phosphorus budget and P stocks” LINK.

“Improving the phosphorus budget of European agricultural soils”, P. Panagos et al., Science of the Total Environment 853 (2022) 158706 DOI.

Transgressing planetary boundaries for P and N

Scientists suggest that Western Europe is exceeding the “share” of planetary boundary for P annually by 3-4x and for N by 4-5x. For Eastern Europe, significant exceedance is not identified. The exceedance is higher for P and similar for N considering accumulated share since the 1950’s. The “share” is based on agricultural land surface (crop plus grass), not on population. Worldwide, exceedance was driven mainly by economic growth, not population growth. Exceedance estimates are based on the most recent nutrient planetary boundary estimates (Carpenter and Bennett 2011, Steffen et al. 2015,de Vries et al. 2013, following Rockström et al. 2009 & 2009), that is 6.2 MtP/y and 62 MtN/y. Around half of the  accumulated exceedance for phosphorus and nitrogen are in China, the USA plus India (because of their large agricultural areas), whereas countries with highest exceedance of share (taking into account agricultural area) include South Korea and the Netherlands for N and Japan and South Korea for P. The authors suggest that future allocations of fair shares of nutrient planetary boundaries should consider transfer of nutrients from global regions with accumulated share exceedance over past decades to those low cumulative nutrient use, in particular Africa.

“Disparate history of transgressing planetary boundaries for nutrients”, V. Sandtröm et al., Global Environmental Change 78 (2023) 102628, DOI.

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ESPP members

Follow-up to successful events

ESPP’s January 2023 events, 2^nd SOFIE and 1^st Nitrogen Recovery Workshop, saw nearly 400 participants in Brussels and online. SCOPE Newsletter summaries of both events are currently being finalised.

Registered participants to each event already have full access to slides, session recordings, edited Chat, list of participants with emails (on Swapcard (for SOFIE) or via link sent for N-Recovery).

SOFIE2 (Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe) confirmed the considerable enthusiasm and interest in this growing and restructuring sector, which is strategic for the nutrient circular economy. SOFIE showed active engagement both by upstream sectors supplying raw materials (in particular digestates and compost, of which production is expected to grow considerably in the coming decade with EU biomethane and biowaste policies), organic fertiliser producers, processing equipment suppliers, and also the mineral fertiliser industry, motivated by complementarities between organic and mineral nutrients for crop nutrition and by market and logistics synergies. SOFIE is the only event for organic fertilisers industry, and the only place to meet this growing industry’s different partners.

SOFIE3 is already fixed for 16-17 January 2024 (Brussels & hybrid)

Further information soon www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE

The Nitrogen Recovery Workshop showed strong interest in “White Nitrogen” (recovery and reuse of secondary nitrogen), accelerated by the current energy and fertiliser supply crisis. Technologies exist, some longstanding (stripping and scrubbing), some innovative and new, but with challenges of producing dilute solutions, logistics, cost. The workshop agreed the need to establish some form of working group to develop proposals on policy, R&D funding, information gathering and supply-chain networking and collaboration. A Steering Committee is now being established to take this forward and is open to companies and volunteers wishing to contribute.

If you wish to be involved on Nitrogen Recovery, contact:

The EU Organic Farming Regulations have been modified to authorise “Recovered struvite and precipitated phosphate salts”, as defined in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR). The modifying Regulation (2023/121 modifying 2021/1165), published 17^th January 2023, specifies that, to be authorised for use in Certified Organic Farming, the recovered phosphates “must meet the requirements laid down in” the FPR and that “animal manure as source material cannot have factory farming origin”. ESPP notes that there is to date no official EU definition of “factory farming”. The European Environment Agency indicates a definition here and the EU Expert Group on Organic Farming (EGTOP 2013) refers to 1995 EU Guidance (not referenced in the EGTOP document). ESPP also notes that the modification to the Organic Farming Regulations does not include the words “and derivates” which are included in the FPR CMC12, suggesting that recovered precipitated phosphates can be used in Certified Organic Farming as such, but not after chemical reprocessing. ESPP further notes that the text specifies that the recovered precipitated phosphates must “meet the requirements” of the FPR, and does not state that they must be EU-Certified under the FPR. It could be surmised that this choice of wording means the precipitated phosphates must respect the criteria of FPR CMC12, and of at least one FPR PFC, and of FPR Labelling (Annex III), but do not require FPR Conformity Assessment (Annex IV), but this interpretation should be verified with national Certified Organic Farming implementation authorities. ESPP notes that the obligation to respect CMC12 excludes (for the present) any struvite or precipitated phosphates derived from manure or from other animal by-products (ABPs) (e.g. from digestate where manure [even if not from factory farming] or separately collected municipal biowaste are inputs to the digester), until the ABP Regulations are modified to include relevant ABP End-Points (amendment underway, see ESPP eNews n°71). It is ESPP’s understanding that under the wording of this amendment as proposed, precipitated phosphates derived from ABPs would only be authorised in the FPR CMC12 if (1) they are precipitated from digestate where the digestion process respects the Standard Processing Requirements of the ABP Regulation 142/2011 “standard” processing requirements (Annex V, ch. I, II and III) or (2) if the precipitated phosphate is sterilised according to the requirements of 142/2011 Annex XI, chapter I ($2 a, b & d, that is treatment at ≥70°C for ≥60 minutes), and (in both cases) if the processing plants were appropriately authorised and controlled by national ABP authorities.

Note: the German language published version of this Regulation contains a translation error (the materials are “deleted” from the list instead of being “added”). The European Commission is aware and correction is underway.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/121 of 17 January 2023 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1165 authorising certain products and substances for use in organic production and establishing their lists https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R0121

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

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Summit of the Organic Fertilisers Industry in Europe
Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023

Workshop on Nitrogen Recovery
Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

ESPP General Assembly and New Year 2023
Developments towards phosphorus recycling in 2022
ESPP projects and actions for 2023

Policy
European Commission Communication on availability and affordability of fertilisers
ESPP input on Critical Raw Materials (CRM), food security and energy policies
ESPP input on Polluter Pays Principle (PPP)
NGOs “Manifesto” for PFAS ban

EU fertilisers policies
ESPP input on recycled nutrients in certified Organic Farming
Industry summary of regulatory tasks for recycled fertilisers
Animal By-Products (ABPs) in CE-mark fertilisers
German steel slag industry legal action against FPR “By-Products” CMC12 criteria

Nitrogen recycling technology mapping
ESPP operator mapping and literature search on N recycling and recovery

Nutrient recycling
The OCP Group, Morocco and world food security
RENOWAGRO: 800 participants in Zaragoza
Potential ammonia emissions from secondary nutrient products
Potassium recovery from alkaline battery processing
Lithium Iron Phosphate battery cathode recycling
Elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) and crop nutrient levels
Digestibility of recovered calcium phosphates
Phosphorus recycling potential in Eastern Europe

Stay informed

ESPP members

Summit of the Organic Fertilisers Industry in Europe

Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023

Already 120 participants are registered for this second organic and organo-mineral fertiliser industry conference. Speakers and registrants to date include the European Commission (DG AGRI, DG GROW, JRC), Copa-Cogeca, S&P Fertecon, iFoam, Notified Bodies, Registered participants to date include : Fertira, Koppert, Deleplanque, LBST Denmark, Omya, SEDE Veolia, Agrobiogel, Teagasc, Mills Nutrients, Tessenderlo, Adas, Honkajoki Oy, Protix, WEW, Benefert, Agrana, DCM, Evergreen, Ferm O Feed, Boicompig, Tervalis ….

The 1^st SOFIE meeting, 2019, brought together, for the first time ever, the European carbon-based fertiliser sector, and attracted participants, from industry (two thirds of participants), as well as regulators, stakeholders and R&D, from 14 European countries and worldwide (summary in SCOPE Newsletter n°130).

SOFIE2 is co-organised by ESPP, ECOFI, Eurofema and Fertilizers Europe, with support of the International Fertiliser Society.

SOFIE2 - 2^nd Summit of the Organic and organo-mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe,

Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2023

Workshop on Nitrogen Recovery

Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

This workshop is open, for physical participation in Brussels, to invited participants only whereas online access is open to the public. This is necessary to enable an operational working meeting in Brussels. Online participants will be able to actively participate through the Chat and the dedicated networking space on Swapcard.

Information and registration online (hybrid) www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

Participation in Brussels: contact Olivier Bastin, ESPP

ESPP General Assembly and New Year 2023

ESPP wishes all the best for 2023 to all of our eNews readers. We hope that the year will bring an end to Russia’s war against the Ukraine and peace to nations and populations across the world, and we look forward to actions on nutrient sustainability, coherent with actions on climate change, in Europe and worldwide.

ESPP’s General Assembly, hosted in Brussels (by Fertilisers Europe) and online, 28^th November 2022, saw participation at the meeting of just over half of ESPP’s 52 Members and Partners, and formal email vote of over 90% of ESPP’s legal Members.

The General Assembly validated, with the necessary quorums, the 2021 accounts, 2022 and 2023 budgets (keeping membership fees at the same level as previous years).

The assembly also validated (with the specific necessary quorum and voting conditions) the modification of ESPP’s statutes to widen the association’s objectives and actions to cover “recycling of other nutrients”. ESPP will now take forward actions on recovery and recycling of nitrogen and of other nutrients, but will not engage in questions such as crop nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen losses, nitrogen and climate change (except where these are relevant to ESPP’s core objective of phosphorus sustainability). The assembly underlined that ESPP’s core competence remains phosphorus, and that action on recycling of nitrogen or other nutrients must be financed by new member fees or other new funding.

The ESPP N-Recovery Workshop (Brussels and online, 19^th January 2023) aims to identify companies and stakeholders interested to establish a Nitrogen Recovery Group within ESPP.

Developments towards phosphorus recycling in 2022

The ESPP General Assembly noted a number of successes over the past year, with progress towards P-recycling in Europe with significant regulatory developments including:

• Regulatory proposal for Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
  à framework to set minimum reuse & recycling rates for N and P
• EU Fertilising Products Regulation entered into force July 2022
  à composts, digestates, precipitated phosphates, ashes, biochars
• Recovered precipitated phosphates in Organic Certified Production
  à Public Consultation closed 21/11/22
• EU Communication on fertilisers (9th November 2022) – promotes nutrient recycling
• Legal obligation to recover P from sewage notified to EU by Austria, not yet legally ratified in Austria but expected
  à 3^rd European country, after Switzerland, Germany www.phopshorusplatform.eu/eNews070

ESPP continues to develop communications to enable networking between stakeholders, companies and researchers interested in nutrient sustainability and to promote phosphorus recycling:

• 4^th European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference, June 2022, with active engagement of Vienna City and of Borealis, and more than 300 participants www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Scope143
• Social media: LinkedIn over 800 followers and Twitter nearly 2500 followers
• ESPP website: c. 60 000 users/year - up from c. 40 000 in 2021
• ESPP emailing list (eNews): 93 000 recipients, most recent eNews n°71 = 12 000 clicks

ESPP projects and actions for 2023

ESPP expects to take forward the following dossiers in 2023 (to be confirmed):

• INMAP (EU Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan)
• EU water policy: Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (see eNews 71), Sewage Sludge Directive
• Critical Raw Materials: re-evaluation underway of ‘Phosphate Rock’ and ‘Phosphorus’ (P₄) ;
  and Potash (?) ; MSA for ‘Phosphate Rock’ ; link between CRM - energy - food security policies
• EU Fertilising Products Regulation: JRC study on possible additional CRMs, implementation …
• Cat. 1 ABP ash: ESPP legal Opinion, safety data survey 2022, EFSA evaluation 2023 ?
• Recovered nutrients in Organic Farming: submission of dossiers by companies via Member States
• End-of-Waste / animal feed regulation / algae
• Nitrates Directive and recycled manure nutrients www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews047
• EU “Taxonomy” ?
• ESPP – DPP – NNP Recycling Technology Catalogue http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/techcatalogue
• Events: SOFIE2, N-Recovery, Organic Certified Farming (PROPRE), P₄ chemistry and uses, iron-phosphorus interactions, adsorbents for P-removal and recovery, Phosphorus Research in Europe Meeting (PERM6), event in Italy with the Italian Phosphorus Platform …

Policy

European Commission Communication on availability and affordability of fertilisers

The Commission recognises the EU’s dependency on imports for fertilisers, impacting farmers’ costs and food insecurity, and the strategic need for organic fertilisers, green ammonia and nutrient recycling, alongside sustainable and precision farming, to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce losses.

Actions announced include:

• Use CAP (Common Agriculture Policy) Member State Strategic Plans to support efficient and sustainable fertiliser use whilst preventing nutrient losses, including rollout of the FaST tool (Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients): “CAP Strategic Plans support partial replacements of mineral fertilisers by organic fertilisers like manure, sewage sludge and biowaste, from methanisation processes or biological and thermal treatments, while ensuring that this does not result in higher nutrient losses”
• Organic and recycled fertilisers: “Better access to organic fertilisers and nutrients from recycled waste-streams, especially in regions with a low usage of organic fertilisers”
• Support for Green Ammonia (from renewable energies, not from natural gas)

ESPP welcomes the recognition of the importance of organic and recycled fertilisers, as well as improving fertiliser use and calls for strong EU action to support these be included in the Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan under preparation for 2023. ESPP underlines that the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium present in organic waste streams (manure, sewage biosolids, food wastes, animal by-products) are in total significantly greater that used in mineral fertilisers, and potential for increasing recycling is considerable.

The European fertilisers industry (Fertilizers Europe, 9^th November 2022) has underlined the need to optimise nutrient use, in particular with the EU FaST tool and precision fertiliser practices, and called for “measures to support the transition to a low-carbon fertilizer industry”.

ESPP welcomes the possibility to require nutrient recycling in the proposed revision of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (published 26^th October 2022) and calls for this requirement to be rapidly implemented. This should also be included in the Sewage Sludge Directive revision underway. Germany and Switzerland already have regulatory phosphorus recycling obligations; and now also Austria.

ESPP notes the recognition in the Communication of the importance of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 to open the market for recovered fertilisers and for “Specialty EU fertilising products such as inhibited fertilisers, controlled release fertilisers and plant biostimulants”.  ESPP calls to accelerate removal of legal obstacles to recycling of nutrients from animal by-products (ABP), where these are confirmed to be safe, such as Cat.1 ABP incineration ash. We call on the Commission to mandate rapidly EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) to assess the safety of these materials.

ESPP welcomes the announced aim of improving fertiliser use of manure and processed manure in compliance with the Nitrates Directive. ESPP notes the Commission’s clarification that proposed JRC “RENURE” processed manure materials (see ESPP eNews n°47) with potential ammonia emissions should continue to be subject to strict Nitrates Directive application requirements. ESPP underlines that it should be recognised that mineral fertilisers recovered from manure do not have ammonia emission or leaching risks different from fossil-derived mineral fertilisers, and should not be considered as “processed manure” (similarly for biomass grown using manure as a substrate), see ESPP eNews n°71.

The Nutrient Circular Economy, increasing nutrient recycling and organic fertilisers, alongside Nutrient Use Efficiency and green ammonia, are the only way out of EU import dependency for fertilisers, and so are critical to ensure food security, farmer livelihoods and to limit food inflation.

ESPP calls for clear regulatory actions and fiscal or market incentives to support nutrient recycling in the upcoming Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan.

2^nd European Summit of the Organic Fertilisers Industry in Europe (SOFIE), 17-18 January 2023, Brussels and online www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2023

European Commission Communication “Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers”, COM(2022) 590, 9^th November 2022 here and press release / Q&A / summary here.

ESPP input on Critical Raw Materials (CRM), food security and energy policies

ESPP calls for EU policy to combine nutrient CRMs, food security and energy. EU consultations on CRM policy excluded agricultural products and energy, whereas NPK are critical for food production and gas for N-fertiliser (see ESPP eNews n°71). ESPP’s input underlined that “Phosphate Rock” (in effect, phosphorus in any form) is on the EU Critical Raw Materials list, because it is non-substitutable for fertiliser, animal feed and food and the EU is highly import dependent. Natural gas supply and price challenges have strongly impacted N-fertiliser production in Europe, threatening farmers’ access to fertilisers, and so EU food security. ESPP also underlined the synergies between nutrient recycling and environmental objectives: reducing nutrient losses to waste and eutrophication, reducing nitrogen losses to air (greenhouse nitrogen gases, ammonia). ESPP welcomes that the Commission’s proposed CRM policy Roadmap emphasises recycling and improving “level playing field. ESPP suggests that such policies should be implemented for nutrients and proposes a number of policy actions to incite and facilitate phosphorus recycling.

ESPP input submitted to EU public consultations on Critical Raw Materials (CRM) policy, 25^th November 2022 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

ESPP input on Polluter Pays Principle (PPP)

ESPP welcomed the launch of EU work to better implement PPP, underlining the social costs of nutrient losses and eutrophication, and the need to implement PPP for emerging contaminants which are an obstacle to nutrient recycling, in particular by implementing PPP into the Common Agricultural Policy and by obliging full cross-compliance between CAP funding and local River Basin Management Plans under the Water Framework Directive. The Commission’s draft Roadmap refers to the European Court of Auditors report (2021) which emphasises that polluters do not bear the full costs of water pollution. ESPP provided references to several studies illustrating the societal costs of eutrophication. ESPP calls for the “Extended producer responsibility” proposed for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in the draft revision of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (October 2022) to be extended to cover industrial chemicals, plastic additives, micro-plastics and agrochemicals. ESPP notes the call from different organisations to fully implement ban on PFAS proposed under the Green Deal (SWD(2020)249). ESPP also calls for dialogue with the EU food industry, supermarkets and consumer organisations on contaminant safety in nutrient recycling.

EU consultation on the Polluter Pays Principle closed 11/12/2022 and ESPP input.

NGOs “Manifesto” for PFAS ban

Call signed by around 100 organisations calls on the EU to implement the ban on PFAS as a “group” (announced in the Chemicals Strategy eNews n°49), by banning PFAS in all consumer products by 2025 and completely by 2030. PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances) are considered a problematic contaminant in sewage sludge (see e.g. Sweden Water position in eNews n°66) and EU Commission workshop 2021 (eNews n°55). The Arcadis report on contaminants in fertilising products (for DG Environment, 2021) recommended to “remove PFAS as completely as possible from fertilising materials” (eNews n°61). The ‘Manifesto’, signed by EEB (European Environmental Bureau), CHEMTRUST, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and others, specifically refers to the problem of PFAS in sewage sludge (referring to the EFSA 2020 Opinion) and one of the ten call points is  “to urge the EU authorities to adopt waste legislation ensuring the classification of PFAS-containing waste as Hazardous and/or POPs waste. That is to avoid PFAS-containing waste being circulated back into the economy and the environment via recycling and other routes such as sewage sludge spreading.” The Cefic (European Chemistry Industry Council) position is that “grouping” of chemical substances should be supported by robust evidence and coherence, whereas PFAS (considered as a group of chemicals with a stable carbon-fluoride bond) covers some 4700 very varied chemicals (Cefic May 2021, EFCTC 2020).

NGO “Manifesto for an urgent ban of ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS” https://www.banpfasmanifesto.org/en/

EU fertilisers policies

ESPP input on recycled nutrients in certified Organic Farming

ESPP welcomed the proposal to authorise recovered precipitated phosphates in Organic Farming, as this will help address the P-deficit in Organic Farming and is coherent with the principle of recycling (see ESPP eNews n°71). ESPP welcomed that is widened beyond only struvite, and to include recovery not only from municipal wastewater. ESPP suggested that clarification is needed as to whether EU Fertilising Product Regulation (FPR) conformity assessment is required, and what is the definition of “not from factory farming”. ESPP suggested that further recycled nutrient materials should be assessed for inclusion into the EU Organic Farming Regulation: Renewable calcined phosphates (cf. positive EGTOP Opinion 2016 (“Final Report on Fertilisers II”) and other phosphorus fertilisers recovered from ashes as defined in FPR CMC 13, Potassium fertilisers recovered from municipal waste incineration ashes, Recovered elemental sulphur, Bio-sourced adsorbents used to treat wastewaters, Phosphorus-rich pyrolysis and gasification materials (inc. biochars), Algae and algae products grown to treat wastewater, Vivianite, Recovered nitrogen from off-gases. ESPP included wording proposals for inclusion of these materials into the Organic Farming Regulation 2021/1126 Annex II.

ESPP has previously exchanged with the European Commission concerning inclusion of recycled nutrient materials into the Organic Farming Regulation. The conclusion is that for this to progress, companies and operators need to obtain that Member States submit dossiers to the European Commission. ESPP can provide relevant information and possibly coordinate submission of dossiers for similar substances by different companies to different Member States. We are also interested by proposals of other recycled nutrient materials (in addition to those listed above) of potential interest for Organic Farming.

ESPP input to EU public consultation “Organic production – authorised products & substances (updated list)”, 21^st November 2022 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Industry summary of regulatory tasks for recycled fertilisers

Experts from Yara outline the different regulations and safety concerns a company must address to place on the market a fertiliser based on secondary materials. Presented at the International Fertiliser Society Conference, December 2022 (IFS Proceedings 867), the 23-page paper summarises the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation and its implementation (in particular Conformity Assessment), but also the other regulations relevant to recycled fertilisers. This covers waste-related regulations (Waste Framework Directive, Animal By-Products Regulation, water and sewage sludge regulations) but also other legislation which is applicable to all fertilisers, but may be more complex to apply for organic-based or waste-derived fertilisers: chemical legislation (REACH, CLP), transport regulation, Explosive Precursors (important because ammonium nitrate can be dangerous if mixed with organic materials), Occupational Health and Safety (e.g. health hazard bio-agents, respirable dust, APEX = explosive atmospheres), environmental permitting of operating sites (to handle waste or secondary materials). It is reminded that apparently ‘harmless’ biological materials require careful management in the workplace: grain flour can be allergenic (protein), wood dust can be carcinogenic, any organic dust can be explosive (e.g. flour). These possible workplace risks require risk assessment and are generally outside the experience of mineral fertiliser operators. Practical approaches for companies envisaging use of secondary materials in fertiliser production are proposed, including management quality systems, initial testing on national market before moving to CE-Mark, early engagement with a Notified Body to prepare Conformity Assessment.

“Professionalising the recycling of recovered nutrients into fertilisers”, W. Franke, R. Mulatto, N. Hammer, Yara International, IFS (International Fertiliser Society) Proceedings n°867 https://fertiliser-society.org/product-category/proceedings/

Animal By-Products (ABPs) in CE-mark fertilisers

Parallel to the consultation on DG SANTE proposals to authorise certain Animal By-Products in EU, DG GROW has started elaboration of necessary amendments to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation annexes (see also eNews n°71). ESPP input requested clarification that ABPs can continue to be used, as is already today the case, in National Fertilisers (with traceability) or in EU-fertilisers (under certain conditions, without traceability), can be used in EU-fertilisers either directly (under CMC10) or as inputs to other CMCs (depending on processing conditions: composts, digestates, precipitated phosphates, ashes, biochars). Other stakeholders raised the very valid question that ABPs under CMC10, in particular “processed manure”, should be subject to the same quality conditions as manure-derived composts or digestates, e.g. contaminant limits, macro-plastics …

DG GROW proposals here and ESPP input www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

German steel slag industry legal action against FPR “By-Products” CMC12 criteria

The steel slag industry suggests in particular that the limits for chromium and vanadium fixed in CMC11 are not relevant for “safety” and are not justified by the “latest scientific evidence”. The legal submissions states that these heavy metal limits will “exclude lime-containing fertilising products from the steel industry”. ESPP cannot take position on a legal case underway. We note however that the limits fixed for chromium and vanadium in CMC11 were discussed at the EU Fertilisers Expert Group, with participation of Member States, NGOs and industry organisations, and they were proposed in the European Commission (JRC) document “Technical proposals for by-products and high purity materials as component materials for EU Fertilising Products” (§19.2.7 page 124-126) which references some 15 scientific publications dating from 2000 to 2016.

Fachverband Eisenhüttenschlacken v Commission, European Court of Justice, Case T-560/22, 2 September 2022 here.               

“Technical proposals for by-products and high purity materials as component materials for EU Fertilising Products” JRC128459, EUR 31035 EN, ISBN 978-92-76-50116-9, 2022

Nitrogen recycling technology mapping

ESPP operator mapping and literature search on N recycling and recovery

ESPP has published a literature review of recent publications (science papers, reports, …) on nitrogen recovery technologies, identifying technologies, operators and keynote publications. The assignment resulted in two tables (Europe, rest of world) classifying all identified stakeholders with a description of their technology (substrate, technology type and readiness level, final product and industrial use). This did not include direct application of manure or sludge to the ground, nitrogen stabilisation in manure and recovery routes such as biomass production. The information was updated with existing contacts within the industry and research community. Although non exhaustive and subject to improvement along the way, it has been used as a source of information for ESPP’s actions on nitrogen reuse and recovery.

The results demonstrate that active research in under way on the topic, along with different demonstration projects. Without surprise, N-rich streams such as manure or digestate are targeted in priority and the main recovery route is fertilising. Several commercial technology providers are active in the field, at different scales. Some European countries display more technology providers than others, reflecting in some cases local agricultural environment.

Due to the chemistry of nitrogen and the type of N-rich substrate applicable (often in liquid/slurry phase), N recovery technologies are often applied locally (i.e. as close as possible to the source), contrary to other nutrients such as P that might be processed in centralised plants. An extreme example is pure urine processing, that is not widely applied. A second challenge is often the relatively low concentration of recovered ammonia, often as a water solution.

Concentration of a nitrogen-containing stream such as digestate (often after prior treatment) to a liquid fraction recovered as fertiliser is applied at industrial scale. The main technology in that case is membrane filtration (reverse osmosis or nanofiltration).

Currently, the main nitrogen recovery technology, supplied by different engineering companies, is ammonia stripping (often air stripping followed by acid/water scrubbing). Stripping has been applied for decades in industry as well as to remove N from wastewater, leachate and digestate and improve treatment performance. The process is variable depending on the supplier and the substrate (e.g.with or without caustic dosing),and developments such as vacuum stripping and membrane contactors are still underway or start being applied industrially.

A European company has also developed a technology to separate ammonium from liquid streams and recover it as ammonium sulphate, with industrial pilot plants are currently running. Another works with BiPolar Membrane Electro Dialysis.

A large amount of pilot or laboratory-scale technologies are currently under development or proof of concept, with various degrees of readiness (forward osmosis, ion exchange using resins or zeolites, etc.), or a mixture of different technologies (for example to extract N from ion exchange regeneration solution).

Mapping report and literature search on nitrogen recovery, Akinson Tumbure and Olivier Bastin for ESPP, December 2022 available here

The mapping report will be presented and discussed at the ESPP workshop on Nitrogen Recovery, Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

Nutrient recycling

The OCP Group, Morocco and world food security

Independent expert article considers that OCP and Morocco hold the keys to future world fertiliser and food supply security, underlining OCP’s contribution to Africa’s food production, and the importance of “green ammonia”. Michaël Tanchum, Middle East Institute*, starts by reminding that Morocco holds over 70% of known world phosphate rock reserves. He explains the significance of these reserves by underlining the importance of P as an essential nutrient for plants, essential to feed the world’s growing population. He suggests that P fertilisers were critical in enabling the world’s population to increase from <2 to 8 billion over the last century. Morocco-based OCP Group (an ESPP member) has been transformed over recent decades to become a global leader in the phosphate and fertiliser industries.

Over the last 15 years, through a fundamental transformation of its industrial strategy, OCP’s phosphate production has doubled, and its fertiliser production tripled, reaching 24,5 MT and 10,9 MT respectively. By 2020, OCP had earned global market share leadership positions in multiple phosphate-based categories: phosphate rock 33%; phosphoric acid 54%; and fertiliser 26%. As the largest private sector employer in Morocco, OCP employs some 18,000 people and reported total revenues of more than US$9 billion in 2021.

OCP already uses 87% renewable energy to power its operations (as it evolves to 100% clean energy by 2030) and is reducing water use by 15% by 2024.

Operating in a water-scarce region, OCP is committed to not drawing Morocco's precious freshwater. The Group already meets nearly 1/3 of its water use from sewage works reclaimed water (Khouribga, Benguerir, Youssoufia) and desalination and ultimately targets 100% of its water needs met through non-traditional sources by 2026.

A challenge to increasing fertiliser production to help feed the growing global population sustainably, is access to and price of natural gas (ammonia is today produced from natural gas). This is accentuated by Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

OCP has signed a partnership agreement in Nigeria, whereby the company will provide Nigerian farmers with locally-produced customised fertilisers and strengthen the partnership between the Group and the Nigerian natural gas industry. OCP is also developing fertiliser production in other African countries (Ghana, Ethiopia …).

Mr Tanchum’s article notes that Morocco is investing in large scale solar electricity production which could in the future power green ammonia and hydrogen.

The article underlines the importance of OCP’s “Agribooster” programme in Africa which has already helped more than 700 000 farmers in Africa increase productivity by one third or more by addressing fertiliser access (including credit) and adapting fertiliser products to crop needs.

In response to the turmoil in global food and commodity markets in 2022, OCP launched an emergency response by donating and discounting 550KT of fertiliser for the continent.  In the longer term, the company will reserve 4 million tonnes of fertiliser for the continent in 2023 irrespective of global demand and higher market pricing in other regions.

“Morocco’s New Challenges as a Gatekeeper of the World’s Food Supply: The Geopolitics, Economics, and Sustainability of OCP’s Global Fertilizer Exports”, M. Tanchum, January 2022 (9 pages)  HERE.

Michaël Tanchum is with the Middle East Institute and European universities and institutes. The Middle East Institute (MEI) is an independent, not-for-profit educational organisation. Its funders are transparently listed here and Morocco and OCP are not significant funders.

RENOWAGRO: 800 participants in Zaragoza

The first RENOWAGRO conference, on sustainable use of organic secondary resources organized by Térvalis Group - Fertinagro Biotech, 14-15 November 2022, brought together over 800 participants, mainly from the agri-food sector. The event was opened by Sergio Atarés, Tervalis, Luis Planas, Spanish Minister of Agriculture and Javier Lambán, President of Aragon Region.

Luis Planas recalled that nutrients for agriculture can be recovered from manure slurries and sewage sludge and that companies are already active because "there is no sustainability without profitability … a healthy and more productive soil at a lower cost is essential”. He underlined that these secondary materials should be used appropriately, advocating innovation.

The president of Aragon announced that the Region’s objective is to replace all use of mineral fertiliser with organic products from the treatment of slurry, building on the experience and R&D of the Teruel-based group Térvalis.

Speakers underlined the importance of agricultural and industrial innovation, balanced and effective bio-based fertilisers from manure and digestate, soil health as pillars of an agricultural transition to circular, sustainable and biodiversity enhancing practices.  The differences between conditions and requirements of Spanish soils compared to those of central and northern European countries was discussed, emphasising the need to increase organic carbon in Spanish soils.

Speakers included: Laia Llenas, Beta Technological Centre at the University of VIC (and Fertimanure), Ángel Ruíz, Spanish National Research Council CSIC, Luis Lassaletta, Politecnical University of Madrid, José Antonio Mayoral, University of Zaragoza, Javier Ponce, Spanish Technology Fund CDTI, Keiji Jindo, Wageningen University, Fernando Miranda, Spanish Ministry for Agriculture, Grazia Masciandaro, Italian Research Council CNR, Pisa, Carlos García, CEBAS – CSIC, Rodolfo Canet, Instituto Valenciano de Agricultura – IVIA, Nicola Frison, Università degli studi di Verona, Ana Robles, Gent University and Ludwig Hermann, Proman and ESPP.

RENOWAGRO – international meeting on organic resources for sustainability of the agri-food sector, Zaragoza, 14-15 November 2022 www.renowagro.com

Potential ammonia emissions from secondary nutrient products

Lab study assesses potential ammonia emissions from soil after use of 39 different organic-carbon secondary nutrient products. The products tested are mostly dried and pelletised and sold under national fertiliser regulations. Raw materials for the products tested included digestates, poultry manure, plant residues, food processing residues, and animal by-products. Total N content of the products was 0.4 – 17 % fresh weight. Ammonia losses were evaluated after surface application or incorporation of the materials to either pure sand or four different soils, at equivalent to 400 kgN/ha (high fertilisation level) and incubation for six weeks at 15°C. Ammonia losses varied considerably between the different materials, from 0% for composted olive oil residues to more than 2/3 losses of total N for digestates, but were mitigated considerably when the products were incorporated into the soil. Significant correlation was found between initial ammonia losses from the different products and their pH and ammonium content. Soil incorporation reduced ammonia losses by 37 – 96 % compared to surface application. This is already well known for liquid slurries and digestates with high proportion of ammonium-N, and is EU agricultural BEMP (Best Environmental Management Practice for agriculture EU 2018/813) and the study shows that this can also be true for pelletised products containing mainly nitrogen in an organic form.

NOTE: Information on the classification of the products under the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 (into CMCs and PFCs, Table 1) is indicative only, because many of these products are not (today) eligible for use in EU-fertilisers : e.g. none of the cited animal by-product derived materials can be used in EU-fertilisers until possible future regulatory amendments are made; compost of biochar, seaweed or digestate recovered minerals are all excluded from CMC6.

“Potential ammonia volatilization from 39 different novel biobased fertilizers on the European market – A laboratory study using European soils”, L. Wester-Larsen et al., J. Environmental Management 323 (2022) 116249 DOI. Work funded under the Lex4Bio project.

Potassium recovery from alkaline battery processing

Hazenite (a potassium – sodium – magnesium phosphate, similar to struvite: KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂·4H₂O,) was precipitated from alkaline battery black mass processing water. Alkaline batteries use potassium hydroxide as electrolyte, but are generally contaminated with zinc carbon batteries (containing ammonium chlorides). Depending on the battery treatment process, potassium needs to be removed from process wastewaters containing ammonium or from the process itself (to allow recovery of zinc and manganese sulphates). The process waters are alkaline which facilitates Hazenite precipitation by adding phosphate, magnesium and further adjusting pH, followed by filtration (0.45 µm). In 1.6 litre laboratory tests, 50% - 60% removal of K was achieved after one hour reaction at 1:1:1 K:P:Mg ratio, increasing to c. 80% removal at 1:1.5:1.5 K:Mg:P, with in all cases over 80% P removal and over 90% Mg removal. Ammonium in the wash water did not inhibit Hazenite precipitation. The authors conclude that precipitation was rapid and purity of the Hazenite high, with operation at room temperature without consumption of excess chemicals, making this a potentially feasible route for potassium removal and recovery from alkaline battery processing. Recent studies (Watson 2020 see SCOPE Newsletter n°138, Raniro 2022) suggest that Hazenite is an effective fertiliser.

“Precipitation of potassium as hazenite from washing water of spent alkaline batteries”, S. Lapinkangas et al., Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 12 (2022) 100426, DOI.

Lithium Iron Phosphate battery cathode recycling

Lab-scale testing of acid leaching and ion exchange to recover lithium salts and phosphate minerals from lithium iron phosphate battery cathodes. This study tested the concept using virgin LiFePO₄ cathodes at laboratory scale. Sulphuric, citric and oxalic acid were tested for leaching of cathode material, which contains lithium iron phosphate and additives, including c. 1.4% carbon (coating). Oxalic acid (0.5M) was selected as optimal achieving >95% lithium and phosphate leaching, whilst leaving 95% of the iron in the solid largely as ferrous oxalate. The lithium was then separated from the solution onto an ion exchange resin (iron would interfere with this and would fix to the iron exchange resin instead of lithium), releasing potassium ions from the resin. Potassium chloride was used to release the lithium from the ion exchange resin (releasing lithium chloride solution, for lithium recycling) and restore the potassium ion exchange resin. The leaching solution thus becomes a potassium phosphate solution, potentially useable for mineral fertiliser production.

“Proof-of-Concept study of ion-exchange method for the recycling of LiFePO₄ cathode”, X. Zhang et al., Waste Management 157 (2023) 1–7, DOI.

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) and crop nutrient levels

A review of 160 publications concludes that eCO₂ reduces concentrations of most nutrients (N, P, K, S, Fe, Mg, Zn) by  up to 5 – 25% in plant tissue, potentially limiting increased photosynthesis and reducing crop nutritional value. The biological mechanisms reducing plant N content under eCO₂ are analysed, but little information is provided on mechanisms for other nutrients (including phosphorus). Papers reviewed in ESPP’s SCOPE Newsletter n°137 concluded that eCO₂ will increase plant nutrient requirements, resulting in increased root development; that eCO₂ will generally increase soil P mineralisation (by soil microbes), possibly increasing P-availability for crops but also leading to increased risk of soil P losses; and that plant P-uptake could be limited by N availability. This new review paper reinforces this third point, concluding that a number of studies show lower N content of plant tissues under eCO₂. Reduced plant uptake of N and of other nutrients under eCO₂ may result from lower soil available nutrients, nutrient limitation and a “dilution” effect with increased growth and carbon uptake, reduced transpiration (so reduced nutrient transport with water uptake). However, these effects cannot explain differences in tissue concentration reductions between different nutrients, nor the reductions observed. There is increasing consensus that, beyond these effects, eCO₂ leads to reduced plant Nutrient Use Efficiency. Total nutrient uptake increases, but less than increases carbon fixation. For nitrogen this seems to relate mainly to reduced nitrate-N uptake (with less impact on ammonia-N or organic-N uptake), possibly related to impacts on genes and proteins involved in nitrate transport, or on nitrate or nitrite metabolising enzymes.

“The decline of plant mineral nutrition under rising CO₂: physiological and molecular aspects of a bad deal”, A. Gojon et al., Trends in Plant Science, Month 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2022.09.002

Digestibility of recovered calcium phosphates

Review paper concludes that phosphorus in bone-derived DCP and TCP are better available for poultry than in the same calcium phosphates from phosphate rock. Digestibility in rock-derived calcium phosphates is MCP > DCP > TCP, that is the higher the P:Ca ratio, the more available the phosphorus. The number of studies comparing uptake by non-ruminant livestock of P from bone derived calcium phosphates versus rock-derived calcium phosphates is limited (around ten studies identified). The authors conclude that digestibility for poultry of bone-derived DCP and TCP was better than for rock-derived, but that data is lacking for comparisons for MCP for poultry and for all three calcium phosphates for pigs. Overall differences seem to be relatively small, and lower than variations in results between different studies or between different rock-derived calcium phosphates. The authors conclude that further research is needed into digestibility of bone-derived MCP for poultry and bone-derived calcium phosphates for pigs. ESPP notes that researchers nearly always conclude that further research is needed, and that in this case the existing studies tend to suggest that digestibility of calcium phosphates is variable, and can result in significant variations in livestock growth (if diet phosphorus is given only to recommended values, with no margin of security) but seems to be related not to the material from which the calcium phosphates are derived, but maybe to chemical and physical form.

“Calcium and phosphorus digestibility in rock- and bone-derived calcium phosphates for pigs and poultry: A review”, A. Woyengo et al., Animal Feed Science and Technology, (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115509

Phosphorus recycling potential in Eastern Europe

The 3^rd PhosV4 Project Workshop, Brno (Czech Republic) & hybrid, 15/11/2022, discussed potential secondary phosphorus resources and recycling routes in the V4 countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).

Julia Tanzer, Proman Management, summarised phosphorus management perspectives in Austria: despite significant decreases in agricultural P-balances, over 10% of river monitoring sites continue to exceed thresholds for orthophosphate, especially in agricultural areas. Specific indicators are needed for P management (import dependency and mineral fertiliser use, emissions to water bodies, soil accumulation, waste P losses) but these are not comparable to other substances and do not provide an overall indicator. Management scenarios for Austria suggest that mineral P fertiliser imports could be reduced by higher recovery from waste, and by reducing losses to water and soil accumulation, with economic benefits for farmers and co-benefits of lower mineral N fertiliser use and reduced N losses.

Jiri Jaromir Klemes, Brno University of Technology, and Marzena Smol, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland explained that nearly all of the sewage sludge produced in the V4 countries is currently used as fertiliser on land, often after composting, but that a small amount (<10%) still goes to landfill. This route should be banned because it wastes the nutrients and organic carbon in the sludge, and risks contributing to landfill methane losses.

Zoltan Toth, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, summarised the range of available technologies for phosphorus recovery from sewage and presented initial results of the Lex4Bio project showing that crop response to P-fertiliser can be optimised by a combination of soluble mineral P fertiliser and slowly available P (e.g. struvite, manure).

Sebastian Hreus, Technical University of Kosice, indicated that rocks used for silicate aggregate extraction for the construction industry, at several quarries in Slovakia, contain up to 0.03 – 0.08% P. Such mining by-product could theoretically be a source of secondary phosphorus, but the P concentrations are two orders of magnitude lower than low-grade commercial rock, so that extraction is unlikely to be feasible. P-concentrations up to 7-8 % P have been found in some localised deposits of sandstones, resulting from geological lake P sedimentation, but to date no economically sized deposit is known.

Several R&D projects addressing phosphorus recovery and recycling were presented: Lex4Bio, PhosForce, InPhos, CEPhosPOL, PolFerAsh, CEPhosPOL.

The first two PhosV4 workshops included presentations by Damien Cazalet, Veolia Wasser Deutschland GmbH and Yariv Cohen, EasyMining, on routes for phosphorus recovery from sewage, respectively by bio-acidification to solubilise P in sludge followed by phosphate precipitation, and recovery of quality calcium phosphate products from sewage sludge incineration ash.

PhosV4 project “How to stay alive in V4? Phosphorus Friends Club builds V4's resilience” https://www.phosv4.eu/

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ESPP members

Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

This workshop is open, for physical participation in Brussels, to invited participants only whereas online access is open to the public.

This is necessary to enable an operational working meeting in Brussels. Online participants will be able to actively participate through the Chat.

Information and registration online (hybrid) www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

The Commission recognises the EU’s dependency on imports for fertilisers, impacting farmers’ costs and food insecurity, and the strategic need for organic fertilisers, green ammonia and nutrient recycling, alongside sustainable and precision farming, to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce losses.

Actions announced include:

• Use CAP (Common Agriculture Policy) Member State Strategic Plans to support efficient and sustainable fertiliser use whilst preventing nutrient losses, including rollout of the FaST tool (Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients): “CAP Strategic Plans support partial replacements of mineral fertilisers by organic fertilisers like manure, sewage sludge and biowaste, from methanisation processes or biological and thermal treatments, while ensuring that this does not result in higher nutrient losses”
• Organic and recycled fertilisers: “Better access to organic fertilisers and nutrients from recycled waste-streams, especially in regions with a low usage of organic fertilisers”
• Support for Green Ammonia (from renewable energies, not from natural gas)

ESPP welcomes the recognition of the importance of organic and recycled fertilisers, as well as improving fertiliser use and calls for strong EU action to support these be included in the Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan under preparation for 2023. ESPP underlines that the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium present in organic waste streams (manure, sewage biosolids, food wastes, animal by-products) are in total significantly greater that used in mineral fertilisers, and potential for increasing recycling is considerable.

The European fertilisers industry (Fertilizers Europe, 9^th November 2022) has underlined the need to optimise nutrient use, in particular with the EU FaST tool and precision fertiliser practices, and called for “measures to support the transition to a low-carbon fertilizer industry”.

ESPP welcomes the possibility to require nutrient recycling in the proposed revision of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (published 26^th October 2022) and calls for this requirement to be rapidly implemented. This should also be included in the Sewage Sludge Directive revision underway. Germany and Switzerland already have regulatory phosphorus recycling obligations; and now also Austria.

ESPP notes the recognition in the Communication of the  importance of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 to open the market for recovered fertilisers and for “Specialty EU fertilising products such as inhibited fertilisers, controlled release fertilisers and plant biostimulants”.  ESPP calls to accelerate removal of legal obstacles to recycling of nutrients from animal by-products (ABP), where these are confirmed to be safe, such as Cat.1 ABP incineration ash. We call on the Commission to mandate rapidly EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) to assess the safety of these materials.

ESPP welcomes the announced aim of improving fertiliser use of manure and processed manure in compliance with the Nitrates Directive. ESPP notes the Commission’s clarification that proposed JRC “RENURE” processed manure materials (see ESPP eNews n°47) with potential ammonia emissions should continue to be subject to strict Nitrates Directive application requirements. ESPP underlines that it should be recognised that mineral fertilisers recovered from manure do not have ammonia emission or leaching risks different from fossil-derived mineral fertilisers, and should not be considered as “processed manure” (similarly for biomass grown using manure as a substrate), see ESPP eNews n°71.

The Nutrient Circular Economy, increasing nutrient recycling and organic fertilisers, alongside Nutrient Use Efficiency and green ammonia, are the only way out of EU import dependency for fertilisers, and so are critical to ensure food security, farmer livelihoods and to limit food inflation.

ESPP calls for clear regulatory actions and fiscal or market incentives to support nutrient recycling in the upcoming Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan.

2^nd European Summit of the Organic Fertilisers Industry in Europe (SOFIE), 17-18 January 2023, Brussels and online www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2023

European Commission Communication “Ensuring availability and affordability of fertilisers”, COM(2022) 590, 9^th November 2022 here and press release / Q&A / summary here.

The European Commission has published draft revisions of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD 91/271), adding the objective of nutrient recovery and tightening phosphorus removal requirements for sewage works. This regulatory proposal now goes to discussion in the European Parliament and Council.

The Commission’s Explanatory Memorandum indicates that the evaluation of the UWWTD concluded that it has been successful in improving water quality, largely because of clear and simple requirements. The indicated objectives of the revision are to address emerging pollutants, storm overflow and discharges from small villages and isolated households, and to ensure coherence with Green Deal climate, biomethane production and Circular Economy objectives, in particular “better recovery of nitrogen, phosphorus and maybe organics”. Implementation deadlines are phased through to 2040.

The Commission estimates that overall the new requirements will add c. 2.3% to water tariffs.

Proposed changes from the existing Directive include:

• More stringent discharge limits for phosphorus and nitrogen (Annex I)
  - 0.5 mgP_total/l or 90% P removal, or (was 1-2 mgl/ or 80%)
  - 6 mgN/l or 85%N removal (was 10-15 mg/l or 70-80%)
  - these limits would be applicable (as before) to all wwtps > 10 000 p.e. in eutrophication Sensitive Areas,
  but additionally would be applicable to wwtps > 100 000 p.e. even if not in Sensitive Areas.
  - the concept of Less Sensitive Areas would be abolished (required less treatment)
• “The Commission would be empowered to adopt delegated act … (to set out) minimum reuse and recycling rates for phosphorus and nitrogen from sludge” (art. 20)
  ESPP notes:
  - the Explanatory Memorandum refers to “nutrients and maybe organic carbon” but in fact this is limited to N and P
  - the wording “reuse and recycling” could include valorisation of sludge in agriculture
  - the minimum rates, by this wording, would apply to N and P in the sludge, not in wwtp inflow, which would be particularly different for N. It also would not take account of nutrients recovered upstream, e.g. with separative urine collection.
• Waste water treatments would have to be “energy neutral” by 2040. Energy neutrality is defined as “total renewable energy produced at wwtps” versus total energy used by the plants. Calculation is as national total, not per wwtp.
  ESPP note: this is very different from climate neutrality, in that wwtp NO_x, N₂O and CH₄ emissions are not taken into account, nor are emissions in sludge management outside the wwtp, nor are climate impacts of nutrient recovery (substituted fertilisers), nor carbon sequestration in sewage sludge to land. Indeed, the wording could be read as considering that installation of a number of wind turbines on wwtp sites would be sufficient.
• Collection and treatment of wastewater for all agglomerations > 1 000 p.e. (was 2 000 p.e.) (art. 3.2, 6.2)
• A new concept of “Quaternary treatment” is introduced. (art. 8 and Annex I). This requires at least 80% removal of indicator organic pollutants. It would be obligatory for all wwtps > 100 000 p.e. and for all wwtps > 10 000 p.e where a pollution risk is identified, or discharging into bathing waters, etc.
• “Extended producer responsibility” (EPR) would be implemented for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics only, such that companies placing these on the market must cover the full costs of monitoring and quaternary treatment (art.9, Annex III)
  ESPP note: this EPR does not thus cover industrial chemicals such as PFAS, plastic additives, nor agro-chemicals.
• The Commission would develop a methodology for measuring microplastics in wastewater and in sludge, and then these would have to be monitored in wwtps > 10 000 p.e. (art. 21)
• Promote water reuse (art. 15)
• A new concept of “Integrated urban wastewater management plans” would be obligatory for all agglomerations > 100 000 p.e. and all > 10 000 p.e. where stormwater or urban runoff meet certain conditions (art. 5, Annex V)
• New definitions of “sludge”, “micro-pollutant”, “antimicrobial resistance” …(art. 2)

NOTE: above obligations are the proposed final requirement, in some cases intermediate levels are fixed for certain date horizons. The articles/annexes cited refer to the revision proposal as published (not to the numbering in the existing 1991 Directive). The above is in many cases a simplification, please refer to the published regulatory proposal for precise detail.

The Commission also published at the same time modifications of the Environmental Quality Standards, Groundwater and Water Framework Directives are proposed. These concern chemical pollutants in water, and in particular address “emerging contaminants of concern” including PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceuticals.

ESPP welcomes these proposals as ambitious and pragmatic to continue to improve Europe’s water quality, to further limit phosphorus and nitrogen losses, to move towards the Nutrient Circular Economy and to address emerging pollutants, in particular PFAS, pharmaceuticals and micro-plastics.

European Commission “Proposal for a revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive”, 26^th October 2022 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-revised-urban-wastewater-treatment-directive_en

European Commission “Proposal for a Directive amending the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater Directive and the Environmental Quality Standards Directive”, 26^th October 2022 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-amending-water-directives_en

INCOPA-Cefic press release 27^th October 2022.

The European Commission has published for consultation to 21/11/2022 proposed authorisation of recovered struvite and precipitated phosphates in certified Organic production. The proposed wording is as per the EGTOP Opinion of June 2022, see ESPP eNews n°69, and would modify the annexes of the EU Organic Farming Regulation (2021/1165) to include: Recovered struvite and precipitated phosphate salts: products must meet the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, animal manure as source material cannot have factory farming origin. Also as indicated in the eNews, wording concerning compost and digestate of bio-waste is modified.

Questions posed by this wording include: does “meet the requirements” of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/2009 mean that the FPR Conformity Assessment is necessary as per FPR Annex IV? Does this refer only to the specifications of Annex II CMC12, or also of Annex I PFCs  and Annex III labelling ? What is the definition of “factory farming” – does this include livestock in stables for part of the year? Does this also cover “derivates” of precipitated phosphates as defined in the FPR CMC 12?

ESPP will also request that further recycled materials currently not authorised in Organic production: Renewable calcined phosphates (cf. positive EGTOP Opinion 2016 (“Final Report on Fertilisers II”) and waste ash derived nutrients (phosphorus from sewage sludge incineration ashes, potassium from municipal solid waste ashes …), Recovered elemental sulphur, Bio-sourced adsorbents used to treat wastewaters, Phosphorus-rich pyrolysis and gasification materials (inc. biochars), Algae and algae products grown to treat wastewater. Vivianite, Recovered nitrogen from off-gases..

Any individual or organisation can contribute to this public consultation.

Public consultation on amendment to the EU Organic Farming Regulation. Open to 21^st November 2022

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

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Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews071
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Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe (SOFIE2)
Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023

First workshop on Nitrogen Recovery
Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

ESPP new member
HOLCIM

EU Regulatory
Consultation on inclusion of precipitated phosphates in Organic Farming
EU consultation on Critical Raw Materials
CAP monitoring and evaluation rules cover nutrients
Draft revision of EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
ESPP input on Animal By-Products (ABPs) in fertilisers

Policy perspectives
European Commission sees nutrient recycling as part of fertiliser crisis strategy
EU risk assessment of sewage sludge contaminants
ESPP asks EU to define when mineral chemicals cease to be “processed manure”

Research
“Planetary Boundaries” for nitrogen inputs for Europe
Agricultural phosphorus deficits in Romania
High diet phosphorus and calcium increases blood pressure in rats

Sewage sludge quality certification questionnaire

Stay informed

ESPP members

Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe (SOFIE2)

Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023

How organic and organo-mineral fertiliser products and technologies deliver specific agronomic performance characteristics for farmers’ needs. The event is being co-organised by ESPP, ECOFI, Eurofema and Fertilizers Europe, with support of the International Fertiliser Society.

Speakers already include: European Commission - Chiel Tettelaar, EFCI Register - Harald Mikkelsen, Koppert - Emma Burak, Yara - Francisco Morell, ICL Fertilizers - Peter Hammond, CCm - Maurice Evers, Lumbricus.nl - Mark Kragting, Tema Process  - Thijs Kapteijns, Protix  - Verena Pfahler, German Biogas Federation - Laia Llenas Argelaguet, BETA Technological Center / Fertimanure  - Leon Fock, Eurofema

SOFIE2 - 2^nd Summit of the Organic and organo-mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe, Brussels Renaissance Marriott Hotel, 19 rue de Parnasse, & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2023

First workshop on Nitrogen Recovery

Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

This workshop will be open, for physical participation in Brussels, to invited participants only whereas online access is open. This is necessary to enable an operational working meeting.

Information and registration online (hybrid) www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

Participation in Brussels: contact Olivier Bastin, ESPP

ESPP new member

HOLCIM

The cement industry sees continuing recovery of energy and minerals from sewage sludge and other waste streams as compatible with phosphorus recycling, and HOLCIM’s Geocycle waste management services aim to take this forward.

HOLCIM is a global international leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Main business segments are cement, concrete, aggregates, and roofing solutions. Sustainability is at the core of Holcim’s strategy, with the industry’s first 2030 and 2050 net-zero targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Leading the circular economy, we already recycled in 2021 more than 50 million tons of materials across our business and will reach 75 million tons (including 10 million tons of construction & demolition waste) by 2025, maintaining our place as a world leader in recycling. See the HOLCIM sustainability report

HOLCIM’s Geocycle activity provides services to recover waste from other industries or municipalities by integrating them in our production processes. For instance, a cement kiln is a very efficient tool to recover mineral based or energy containing waste materials.

Every year hundreds of thousand tons of sewage sludge are co-processed in cement kilns. HOLCIM aims to play an active role in the sustainable management of phosphorus and is investigating technologies to recover phosphorus in synergy with our operations. We believe in cooperation, promoting knowledge exchange and looking for partnerships.

http://www.geocycle.com/  

EU Regulatory

Consultation on inclusion of precipitated phosphates in Organic Farming

The European Commission has published for consultation to 21/11/2022 proposed authorisation of recovered struvite and precipitated phosphates in certified Organic production. The proposed wording is as per the EGTOP Opinion of June 2022, see ESPP eNews n°69, and would modify the annexes of the EU Organic Farming Regulation (2021/1165) to include: Recovered struvite and precipitated phosphate salts: products must meet the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/1009, animal manure as source material cannot have factory farming origin. Also as indicated in the eNews, wording concerning compost and digestate of bio-waste is modified.

Questions posed by this wording include: does “meet the requirements” of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/2009 mean that the FPR Conformity Assessment is necessary as per FPR Annex IV? Does this refer only to the specifications of Annex II CMC12, or also of Annex I PFCs  and Annex III labelling ? What is the definition of “factory farming” – does this include livestock in stables for part of the year? Does this also cover “derivates” of precipitated phosphates as defined in the FPR CMC 12?

ESPP will also request that further recycled materials currently not authorised in Organic production: Renewable calcined phosphates (cf. positive EGTOP Opinion 2016 (“Final Report on Fertilisers II”) and waste ash derived nutrients (phosphorus from sewage sludge incineration ashes, potassium from municipal solid waste ashes …), Recovered elemental sulphur, Bio-sourced adsorbents used to treat wastewaters, Phosphorus-rich pyrolysis and gasification materials (inc. biochars), Algae and algae products grown to treat wastewater. Vivianite, Recovered nitrogen from off-gases..

Any individual or organisation can contribute to this public consultation.

Public consultation on amendment to the EU Organic Farming Regulation. Open to 21^st November 2022

EU consultation on Critical Raw Materials

Public consultation open to 25th November 2022 towards a future EU Regulation on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). At this stage, the consultation concerns an outline roadmap, with a general questionnaire on policies and priorities.

EU public consultation “European Critical Raw Materials act”. Open to 25^th November 2022

CAP monitoring and evaluation rules cover nutrients

The EU has adopted rules for monitoring and evaluation of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) “Strategic Plans” (Member States orientate CAP farm subsidies), including nutrient losses and balances and ammonia emissions. Key evaluation elements specified include nutrient balance (indicating that this is to reduce nutrient losses), ammonia emissions, food quality, climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem services, competitiveness and farm incomes. Two of the nine specified “Impact Indicators” are air quality – ammonia emissions and water quality – “gross nutrient balance on agricultural land”. These specifications apply at the Member State level. At the farm level, calculation of nutrient balances (FaST tool) was removed from CAP subsidy conditions during the Parliament-Council co-decision process but is included the CAP Advisory Service (see revised CAP 2021/2115 art. 15(4)g.

Commission Implementing Regulation 2022/1475, 6 September 2022, “as regards the evaluation of the CAP Strategic Plans and the provision of information for monitoring and evaluation” LINK on Eur-Lex.

Draft revision of EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

The European Commission has published draft revisions of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD 91/271), adding the objective of nutrient recovery and tightening phosphorus removal requirements for sewage works. This regulatory proposal now goes to discussion in the European Parliament and Council.

The Commission’s Explanatory Memorandum indicates that the evaluation of the UWWTD concluded that it has been successful in improving water quality, largely because of clear and simple requirements. The indicated objectives of the revision are to address emerging pollutants, storm overflow and discharges from small villages and isolated households, and to ensure coherence with Green Deal climate, biomethane production and Circular Economy objectives, in particular “better recovery of nitrogen, phosphorus and maybe organics”. Implementation deadlines are phased through to 2040.

The Commission estimates that overall the new requirements will add c. 2.3% to water tariffs.

Proposed changes from the existing Directive include:

• More stringent discharge limits for phosphorus and nitrogen (Annex I)
  - 0.5 mgP_total/l or 90% P removal, or (was 1-2 mgl/ or 80%)
  - 6 mgN/l or 85%N removal (was 10-15 mg/l or 70-80%)
  - these limits would be applicable (as before) to all wwtps > 10 000 p.e. in eutrophication Sensitive Areas,
  but additionally would be applicable to wwtps > 100 000 p.e. even if not in Sensitive Areas.
  - the concept of Less Sensitive Areas would be abolished (required less treatment)
• “The Commission would be empowered to adopt delegated act … (to set out) minimum reuse and recycling rates for phosphorus and nitrogen from sludge” (art. 20)
  ESPP notes:
  - the Explanatory Memorandum refers to “nutrients and maybe organic carbon” but in fact this is limited to N and P
  - the wording “reuse and recycling” could include valorisation of sludge in agriculture
  - the minimum rates, by this wording, would apply to N and P in the sludge, not in wwtp inflow, which would be particularly different for N. It also would not take account of nutrients recovered upstream, e.g. with separative urine collection.
• Waste water treatments would have to be “energy neutral” by 2040. Energy neutrality is defined as “total renewable energy produced at wwtps” versus total energy used by the plants. Calculation is as national total, not per wwtp.
  ESPP note: this is very different from climate neutrality, in that wwtp NO_x, N₂O and CH₄ emissions are not taken into account, nor are emissions in sludge management outside the wwtp, nor are climate impacts of nutrient recovery (substituted fertilisers), nor carbon sequestration in sewage sludge to land. Indeed, the wording could be read as considering that installation of a number of wind turbines on wwtp sites would be sufficient.
• Collection and treatment of wastewater for all agglomerations > 1 000 p.e. (was 2 000 p.e.) (art. 3.2, 6.2)
• A new concept of “Quaternary treatment” is introduced. (art. 8 and Annex I). This requires at least 80% removal of indicator organic pollutants. It would be obligatory for all wwtps > 100 000 p.e. and for all wwtps > 10 000 p.e where a pollution risk is identified, or discharging into bathing waters, etc.
• “Extended producer responsibility” (EPR) would be implemented for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics only, such that companies placing these on the market must cover the full costs of monitoring and quaternary treatment (art.9, Annex III)
  ESPP note: this EPR does not thus cover industrial chemicals such as PFAS, plastic additives, nor agro-chemicals.
• The Commission would develop a methodology for measuring microplastics in wastewater and in sludge, and then these would have to be monitored in wwtps > 10 000 p.e. (art. 21)
• Promote water reuse (art. 15)
• A new concept of “Integrated urban wastewater management plans” would be obligatory for all agglomerations > 100 000 p.e. and all > 10 000 p.e. where stormwater or urban runoff meet certain conditions (art. 5, Annex V)
• New definitions of “sludge”, “micro-pollutant”, “antimicrobial resistance” …(art. 2)

NOTE: above obligations are the proposed final requirement, in some cases intermediate levels are fixed for certain date horizons. The articles/annexes cited refer to the revision proposal as published (not to the numbering in the existing 1991 Directive). The above is in many cases a simplification, please refer to the published regulatory proposal for precise detail.

The Commission also published at the same time modifications of the Environmental Quality Standards, Groundwater and Water Framework Directives are proposed. These concern chemical pollutants in water, and in particular address “emerging contaminants of concern” including PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceuticals.

ESPP welcomes these proposals as ambitious and pragmatic to continue to improve Europe’s water quality, to further limit phosphorus and nitrogen losses, to move towards the Nutrient Circular Economy and to address emerging pollutants, in particular PFAS, pharmaceuticals and micro-plastics.

European Commission “Proposal for a revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive”, 26^th October 2022 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-revised-urban-wastewater-treatment-directive_en

European Commission “Proposal for a Directive amending the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater Directive and the Environmental Quality Standards Directive”, 26^th October 2022 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-amending-water-directives_en

INCOPA-Cefic press release 27^th October 2022.

ESPP input on Animal By-Products (ABPs) in fertilisers

ESPP input to the public consultation underlining the importance of accelerating regulatory authorisation of recognised safe ABPs in fertilisers, without unjustified mixing or packaging requirements.  ESPP regrets that DG SANTE’s first, minimalist, proposals arrive more than six years after the regulatory proposal for the EU Fertilising Products Regulation was published by the European Commission (at the time with an “empty box” for ABPs) and that these proposals do not cover a number of significant routes for recycling ABP nutrients which have been operated safely for many years in Member States national fertilisers. ESPP suggests that the proposed dilution requirements and sales in < 50 kg packets would largely prevent use of ABPs in EU-fertilisers, would generate unnecessary packaging waste and costs and are not justified (not mentioned in the EFSA Opinion, ESPP eNews n°61).

ESPP requests that EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) Opinions should be rapidly mandated by DG SANTE for the cycled ABP nutrient materials which were not included in the DG SANTE mandate to EFSA of April 2020: “Alternative transformation parameters” for composts, digestates, processed manure and frass (as already defined in ABP Regulation 142/2011 annexes),  Nationally validated treatment methods, Precipitated phosphates & derivates CMC12, Pyrolysis-gasification materials CMC 14, Cat.1 ABP ashes which represent a significant potential for phosphorus recycling.

ESPP input to public consultation on Animal By-Products in EU-fertilisers, 24th October 2022 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Policy perspectives

European Commission sees nutrient recycling as part of fertiliser crisis strategy

Oliver Sitar, European Commission DG Agriculture has underlined the gravity of the fertiliser supply crisis, impacts on farmers and food security, and that nutrient recycling from waste streams is part of improving EU resilience. Speaking at a webinar on food security (organised by EBIC, the European Biostimulants Industry Consortium, 100 participants, 28^th October 2022), Mr. Sitar indicated that fertiliser prices and supply constraints, with energy costs, risk pushing farmers to use less fertiliser, so resulting in lower production, accentuating food price increases. The Commission has identified that 70% of EU ammonia production, the raw material of nitrogen fertilisers, was stopped this summer. The Commission has indicated that it will communicate on an “EU fertilisers strategy” in November, and that this will particularly target the Member States CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) Strategic Plans, which define how the EU’s CAP budget funds are spent on the ground. The Commission cited precision farming, planning of fertiliser use and incentives for biological and alternative fertilisers. Mr Sitar confirmed the importance of the CAP Strategic Plan, and also of INMAP (EU Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan, expected early 2023) and of Soil Health. The European Parliament already adopted a resolution (24^th March 2022) stating that “alternative organic sources of nutrients and nutrient cycling should be utilised to the fullest extent as soon as possible” and calling on the Commission to “address legislative and practical barriers, … in particular, … to enhance the use of organic fertilising products obtained from sewage sludge, processed manure, biocharcoal and frass”.

European Parliament resolution, 24^th March 2022 “Need for an urgent EU action plan to ensure food security inside and outside the EU in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, P9_TA(2022)0099.

EURACTIV “European Commission announces communication on fertilisers”, 6^th October 2022

Fertilizers Europe press release “The EU Fertilizer Strategy: a tool to secure EU industry's green potential and ensure long-term food security in Europe”, 6^th October 2022

EU risk assessment of sewage sludge contaminants

Commission (JRC) study concludes that pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge are of limited risk but that industrial chemicals in sludge may pose risks to human health and soil organisms when sludge is applied to farmland. In a report to support the currently ongoing revision of the EU Sewage Sludge Directive, JRC note that 6 to 9 million tonnes (DM) of sewage sludge are generated annually in the EU of which one third to a half is currently used in agriculture, effectively replacing maybe 5% of EU mineral P fertiliser use, maybe 2% for N-fertiliser. Priority organic contaminants in sewage are identified as dioxins, PAH, PFAS and chlorinated paraffins (a halogenated flame retardant), and to a lesser extent also alkylphenols, phthalates and polychlorinated naphthalenes. These contaminants are identified as potentially accumulative in soil and in food webs and as toxic even at very low levels. JRC concludes that for this small set of contaminants, there is potential significant risk to humans and to soil micro-organisms. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are considered “of limited concern even at high application loads of sewage sludge”. Because of data gaps identified, there may be potential risks for other substances. Microplastics are also noted as an increasing source of concern because they can negatively impact soil properties and have negative impacts on soil organisms. The report notes that incineration of sewage sludge would eliminate these organic contaminants and estimates that anaerobic digestion and incineration of all EU sewage sludge would generate an additional net 4.4 TWh_e of energy, most of this (3.4 TWh_e) is from AD, so incineration would generate supplementary energy equivalent to 0.04% of EU electricity generation. The report recognises that sewage sludge application contributes to soil organic carbon but notes that this is orders of magnitude lower than for application of manure or bio-waste. Overall the report concludes that sewage sludge management should consider risks versus resource efficiency and that consequently a mixture of options adapted to local situations is necessary.

“Screening risk assessment of organic pollutants and environmental impacts from sewage sludge management”, Study to support policy

development on the Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) European Commission JRC Science for Policy Report, D. Huygens et al., 2022, JRC129690, EUR 31238 EN, ISSN 1831-9424 https://dx.doi.org/10.2760/541579

ESPP asks EU to define when mineral chemicals cease to be “processed manure”

In ongoing correspondence with the European Commission, ESPP has again requested that mineral products, containing near-zero organic carbon, should be confirmed to be not subject to “processed manure” application limits under the Nitrates Directive. ESPP is not suggesting exemption from Nitrates Directive requirements for “RENURE” (“SAFEMANURE”) materials proposed by JRC because this would allow certain untreated manures, most liquid fractions of manure, various other scarcely-processed manures or raw manure spiked with 10% urea (see ESPP eNews n°47).

ESPP suggests that products respecting the definition of “Mineral Fertilisers” in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation, i.e. < 1% organic carbon, should not be considered as “processed manure” because their agronomic behaviour will be the same as primary mineral fertilisers

ESPP further requests a clear definition of when recovered nutrient materials are no longer considered to be “processed manure” under the Nitrates Directive, for example:

• Ammonia salts recovered from manure offgases (given that offgases are not covered by the Animal By-Products Regulation)
• Biomass resulting from use of manure as substrate: algae grown in manure, willow trees fed with manure, etc. of nutrients recovered from processing of such biomass

Copies of ESPP correspondence with DG Environment (ESPP letter of 20^th October 2022) www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Research

“Planetary Boundaries” for nitrogen inputs for Europe

Environmental limit thresholds are modelled for EU countries for nitrogen, considering impacts of N deposits to natural areas (biodiversity damage) and losses to surface waters and groundwater (drinking water).  The INTEGRATOR nitrogen input-loss model (based on MITERRA-Europe) is applied to 40 000 geographical areas in Europe, each being a cluster of 1 k squares grouped for identical soil type, slope, altitude, etc. INTEGRATOR uses empirical linear models to estimate N emissions, runoff and leaching (ammonia, N₂O, NO_x, N₂) from data on agricultural uses and inputs and on housing. The study concludes that total EU N inputs must be reduced by 31% to respect thresholds for N deposition (biodiversity), 43% to protect surface waters (2.5 mgN/l) but not significantly for drinking water (50 mgNO₃/l). For drinking water, despite this result for the EU total, N input is necessary for nearly 20% of agricultural land. For all thresholds, results varied widely between different EU member states and regions, with the highest reductions being needed in livestock intensive regions. These calculated thresholds are significantly lower than that proposed by EEA and FOEN 2020 (ESPP eNews n°45) by attributing the planetary boundary exceedance to the EU based on consumption, concluding an EU exceedance of 3.3 (so requiring a reduction of N inputs of 71%).

“Spatially explicit boundaries for agricultural nitrogen inputs in the European Union to meet air and water quality targets”, De Vries et al., Science of the Total Environment 786 (2021) 147283, DOI.

Agricultural phosphorus deficits in Romania

40 – 50 year field trials at five sites in Romania, with different soils, show that P-fertilisation is needed to increase crop yields, with 80 kgP/ha being the needed maintenance dose and higher doses optimal on certain sites. Around 2/3 of Romania’s agricultural soil has low, very low or extremely low phosphorus, and the trend is worsening: over the period 2012-2019, average P application was only 13 kgP/ha, resulting in an average P-deficit of 26 kgP/ha. Field trial data are from 1967-1975 to 2019 at Valu lui Traian (calcaric Chernozem soil), Turda (typical Chernozem), Lovrin (typical Chernozem), Teleorman (Cambic Phaeozem and Secuieni (typical Chernozem). Initial soil available P at the five sites (Egner-Riehm-Domingo method), varied from 8 – 60 kgP_AL/ha and increased significantly at all sites with P application rates of 40 – 160 kgP/ha. Application of at least 80 and up to 160 kgP/ha were needed to reach 120 kg soil P_AL/ha (120 – 180 is cited as being the agronomic target in Belgium, for example). Wheat production increased 5 – 10 kg/ha per kg P applied. Even with the highest levels of fertiliser application, there was no soil accumulation of cadmium nor other heavy metals.

“Evolution of soil phosphorus content in long-term experiments”, N. Marin et at., Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXV, No. 1, 2022 ISSN 2285-5785. LINK

High diet phosphorus and calcium increases blood pressure in rats

Long-term study in mice shows that high P and Ca in diet increased blood pressure, apparently changes to RAAS hormone balance (renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system). Male rats (statistics based on groups of at least ten rats) were fed normal diet (1% Ca, 0.7% P) or high Ca-P diet (2%Ca, 1.25% P) for fourteen months. Parathyroid hormone PTH was not modified, presumably because Ca:P ratio was not changed, however FGF23 hormone increased and RAAS hormone system balance was modified. Several indicators of blood pressure and arterial stiffness increased significantly (c. + 20%). This study is contrary to several reports that increased diet P in humans is not related to increased blood pressure.

“Long-Term Excessive Dietary Phosphate Intake Increases Arterial Blood Pressure, Activates the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System, and Stimulates Sympathetic Tone in Mice”, N. Latic et al., Biomedicines 2022, 10, 2510 – DOI.

Sewage sludge quality certification questionnaire

EFAR has launched a questionnaire asking whether an EU Quality Assurance Scheme for Biosolids would improve stakeholder confidence, and what aspects are important in sludge agricultural use safety and certification. EFAR (European Federation for Agricultural Recycling) represents companies specialised in land spreading of biosolids. The questionnaire asks about consumer confidence, legal conditions, monitoring, traceability, contaminants, data transparency.

Questionnaire open to 15^th November 2022

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScaxBrrH5XjN4Ll0WnqxYyM2--04A-XP86PGuJkBB39-nUcYw/viewform

Stay informed

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ESPP members

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

Please subscribe www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Subscribe
Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews070
Download as PDF

Save the dates : 17 – 18 – 19 January 2023

Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe
SOFIE2 - Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023
Call for presentations for SOFIE

First workshop on Nitrogen Recovery
ESPP event: Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

EU public consultations
EU public consultation on animal by-products (ABPs) in EU fertilising products (FPR)
EU consultation on Critical Raw Materials
EU consultation on Soil Health

ESPP new member
Department of Power Engineering (UCT Prague)

Policy
Austria notifies national obligation to recover P from sewage sludge by 2030
INCOPA supports more stringent wastewater phosphorus discharge consents
ESPP input submitted on EU Fertilising Products Regulation
Proposed revisions of EU BAT and pollutants Directives


Animal by-product (ABP) ash in EU fertilisers
Legal Opinion on Cat.1 ABP ash

Fertiliser information
IFS FerTech Inform
IFA Sustainable Fertilizer Academy

Phosphate in diet and health
Trends in US dietary P intake
Diet phosphorus and certain health indicators
Blood phosphorus, alcohol metabolism, pancreatitis

Research
Manure additive to reduce manure nitrogen and methane emissions
Eutrophication control measures reduce aquatic methane emissions
Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash by thermochemical processes
Overview of sewage sludge contaminants, thermal treatment and P-recovery
Testing bio-based coagulants for P-removal 9
Climate change: nutrient addition and warming affect soil P in grasslands
Annual and periodic P fertilisation in Chinese Inceptisols

Stay informed

ESPP members

Save the dates : 17 – 18 – 19 January 2023

Summit of Organic and Organo-Mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe

SOFIE2 - Brussels & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023

The 1^st SOFIE in 2019, brought together, for the first time ever, the European carbon-based fertiliser sector, and attracted over 125 participants, from industry (two thirds of participants), as well as regulators, stakeholders and R&D, from 14 European countries and worldwide (summary in SCOPE Newsletter n°130).

Delayed by Covid, this 2^nd SOFIE will centre on how organic and organo-mineral fertiliser products and technologies deliver specific agronomic performance characteristics for farmers’ needs. The event is being co-organised by ESPP, ECOFI, Eurofema and Fertilizers Europe, with support of the International Fertiliser Society.

“Organic” here means containing organic carbon, as in the EU Fertilising Product Regulation definitions of PFC1A “Organic Fertiliser”, PFC1B “Organo-Mineral Fertiliser” and PFC3A “Organic Soil Improver” (that is, not particularly fertilisers certified for Organic Production). Organic carbon input is increasingly recognised as valuable for soil carbon storage, water retention and nutrient availability in all types of farming.

SOFIE provides a unique opportunity to meet companies, technology suppliers, regulatory experts and other actors in this fast-developing sector. The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation includes organic and organo-mineral fertilisers, opening the European market, but there are challenges in adapting EU legislation to the specificities of organic fertilisers. The EU Fertilising Products Regulation also enables the inclusion of recycled organic nutrients in CE-marked products, subject to input material and fertiliser product quality criteria.

Call for presentations for SOFIE

SOFIE2 will showcase:

• industry innovation in organic and organo-mineral fertiliser formulation and performance, processing technologies, testing and monitoring, field application
• agronomic demonstration of organic fertiliser products
• update on EU Fertilising Product Regulation implementation and product conformity assessment

Proposals for presentations for SOFIE2 should be sent by 15^th October to : maximum one page (free format), outlining proposed presentation content, references or websites, speaker(s) names, organisation and emails.

SOFIE2 - 2^nd Summit of the Organic and organo-mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe, Brussels Renaissance Marriott Hotel, 19 rue de Parnasse, & hybrid, 17-18 January 2023 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE2023

First workshop on Nitrogen Recovery

ESPP event: Brussels & hybrid, 19 January 2023

ESPP is widening to include recovery for recycling of nitrogen*. A literature search and technology inventory is currently underway**. A first meeting is organised, open to all technology providers and developers:

• Literature search and technology inventory conclusions and overview, market perspectives vision
• Why recycle nitrogen? current price and import crises, global nitrogen cycle
• Perspectives from the fertilisers industry, water industry, biogas operators
• Technology sessions, including: ammonia recovery (from gas cleaning or “stripping” of liquids), potential NOx /N2O capture for N recycling, N recovery from liquid phase
• Final panel and discussion: What next? Working Group? Actions?

Save the date: 19^th January 2023, Brussels (L42 Centre) & hybrid. Further information and registration will be online soon on ESPP’s website www.phosphorusplatform.eu/NRecovery

To propose a presentation of your process or technology, or on N-recovery context and perspectives, contact Olivier Bastin, ESPP

This workshop will be open, for physical participation in Brussels, to invited participants only. This is necessary to limit numbers in order to enable exchange and discussion on how to engage actions to promote, develop and implement nitrogen recovery for recycling. Online access will not be limited. To participate in Brussels, you should send a request to Olivier Bastin, ESPP indicating what technology, market or regulatory expertise you can bring to this workshop.

* subject to approval of statutes change by ESPP members, to cover recovery of nitrogen and other elements, at the next ESPP General Assembly.

** please send any relevant information to Olivier Bastin

EU public consultations

EU public consultation on animal by-products (ABPs) in EU fertilising products (FPR)

The European Commission (DG SANTE) has published, for public comment to 24^th October 2022, a proposed amendment of the EU ABP Regulation to allow use of certain ABPs as component materials under the EU FPR (Fertilising Products Regulation). This has been awaited by stakeholders since early 2016 when the Commission published the draft FPR regulatory proposal with an empty box for ABPs. Still today, no ABP nor ABP derived material whatsoever can be used in a CE-Mark fertiliser, unless and until this proposed amendment to the ABP Regulation is adopted and published and enters into force.

It is not clear to ESPP whether also amendments will be required to the annexes of the FPR: possibly not for some materials, where these are already specifically cited in a CMC (see below), but presumably amendment of the FPR Annex II will be required for other materials (to populate the currently empty box of CMC10).

The DG SANTE proposal published (5 pages) covers only 13 (groups of) materials for which processing is already defined in the ABP Regulations (1069/2009). That is, use of these materials is already allowed in “national” fertilisers, but subject to limitations which would not (under the proposal) be applicable to CE-Mark fertilisers (traceability, use limitations, e.g. not on grazing land).

Of these 13 materials, it is proposed that 4 could be used “as such” (Cat.2-3 ash – but not Cat.1 ash, see article below, digestate, compost, processed manure - insect frass, in each case subject to meeting the relevant existing ABP Regulation processing specifications) whereas 9 would be subject to limitations to use: max 50 kg packaging, dilution by at least 50% with some other non-animal-feed material. These additional requirements are stated as intending to prevent inappropriate feeding of animal protein to other animals (citing EU Regulation 999/2001 on TSE transmissible spongiform encephalopathies). The dilution would have to not be with any material in the very long list of possible animal feeds in Regulation 68/2013. This list includes, amongst others, plant materials, plant micronutrients and several mineral feed chemicals, so this could severely limit use of these ABPs in fertilisers. ESPP does not understand why smaller packaging would prevent feeding to animals. As proposed, the combination of small packaging and dilution (mixing) could be economically impracticable for agricultural fertilising products and generate considerable unnecessary transport, packaging and plastic waste.

For memory: DG SANTE has previously indicated that nitrogen salts recovered from off-gases from manure, manure processing, livestock stables (CMC15) are not concerned the Animal By-Product Regulation (ESPP eNews n°68).

Public consultation on animal by-products (ABPs) in EU fertilising products (FPR) is open until 24^th October 2022. Input is in the form of a statement (4 000 characters max.) plus possibility to submit a document: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13478-Fertilisers-list-of-animal-by-products-to-be-used-without-further-official-controls-update-_en

EU consultation on Critical Raw Materials

Public consultation open to 25^th November 2022 towards a future EU Regulation on Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). At this stage, the consultation concerns an outline roadmap, with a general questionnaire on policies and priorities.

The Commission’s proposed roadmap (dated 30^th September 2022) refers to Critical Raw Materials as relevant to green and digital technologies, aerospace, defence and health industries, but does not mention agriculture or food security. It is, indicated that the consultation concerns not only materials currently on the EU CRM list (2020 list, here, which includes both “Phosphate Rock” and “Phosphorus” P₄), but also other strategic materials (e.g. Potash, currently under consideration in the CRM process SCRREEN2) but NOT energy materials nor agricultural raw materials (citing “wheat”). ESPP will underline that phosphorus and potassium fertilisers are critical for the EU’s food supply, and so for security and resilience, but also nitrogen fertilisers, which are today heavily dependent on imported gas, resulting currently in major production and supply disruption.

The proposed roadmap underlines the need to improve resource efficiency and to support circularity, in particular by facilitating regulation and investment in recycling. ESPP will underline the need to accelerate authorisation of recycling of nutrients derived from wastes and animal by-products, whilst ensuring safety: in particular, use of Cat.1 ABP ash in fertilisers, clarification of legislation concerning recycling to animal feed, waste status of algae, End-of-Waste for materials recovered from waste waters.

ESPP will support the proposed actions on governance and monitoring of Critical Raw Materials, in particular by modifying trade customs codes to better identify relevant materials and by putting in place permanent (regularly updated) material flow data for the key plant nutrients (N, P, K), including data on quality of waste and by-product flows. Such flow data enables to identify loss hotspots and recycling opportunities, and to monitor effectiveness of policies (in coordination with monitoring already in place by the European Environment Agency and under EU policies such as the Water Framework Directive).

Concerning permitting, action should concern not only extraction of CRMs, but also facilitating permitting of industrial plants wishing to take in wastes for recycling to substitute virgin raw materials.

ESPP notes the reference to ensuring technical standards to support innovation, and reminds of the CEN SABE identification of standards needs to support phosphorus recycling from wastewater (2015), which should be extended to recycling of phosphorus and other nutrients from other secondary sources.

The Commission roadmap states that “recycling obligations” or “information on carbon footprint”, applicable both within the EU and to imports, are necessary to ensure a level playing field, citing rare earths. ESPP will suggest that this should also be applicable to nutrients essential for food production.

The consultation, open to the general public and all companies or organisations, includes around 20 general questions about challenges and priorities for Critical Raw materials policies, covering monitoring and governance, permitting, financing and investment, resource efficiency, carbon footprint, circularity, international aspects and workforce skills,. The consultation also offers the possibility to make open comments and to submit position or reference documents.

EU “Critical Raw Materials” homepage. EU public consultation “European Critical Raw Materials act”, open to 25^th November 2022 HERE.

EU consultation on Soil Health

EU public consultation, to 24^th October 2022, to support preparation of a future EU Soil Health Regulation.

EU consultation, open the general public, companies, organisations, to 24^th October 2022  LINK.

ESPP new member

Department of Power Engineering (UCT Prague)

The Department of Power Engineering at the Faculty of Environmental Technology, UCT Prague, addresses the overall issue of thermochemical treatment of sewage sludge in the entire technological process, i.e., sludge drying, sludge pyrolysis, sludge incineration, pyrolysis gas and flue gas treatment, and the treatment of the resulting products such as sludge-char and ash. The department is fully equipped to determine the relevant fuel, functional, and environmental properties of sewage sludge and the products of pyrolysis, gasification and incineration processes. Senior and junior researchers, PhD students, as well as department students in process engineering and power engineering, ion exchange and membrane technologies, and corrosion are involved in the study of the above-mentioned issues. Currently, ongoing projects deal with: removal of PFASs during sewage sludge pyrolysis, physicochemical properties of sludge-chars and ashes after the sludge pyrolysis/incineration, application research on a commercial pyrolysis unit, and phosphorus and sewage sludge flows in the Czech Republic for applied research in phosphorus recovery or agricultural use of sludge-chars.

More information, list of current projects and publications: https://uen.vscht.cz/research/58693.

Policy

Austria notifies national obligation to recover P from sewage sludge by 2030

The Austria government has notified to the EU a national Ordinance on waste incineration introducing the requirement to incinerate sewage sludge from most wwtps ≥ 20 000 p.e.  and to recover 60% - 80% of phosphorus. The Ordinance covers BAT and new substitute fuels in incineration plants. The section on “Sewage sludge incineration and phosphorus recovery” (chapter 4, page 16) specifies that sewage from wastewater treatment plants of ≥ 20 000 p.e. must be incinerated by 1^st January 2030. Three P-recovery options are authorised:

• at least 80% of the P in the sewage sludge is recovered from the incineration ash.
• all the incineration ash itself is used for production of a fertiliser respecting national fertiliser regulation specifications (Düngemittelgesetz 2021, BGBl. I 103/2021).
• 60% of the P in the wwtp inflow is recovered by “thermal, chemical or physico-chemical” processes at or nearby the wwtp
  (if this third option is chosen, then the sewage sludge does not have to be incinerated)

In all cases, operators must produce an annual report indicating the quantity of P in ash / wwtp inflow, the type of P-recovery and the quantity of P recovered, with the first report by 30^th April 2031.

Austria “Abfallverbrennungsverordnung 2022 – AVV 2022” (Waste incineration Ordinance), 4 “Klärschlammbehandlung. Klärschlammverbrennung und Phosphorrückgewinnung” (Sewage sludge treatment. Sewage Sludge Incineration and Phosphorus Recovery), notified (26/9/2022) to and published by the European Commission, Notification Number: 2022/645/A (search in EU TRIS with year = 2022, number = 645)

INCOPA supports more stringent wastewater phosphorus discharge consents

INCOPA (Cefic sector group, ESPP member) has taken position for lower thresholds for phosphorus emissions in urban wastewater, pointing to LCA data showing the low carbon emissions of iron and aluminium coagulants. INCOPA says that chemical P removal using Fe or Al salts is cost-effective and can achieve very low P discharge consents to protect surface waters from eutrophication, suggesting that P limits should be lowered in the current review of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC. INCOPA state that phosphorus should also be recovered and recycling and that coagulants can be compatible with P-recovery. A 2020 LCA study by IVL for INCOPA concludes that chemical P-removal (ferric or aluminium) gives lower greenhouse emissions and higher biogas methane production than biological P-removal.

“INCOPA is ready to support the implementation of more stringent phosphorus emission limits in urban wastewater, with low carbon footprint inorganic coagulants” www.incopa.org 23^rd June 2022 HERE. “LCA analysis of different WWTP processes”, IVL for INCOPA, 2020 HERE.

ESPP input submitted on EU Fertilising Products Regulation

The EU survey on material inputs for CE-Mark fertilisers and other proposals for amendments remains open. ESPP submitted a table of 22 secondary materials currently excluded from CMC criteria. 188 different companies and organisations submitted detailed information concerning their own product or process. After the first cut-off date of 16^th September 2022, this EU survey remains open for further input. For this first cut-off date, and after wide consultation of member companies and stakeholders, ESPP listed and provided summary information on the following secondary materials as potentially relevant for the nutrient circular economy, currently excluded from use in CE-Mark fertiliser production, which could be considered for development of criteria, to define criteria to enable safe recycling: Derivates of secondary mineral acids; Potassium, calcium and other salts recovered from (non CMC13) ashes; Ammonium salts from ABC powder fire extinguisher refurbishment; Nitrogen recovery from liquid phase of wastewaters; Biomass grown in sewage and in other waste waters; Natural biomass collected as waste; Fish excreta; Fish and seafood processing residues; Insect frass; Separately recovered human urine and derivates; Processed solids from dry toilets; Vivianite from sewage; Humus from tree bark; Pulp & paper industry limes; Pulp & paper fibrous sludges; Digestate from biorefineries processing biomass; Macro- and micronutrients recovered from battery recycling; Plasma treatment of digestates; P leached from sludge or biochars; Pre-processed input materials for CMC 13 and CMC14; Pyrolysis and gasification materials from sewage sludge; Multi-stage thermal oxidation processes.

EU survey on materials for CE-mark fertilisers “EU survey on possible future development of the FPR”. Survey remains open to all companies and organisations with relevant information to input:

ESP submitted input table www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

All contributions submitted to this survey can be consulted here (answers to the questionnaire only, the submitted attachments are – it seems – not accessible)

Proposed revisions of EU BAT and pollutants Directives

European Commission legislative proposals would improve industrial material efficiency requirements and bring 185 000 cattle, pig and poultry farms (up from 20 000 today) under Industrial Emissions Directive (BAT) obligations. The Commission has now published various documents summarising the proposals for revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED, defining BAT) and of the Regulation of the E-PRTR Regulation (now Industrial Emissions Portal). Key objectives presented in the Fact Sheet and Q&A include reducing livestock ammonia and methane emissions, fostering industrial materials efficiency, non-toxic or less toxic chemicals use and integrating depollution and decarbonisation. All livestock production of 150 or more LSU (livestock units) is concerned, and will have 3 ½ years to comply with BAT (Best Available Technology).

European Commission “Revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)” web page

Animal by-product (ABP) ash in EU fertilisers

Legal Opinion on Cat.1 ABP ash

ESPP has obtained an expert Legal Opinion on the possible use of Category 1 ABP ash in production of EU fertilising Products. This questions DG SANTE’s position that this is somehow “not allowed” under EU ABP Regulations. Cat.2 and Cat.3 ABP ash are underway to being authorised in CMC13 (see article on EU consultation above), but this consultation excludes Cat.1 ash. ESPP underlines that, if such use of Cat.1 ash is in fact legally admissible (as this Opinion suggests), then we nonetheless fully recognise that safety needs to be ensured, and support the request for an EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) Opinion engaged by DG SANTE (letter of 31/5/22 to ESPP here). The Legal Opinion, commissioned by ESPP from Barry Love, accredited specialist in environmental law, Environmental Law Chambers, Scotland, concludes that the Waste Framework Directive is intended to take over the regulation of ABPs once they are destined for incineration. The Opinion concludes that it is incorrect to consider (as DG SANTE seems to do) that art. 32 of the ABP Regulation excludes use of Cat1 ash or materials derived from such ash cannot be used in fertilisers. The Opinion also suggests that appropriate incineration of Cat1 ABP material could be regarded as a “recovery operation” leading to End-of-Waste status if the resulting ash is used as a fertiliser or in fertiliser production, and that also that the ABP Regulations do not necessarily exclude the use of such fertilisers on fields grazed by animals. It is noted that the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) could bestow such EU End-of-Waste status (after modification of clauses in Annex II CMCs which currently exclude Cat1 derived materials, and subject to appropriate REACH registration), but such FPR End-of-Waste status would only apply to the final conformity-assessed fertilising product (not to intermediates, such as phosphoric acid, which could however obtain End-of-Waste status by some other route). In particular FPR CMC13 (Thermal Oxidation Materials and Derivates) currently excludes Cat1 ash and Cat1 ash was not discussed by Member States and experts during the JRC STRUBIAS process preparatory to this CMC (because it was excluded by DG SANTE). ESPP suggests that the proposed EFSA Opinion on Cat1 ash could redress this. The Legal Opinion notes that specific use limitations (e.g. grazing land) could be included in FPR Annex III (Labelling requirements) if considered appropriate by EFSA.

The Legal Opinion suggests that “if all that is currently standing in the way of” moving towards authorisation of Cat1 ash and derivates in EU fertilisers (in parallel to definition through the announced EFSA Opinion of conditions necessary to guarantee safety) “is that the Commission believes Cat.1-derived ash is a legal impossibility under the ABPR, then they must be prevailed upon to substantiate that position”.

The Legal Opinion concludes that DG SANTES’s position that Cat.1 ash cannot legally be used in fertilisers “is an unsupportable conclusion which fails to (i) acknowledge the lack of any express prohibition to that effect, (ii) address the interface between WFD and ABPR, and (iii) achieve the purposive result envisaged by the Circular Economy principles.“

Please see the full text of this Legal Opinion for detail: the above short summary is necessarily incomplete and imprecise.

“At the request of European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform LEGAL OPINION on ‘End of Waste’ and use of Cat 1 ABP incineration ash as fertiliser”, 13^th September 2022, Barry Love, LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Environmental Law), Dip.L.P, Solicitor, Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Environmental Law (2006-present), online at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

Fertiliser information

IFS FerTech Inform

The International Fertiliser Society (IFS, the fertiliser science organisation) has launched a knowledge base and information exchange forum on fertiliser production technologies. The knowledge centre provides introductory information on processes, chemistry, materials and equipment and a data base of in depth materials, including links to IFS Proceedings. The data base is supported by an interactive forum and a panel of experts. FerTechInform targets fertiliser industry technicians, managers and partners. Enrolment is 1 500 € per level and the training is validated by examination.

FerTechInform has been developed with input from the IFDC Fertilizer Manual ‘Green Book’, with other content provided by the European Fertilizer Blenders Association, Fertilizers Europe, European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform  (ESPP), Ammonia Energy Association, EasyMining, OCI Nitrogen, Prayon and Yara. https://fertechinform.org/

IFA Sustainable Fertilizer Academy

The International Fertiliser Association (IFA, the fertiliser global industry federation) has launched a virtual training curriculum on fertiliser industry sustainability. Two training levels are open: Introductory, Intermediate. Themes covered include application of sustainability to fertilisers, sustainable business and finance, circularity and nutrient recovery and recycling, fertiliser production, mining, green ammonia, waste management, emissions, plant nutrition, biodiversity and fertiliser use, food supply chains.

IFA ‘Sustainable Fertilizer Academy’. https://ifa-sfa.org/

Founding partners: University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Anglo American, CF Industries, GPIC, ICL, Ma’aden, Mosaic, OCI, OCP, QAFCO, Yara.

Phosphate in diet and health

Trends in US dietary P intake

Analysis of data 1988 – 2016 suggests that US average adult phosphorus intake rose by around 8% to c. 1.4 gP/person/day whereas intake of food additive phosphorus fell. The study uses US official survey estimates of intakes of different types of food and tables of P-content for each food type (both from NHANES US National Health and Nutrition Survey and WWEIA What We Eat in America, sampling around 5 000 persons annually), combined with industry-sourced information on levels of food additive P commercially used in each food type and market survey (Innova Market Insights) data on the % of each food type sold containing or not food P additives. Estimated mean P intake increased from 1.29 gP/person/day o, 1988-1994 to 1.43 in 2011-2012, then fell again to 1.4 g/person/day in 2015-2016, that is +8% from 1998 to 2016. Food additive P consumption peaked in 2011-2012 and fell to its lowest level of the period in 2015-2016, at c. 9% lower than in 1988-1994. When compared to mean body weight, which has increased in the US over the period, total P intake again peaked in 2011-2012 but was slightly lower in 2015-2016 than in 1988-1994. This is relevant in that dietary recommendations for P intake are generally expressed per kg body mass. The highest sources of dietary P are identified as cheese, pizza, chicken meat, milk and eggs, but in total these make up <20% of total P intake, however the paper eludes the point raised by other authors that food additive P is generally highly soluble and so is taken into the body, whereas only c. 60% of natural diet P is adsorbed (Noori 2010, Cupisi 2018). Food additive P was <12% of total dietary P intake in 2015-2016. The authors underline that the NHANES assessment of intakes of different food types (by questionnaire) can be unreliable, that the food table indicators of P content for different food types may also be unreliable, and that better data is needed on natural and food additive P in different foods.

This study was funded by the food additive industry (IFAC International Food Additive Council). The authors are with a food product marketing company.

“Trends in Total, Added, and Natural Phosphorus Intake in Adult Americans, NHANES 1988–1994 to NHANES 2015–2016”, K. Fulgoni & V. Fulgoni, Nutrition Impact LLC, Nutrients, 2021, 13, 2249. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072249

Diet phosphorus and certain health indicators

Total dietary phosphorus intakes show some weak correlations with blood phosphorus, weak correlations to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), improved bone density, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure. No correlations were found to mortality This is the second of two papers funded by the food additive industry (IFAC), with main authors from a food product marketing company, see above. This paper again analyses data from the US NHANES survey and estimates of food additive P and natural P in diet (see above). In this case, the estimated mean P intakes are compared to various health outcomes for which NHANES collects data. Total dietary P was significantly correlated to slightly increased blood phosphorus levels. Total dietary P was correlated to slight improvements in several health parameters, but with varying differences when considering food additive P or natural dietary P. Total and natural P were correlated to reduced total cholesterol and reduced LDL cholesterol (“bad”) but increased HDL cholesterol (“good”), whereas food additive P correlated to decreased HDL. Both forms of P intake correlated to reduced blood pressure (diastolic and systolic) and to improved bone density (femur BMC, femur BMD). Total dietary P and natural P correlated to slightly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) whereas food additive P correlated to a slight increase in CVD risk. It is noted that a number of previous studies show correlation of blood phosphorus levels (serum P) to CVD risk, probably resulting from artery hardening due to calcium phosphate precipitation and impacts of phosphorus concentrations on artery wall cells. No clear correlations between P intakes and mortality were shown, with some correlation appearing only after correction for certain covariates. The authors underline that in most cases the predicted health impacts of changes in dietary P intake are very small.

This study was funded by the food additive industry (IFAC International Food Additive Council). The first two authors are with a food product marketing company. T. Wallace presents himself as “America’s favorite food scientis”.

“Association of Total, Added, and Natural Phosphorus Intakes with Biomarkers of Health Status and Mortality in Healthy Adults in the United States”, K. Fulgoni, V. Fulgoni, T. Wallace, Nutrients 2022, 14, 1738. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091738

Blood phosphorus, alcohol metabolism, pancreatitis

Higher levels of blood phosphorus correspond to lower peak blood alcohol concentrations after alcohol intake. Low diet P in mice resulted in alcohol intake causing pancreatitis risk.

In Bramness et al. 2022, Twenty young male volunteers, after overnight fasting followed were given alcohol (vodka, 38%) 30 minutes after by a light breakfast, calculated (according to body weight) to reach blook alcohol concentration of 1.2%. Baseline (after fasting) blood serum P concentration was negatively correlated (albeit with scattering) to peak blood alcohol concentration (in this case, the first blood alcohol measurement one hour after intake) but not to alcohol elimination rate These results differ from a recent study using mice which found no correlation between serum P and peak blood alcohol concentration (Farooq 2021).

The Farooq study shows a different effect, in mice, which is that hypophosphatemia (low serum P), resulting from a low P diet, caused alcohol intake to lead to pancreatitis, with this effect being prevented by phosphorus intake along with the alcohol. 4 week old mice were given either a normal P-level diet (0.33% P in feed) or low P diet (0.02% P) for two weeks, then fed either alcohol, water, or alcohol plus P (Na₂HPO₄) for five days, with alcohol at 2.86 g ethanol / kg body weight (equivalent to human binge drinking). After five days, the mice showed serum P c. 1/3 lower for the low P diet. After the five days, pancreas cells in the low P diet mice showed significant increases in edema, serum analyse and lipase and pancreatic MPO (myeloperoxidase), indicators suggesting increased susceptibility to pancreatitis. In vitro tests showed that the low P diet mice pancreatic cells showed cytotoxicity to acinar cell function, with further tests suggesting that this is related to phosphorus regulation of intracellular calcium levels.

“Blood alcohol levels after standardized intake of alcohol are related to measured blood phosphate levels”, J. Bramness et al., Clinical Biochemistry in press 2022 DOI.

“The Role of Phosphate in Alcohol-Induced Experimental Pancreatitis”, A. Farooq et al., Gastroenterology 2021;161:982–995 DOI.

Research

Manure additive to reduce manure nitrogen and methane emissions

The EU has agreed to provide nearly 2.5 M€ funding to the “GasAbate N+” project, led by GlasPort Bio (Ireland), reducing GHG emissions during manure storage and increased anaerobic digestion renewable energy potential. Two chemicals are dosed (no capital investment is required) which inhibit certain specific microbial activity in the manure during storage, without affecting other microbes in the slurry. The chemicals are GRAS (generally regarded as safe) and have been extensively studied with their safety proven for humans, animals and the environment, with no environmental concerns over residues remaining in the slurry. The result is to inhibit release of methane and of other gases including ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. The project states that this can result in a 30% saving in N losses (so reducing farmers’ need to purchase mineral N fertiliser), a 98% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (methane and nitrogen gas compounds) and a 40% increase in biogas production if manure then goes to anaerobic digestion (carbon is retained in the manure, not lost as methane, so is available for methane production in the digester). These numbers are based on treatment of manure during 14 weeks storage.

The GasAbate technology is different from manure acidification, which is widely developed and is recognised as EU BAT (see ESPP-DPP-NNP Nutrient Recovery Technology Catalogue) in that the solution of GasAbate N+ is intended for use during slurry storage, increasing its utility as an organic fertiliser and as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion, whereas slurry acidification is intended for application during storage and/or during field application of slurry or digestate.

Preparatory tests using dairy slurry in 25 litre storage drums are reported in Thorn et al 2022. The GasAbate project is now at its mid-point. Trials have been carried out at dairy farms in Ireland where c. 80% reduction in methane emissions from stored slurry from a 200 head herd was achieved (publication pending). Further trials are planned in Europe and in the US and on pig slurry in Ireland.

“GasAbate N+: Additive Technology to Prevent Greenhouse Gas Emissions and to Enhance the Fertiliser and Bioeconomy Feedstock Value of Animal Manures and Slurries”, Horizon 2020 CORDIS and YouTube video. Contact email.

Eutrophication control measures reduce aquatic methane emissions

Freshwater eutrophic mesocosm studies showed lower methane emissions after soluble P removal using lanthanum or after dredging. 1.15 m diameter, 0.75 m depth, mesocosms (number not specified) were set up in July and filled with sediment and water from eutrophic Lake Wylerbergmeer, Netherlands, then monitored for 18 months. For phosphorus removal, LMB (lanthanum modified bentonite = ‘Phoslock’) was added in a 1:1 La:P_-available molecular ratio. Dredging removed the top 5 cm of sediment. Both diffusive and ebullitive (bubbles) emissions of methane were captured and measured. Physiochemical, plant and microbial community variables were measured. Diffusive accounted for most methane emissions in all cases. Dredging significantly reduced emissions, both in the first and in the second summers, whereas lanthanum dosing slightly increased methane emissions for the first summer, but then reduced emissions more than did dredging in the second summer. Methanogenic bacteria were related to surface water ammonia and oxygen and sediment porewater phosphorus levels. Total methane emissions were extremely different in the first and second summers, increasing from c. 5 in the first summer to around 150 mg-methane/m²/day in the second summer, so remained ten times higher in the second summer even after lanthanum treatment or dredging.

“Phosphorus control and dredging decrease methane emissions from shallow lakes”, T. Nijman et al., Science of the Total Environment 847 (2022) 157584 DOI.

Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash by thermochemical processes

Thermochemical treatment of sewage sludge ash (SSA) by microwaves (MW) promotes the formation of bioavailable CaNaPO₄, with limited reaction times and lower energy consumption. A MW absorber is added to the samples, while the chamber is composed of a secondary MW absorbent (susceptor) and a MW transparent material to benefit thermal insulation for the heat generated in the sample by the susceptor. SSAs (60% of sample mass) were added with sodium bicarbonate (25%), used as a sodium ion source to partially replace calcium ions in the phosphates, therefore increasing their solubility, and anthracite (15%), used as MW absorber. Samples (0.4 g) were placed in the dedicated chamber and inserted into the oven, and treated at 1000 W for 15 minutes. The thermochemical treatment increased P availability with respect to the corresponding raw samples, supporting the possibility of direct reuse of the obtained products as fertilisers. XRD analysis highlighted the formation of CaNaPO₄ in several samples, together with the formation of other P-containing crystalline phases (e.g., AlPO₄). In addition, the water solubility of Pb, Zn, and Cr was decreased after the treatment. Given that microwave energy requirements are not proportional to scale-up, the authors suggest that MW technology involves low energy consumption and CO₂ emission.

“A new breakthrough in the P recovery from sewage sludge ash by thermochemical processes”, L. Fiameni et al., Green Chem. Advance Article (2022) DOI

Overview of sewage sludge contaminants, thermal treatment and P-recovery

Based on over 200 references, contaminants in sewage sludge are discussed (heavy metals, nanoparticles, microplastics, pharmaceuticals …), thermal treatment routes and routes for P-recovery from ash are summarised. The authors note that sewage sludge can be a suitable fertiliser for agriculture, improving soil quality and preventing soil erosion, but raise concerns about possible impacts on soil, soil organisms, plants and the food chain, of contaminants present in sludge. Field evidence of impacts of organic contaminants is generally limited, but these have been shown to have effects in lab trials with soil and sewage sludge. For example silver nanoparticles can impact snails and silver can be taken up by plants (Courtois 2021). Microplastics can affect earthworms. PET microplastics can be broken down by snails and have negative effects on them (Song 2019). PFAS can accumulate in plants. ESPP notes that new EU Chemical Strategy announces restrictions on both PFAS and nanoparticles which should address these pollutants at source. The authors consider that the revision of the EU Sewage Sludge Directive should take into account research on organic pollutants in sewage sludge. Thermal treatment routes for sewage sludge are discussed: mono-incineration, co-incineration, pyrolysis and gasification (allothermal, autothermal). The authors’ previous paper (Moško 2021, ESPP eNews n°52) is cited concluding that pyrolysis above 600°C eliminates nearly 100% of most organic pollutants. The authors conclude that mono-incineration is a known and stable route for sewage sludge treatment and that several processes for phosphate recovery from the ash are today operational.

“Sewage sludge treatment methods and P-recovery possibilities: Current state-of-the-art”, M. Husek, J. Mosko, M. Pohorely, J. Environmental Management 315 (2022) 115090 DOI.

Testing bio-based coagulants for P-removal

The LIFE-NEWEST project tested two different bio-based chemicals for P-removal from wastewater, including a total of 45 months full-scale testing in four sewage works in Spain. First, a new chemically synthesised tannin-based polymer (see US patents US4558080 and US6955826) was tested. This however showed significant traces of formaldehyde, from the synthesis process, so was then replaced by a blend of bio-sourced organic polymers, presumably again based on tannin. This also had the advantage that these polymers were already REACH registered. ECOTAN T3 was used in four municipal sewage treatment works (Lloc nou d´en Fenollet, Beniganim, Ontinyent and Canalsat, near Valencia, Spain, managed by subsidiaries of Global Omnium) at the same dosage (mg/l) as ferric chloride for a total of 45 months operation, achieved somewhat poorer P-removal results, but respected the discharge consents in all cases (2 or 1 mg P_-total/l). Ferric achieved 0.5 mgP/l in one works but the bio-sourced coagulant did not (at the same dosage). The bio-sourced coagulants (at the same dosage as ferric) resulted in better sludge dewatering with lower flocculant polymer consumption, and higher biogas production, with no deterioration in sewage works organics removal (COD discharge). Testing of composted sewage sludge as fertiliser for orange and almond trees showed in most cases no difference between use of sludge with bio-sourced coagulant and use of mineral fertiliser.

LIFE-NEWEST LIFE16 ENV/ES/000156, “New urban wastewater treatment based on natural coagulants to avoid phosphorus pollution allowing mud’s agrivalorization”, Final Report 30/11/2021 project reports here.

Climate change: nutrient addition and warming affect soil P in grasslands

Nitrogen addition may promote P mineralisation and transformation of refractory soil inorganic P, while warming regulates plant acquisition and enzyme activity accelerating the P cycle. A meta-analysis of 68 publications (up to mid-2021) on changes in soil P in global grasslands under warming and N/P addition to fields showed that N addition reduced microbial biomass P (− 11 %) but increased litter P concentration (+ 16 %) and available P (+ 14 %), due to a promotion of plant growth leading to enhanced P mineralisation and conversion of refractory forms of soil inorganic P. Experimental warming regulates plant acquisition and enzyme activity, leading to a reduced microbial biomass P (− 11 %) and available P (− 7 %), but increased litter P concentration (+ 46 %). However, soil total P was not affected, as warming accelerated phosphatase and microbial activity, litter decomposition and returned P to the soil to maintain the balance of soil total P. P addition accelerated the immobilisation of microbial biomass P (+ 98%) and the solubilisation of inorganic P, leading to an increased available P (+ 222 %). Variations of available P due to nutrient addition and experimental warming were more sensitive in temperate grasslands than in alpine grasslands, and the responses of soil total and available P to nutrient addition depended on environmental conditions such as air temperature, precipitations and soil pH. The study provides evidence of how climate change may impact soil phosphorus.

“Nutrient addition and warming alter the soil phosphorus cycle in grasslands: A global meta‑analysis”, W. Hu et al., Journal of Soils and Sediments 22 (2022) 2608–2619 DOI

Annual and periodic P fertilisation in Chinese Inceptisols

18-year maize field trial suggests that periodic (rather than annual) P fertilisation results in improved soil fertility and prevents P loss from soil in the long term. Six treatments were applied, i.e., no N and P fertilisers; annual input of 0 kg P/ha, 25 kg P/ha, or 75 kg P/ha; periodic input of 150 kg P/ha or 450 kg P/ha every 6 years for three times (triple superphosphate, 45% P₂O₅ and 15% Ca). Both the annual and the periodic P fertilisation regimes provided sufficient P to meet the threshold of Olsen-P for maize (12 mg/kg Olsen P) in the tested soil. However, the periodic fertilisation resulted in a lower degree of P saturation and concentration of soil Olsen- and water extractable-P, but a greater P sorption capacity than those of the annual P fertilisation at the end of each 6-year period. ³¹P-NMR analyses highlighted an accumulation of organic P monoesters rather than immediately available orthophosphate when P was applied every 6 years. These organic P forms could be preserved in soil when mineral P addition is sufficient to sustain crop P uptake, and be mineralised in case of P shortage. Even though these results suggest that periodic fertilisation regime could improve soil P fertility and prevent P loss from soils in the long term, rainfall events subsequent to P application must be taken into consideration as they may increase the risk of incidental P losses.

“Periodic phosphorus fertilization is beneficial to lowering potential risk of phosphorus loss from Inceptisols”, Y. Wang et al., Journal of Soils and Sediments (2022) DOI

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ESPP members

The EU’s “Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production” (EGTOP) has confirmed its positive opinion that “recovered struvite” should be authorised in Organic Farming, but now widens this to other recovered precipitated phosphate salts. EGTOP also underlines that the “circular economy should be widely adopted in Organic Production” but with concerns about possible contaminants. EGTOP recommend that for precipitated salts from animal manure, this shall not be of “factory farming” origin. This new EGTOP Opinion thus recommends a wider and simpler inclusion of recovered precipitated phosphate salts into Organic Farming than did the EGTOP 2016 Opinion, which covered only struvite from municipal wastewater. The new Opinion effectively recommends that any recovered phosphate salt corresponding to the criteria of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 CMC12. However, it is NOT clear to ESPP whether EGTOP recommends (a) that also “derivates” (as defined in CMC12) should be included and (b) that the product must have obtained the CE-Mark (i.e., undergone Conformity Assessment as defined in 2019/1009 Annex IV). ESPP hopes that the European Commission (DG AGRI) will now move rapidly to add recovered precipitated phosphate salts to Annex II of the EU Organic Farming Regulation. ESPP does not understand why recovered “calcined phosphates” are not included in this new EGTOP Opinion, despite they were positively approved by EGTOP in 2016 at the same time and under the same conditions as recovered struvite.
EGTOP’s report on fertilisers (V), apart from recommending approval of recovered struvite and phosphate salts in Organic Farming, also provides various general and specific positions on nutrient recycling in Organic Farming. In discussion of struvite, EGTOP notes that if soils contain stores of phosphorus, it is preferable to increase soil P availability rather than adding P in fertiliser, but also notes (in discussion of “bio-waste”) that there is a lack of sources of phosphorus and nitrogen for Organic Farming. EGTOP underlines however that recycled materials may include contaminants “such as microplastics, heavy metals, veterinary drugs or pesticides”. In detail:

Bio-waste: EGTOP recommends modifying current wording of the Organic Farming Regulation (2021/1165) Annex II which allows use of “Composted or fermented mixture of household waste” to become conform with the Waste Framework vocabulary and read “Composted or fermented bio-waste”. "This effectively widens to organic wastes from gardens and parks and food wastes from restaurants, caterers, retailers (as well as households) and “comparable waste from food processing plants”. The term “bio-waste” is already used in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (CMCs 3 compost and 5 digestate).

Bone char: EGTOP recommends that “bone charcoal” (Animal Bone Char ABC from Hungary) be NOT authorised for Organic Farming. EGTOP note concerns about levels of PAH in this material, underline that bone meal is already authorised in Organic Farming and conclude “no clear advantage of using bone charcoal, but a certain (not precisely quantifiable) risk” and that “non-pyrolysed bone meal and other permitted alternative P-fertilisers should be used in preference”. EGTOP note that nitrogen is lost in pyrolysing bone meal, PAH are formed and that there are no concerns about pathogens if bone meal is used correctly, meaning that pyrolysis is not useful.

Phosphogypsum: EGTOP recommends that phosphogypsum be NOT authorised as a liming material in Organic Farming. EGTOP recognises the environmental interest of phosphogypsum use in Finland (locally available from phosphate rock processing, alternative minerals must be imported) but considers that phosphogypsum does not “strictly” meet the Organic definition of “plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin” because sulphuric acid is used in its production. EGTOP considers that use of industrial by-products can support the circular economy, but that phosphogypsum should be excluded because it is a by-product of mineral fertiliser production, and these fertilisers are not authorised in Organic Farming.

Iron phosphates: EGTOP recommended that ferric pyrophosphate be authorised for use in Organic Farming, as a plant production substance, not as a fertiliser. Ferric phosphate (iron (III) phosphate) is already authorised as a plant production product (Annex I, part 2). Both ferric phosphate and ferric pyrophosphate are used against slugs and snails.

EGTOP “Final Report on Plant Protection (VII) and Fertilisers (V)”, adopted 8-10 June 2022 here.
List of EGTOP committee members here.

The EU project PHOSTER aims to deliver a sustainable, replicable, and scalable circular economy solution (TRL 4) for the recovery of secondary minerals and metals from sewage sludge ashes and mining industry by-products to substitute primary critical raw materials (P, Mg) in the fertilisers manufacturing. The University of Ljubljana will re-design sewage sludge thermal treatment by setting the recovery of secondary materials as the first-priority design parameter. Politecnico di Milano will work to optimise wet chemical extraction of P from ashes. Magnesitas Navarras will investigate the best mining by-products to promote the co-precipitation of P and Mg (Politecnico di Milano). Timac Agro Italia will test the recovered materials, mixed with other raw materials, to develop fertilisers complying with relevant regulations and market demand. Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) will evaluate environmental and social impacts of the fertilisers obtained from the recovered products. The different processes will be optimised together to maximise beneficial impacts for crops and the environment. The PHOSTER project proudly became a member of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform in the view of networking with the most relevant stakeholders in Europe and of broadly disseminating the project concept and results.

PHOSTER is co-funded is within the ERA-MIN 3 framework. Project website https://phoster-project.eu/ and LinkedIn page.

Newsletter about nutrient stewardship - European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)

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EU consultations
EU consultation on nutrient management (INMAP) – open to 26^th August 2022
EU seeks input on Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) CMCs
EU consultation on Soil Health

Policy
Massive increase in biowaste recycling needed
EurEau calls for resources reuse from waste water

Organic Farming
EGTOP approves struvite (again)
EGTOP on nutrient recycling, biowaste, bone char, phosphogypsum
Action on other recycled nutrient materials in Organic Farming

Nutrient recycling
Kemira and Veolia to pilot test vivianite recovery from sewage
European Commission policy brief on “next-generation fertilisers”

Climate change
Climate change and lake eutrophication
Swiss lakes: climate change, nutrients and biodiversity resilience
Lake Balaton algal bloom linked to climate change
Extreme rainfall events and agricultural P losses

Research
Microplastics are taken up by and can be toxic to crop plants
Excessive sewage sludge land application linked to nutrient losses
Optimising economic incentives for P-recovery in livestock units
Long-term field trials suggest manure application can increase labile soil P
Analysis of sewage sludge options and costs in Austria
Algae recycling of fire extinguisher waste
Vivianite an effective catalyst for UV oxidation of pharmaceuticals

Stay informed

ESPP members

EU consultations

EU consultation on nutrient management (INMAP) – open to 26^th August 2022

Public consultation, open to individuals and to organisations, to 26^th August 2022, asks for opinions and proposals on nutrient policies, fiscal and regulatory tools, and on nutrient recycling. In addition to the questionnaire, supporting documents or proposals can be submitted.

ESPP has input stating that the key pillars of INMAP should be:

• reducing nutrient losses (Farm-to-Fork target)
• nutrient recycling (Circular Economy)
• R&I to support these objectives and to understand nutrient planetary boundaries and nutrient flows
• INMAP should ensure synergy between nutrients and other key EU strategies: climate change, sustainable and healthy diet (Farm-to-Fork strategy), water policy, including integrating nutrient recycling into the Sewage Sludge Directive, Critical Raw Materials (phosphate rock, phosphorus), Specific policies: Methane Strategy (biogas), Emissions Ceilings Directive (ammonia), Algae Initiative, Aquaculture, Soil Strategy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals policies (reducing contaminants), etc.

ESPP noted in comments:

• Facilitate Need for coherent policy and EU legislation on phosphorus.
• Fiscal and market tools to monetarise the environmental and social impacts of nutrient consumption and support nutrient recycling.
• Dietary shift. Healthier, more sustainable diets will have lower climate impact and reduce nutrient use in fertilisers and animal feed.
• Climate change. Address links between climate change and increasing nutrient losses and eutrophication; between nutrient losses and climate emissions.
• Implementation of Green Deal nutrient loss reduction targets and Water Framework Directive Quality Status obligations, and resulting water basin catchment plan actions, in CAP.
• Recycling of other nutrients should be considered.
• Absence of regulatory tools for nutrient recycling in most EU countries (only in Germany)
• Inadequate tools for nutrient recycling in Common Agricultural Policy
• Importance to implement EU ban on PFAS - a problematic contaminant for nutrient recycling
• Need for full-scale nutrient recycling demonstration projects
• Absence of EU End-of-Waste status for non-fertiliser uses of recycled nutrients and for materials recovered from wastewaters
• Obstacles from local regulators to factories wishing to take in waste materials (secondary nutrients) for recycling to partially replace virgin nutrient materials (operating permit)

ESPP’s detailed input on INMAP can be found on our website actions -> regulatory page
EU public consultation on INMAP, “Nutrients – action plan for better management”, open to 26^th August 2022, HERE.

EU seeks input on Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) CMCs

The European Commission has opened a survey, to 16^th September 2022, on possible additional waste or recycled materials for the EU FPR (Annex II CMCs), on possible additional biostimulants micro-organisms, or other amendments to existing CMCs. Input will be considered for a planned Commission study to identify potential new ‘CMC’ materials or biostimulants micro-organisms which offer significant trade potential, agronomic value and safety. Proposals for materials can either be materials falling outside existing CMCs (possible new CMCs to add into Annex II), modifications of input specifications for existing CMCs, or other processing methods for existing CMCs. Existing CMCs cover (with limitations) composts, mechanically-processed plant materials, food industry by-products (limited list), precipitated phosphates, ash-derived materials, pyrolysis/hydrocarbonisation materials, some by-products and recovered minerals (see consolidated Fertilising Products Regulation and Commission information sources document 23/5/2022 here). Before submitting input, you should verify the texts of existing CMCs 1-15. The survey asks to justify Circular Economy, environmental and resource aspects, agronomic efficiency, and to provide supporting data on regulatory aspects, scientific studies, market data, including estimating existing and potential use and trade volumes. The EU FPR states (art. 42) that the Commission can only modify the FPR Annexes to enable market access for products which “have the potential” (for) significant trade” at the European (not local) level and for which there is “scientific evidence” of safety to health and the environment and of agronomic efficiency. Submissions should therefore justify such potential. Proposals for modifications of Annexes I (PFCs), III (labelling) or IV (certification) can also be submitted.

EU survey on materials for CE-mark fertilisers “EU survey on possible future development of the FPR”, responses by 16^th September 2022 will be considered for upcoming EU study: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/possible_future_development_of_the_FPR 

EU consultation on Soil Health

EU public consultation, to 24^th October 2022, to support preparation of a future EU Soil Health Regulation. This general public questionnaire asks for opinions of individual citizens and organisations on the need for EU action on soil, causes of soil degradation, contaminated sites and soils, possible legal obligations requiring Member States to improve soil health and to stop net “land take” (loss of natural or agricultural land to urbanisation or infrastructure). A second part of the questionnaire (you will only access this if you tick “YES” after Q13) questions which parameters should be taken into consideration for soil health and at what level. Q17 (only accessible by ticking YES after Q13) specifically addresses the EU Green Deal target to reduce nutrient losses by 50% by 2030. ESPP will input underlining the importance of nutrient and organic carbon retention in and losses from soils – soil erosion, and the need to Integrate the EU Green Deal nutrient loss reduction target (halving of nutrient losses by 2030) into CAP Strategic Plans and conditionality of CAP farm subsidies, and into Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans
EU consultation, open the general public, companies, organisations, to 24^th October 2022, “Soil health – protecting, sustainably managing and restoring EU soils”, on development of EU policy on Soil Health LINK.

Policy

Massive increase in biowaste recycling needed

ECN (European Compost Network) “Data Report 2022” shows that today only 17% of the EU’s municipal solid waste (MSW) is separately collected and organically recycled as compost or in anaerobic digestion (AD), and that this must increase to 35% by 2035 to meet the EU’s overall target of 65% recycling of MSW. Already Member States must, by end 2023, separately collect biowaste at source. ECN estimates that the increase to 35% MSW organic recycling will increase employment in composting and AD from 7 – 12 000 full-time equivalent jobs today to 14 – 25 000 by 2035 (around 80% of this employment in anaerobic digestion). Currently around twice as much (tonnes) biowaste goes to composting as to AD. In 2035, biowaste compost could be applied at 10 t/ha/y to one third of eroded land in Europe (4% of EU arable land) to increase soil organic carbon (digestate not included).
ECN Data Report 2022 here.

EurEau calls for resources reuse from waste water

The European water industry federation, EurEau, has published a statement calling for policy changes to enable recovery of resources, in particular nutrients, and energy from waste water, in order to address geopolitical challenges and climate emission reduction objectives. The statement highlights phosphorus, potential nitrogen recovery, energy recovery, carbon reuse, cellulose, algae, polymers and carbon dioxide. The statement calls for six policy changes:

• Facilitate placing on the market of wastewater-recovered materials by aligning environmental legislation and circularity policy: REACH, End-of-Waste, Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, EU Fertilising Products Regulation …
• Control-at-source for polluting contaminants
• Research and innovation
• Funding of energy and nutrient recovery by waste water operators
• Energy and climate audits for wastewater treatment plants
• Incite economic and public demand for recovered materials

“Call for a European commitment to better reuse resources and energy from waste water. Public statement”, Eureau (European Federation of National Associations of Water Services.), 24^th June 2022 LINK. 

Organic Farming

EGTOP approves struvite (again)

The EU’s “Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production” (EGTOP) has confirmed its positive opinion (2016) that “recovered struvite” should be authorised in Organic Farming, but now widens this to other recovered precipitated phosphate salts (coherent with the EU Fertilising Products Regulation CMC12 definition - here). EGTOP recommend that for precipitated salts from animal manure, this shall not be of “factory farming” origin. This new EGTOP Opinion thus recommends a wider and simpler inclusion of recovered precipitated phosphate salts into Organic Farming than did the EGTOP 2016 Opinion, which covered only struvite from municipal wastewater. The new Opinion effectively recommends that any recovered phosphate salt corresponding to the criteria of the EU Fertilising Products Regulation 2019/1009 CMC12. However, it is NOT clear to ESPP whether EGTOP recommends (a) that also “derivates” (as defined in CMC12) should be included and (b) that the product must have obtained the CE-Mark (i.e. undergone Conformity Assessment as defined in 2019/1009 Annex IV. ESPP hopes that the European Commission (DG AGRI) will now move rapidly to add recovered precipitated phosphate salts to Annex II of the EU Organic Farming Regulation. ESPP does not understand why recovered “calcined phosphates” are not included in this new EGTOP Opinion, despite they were positively approved by EGTOP in 2016 at the same time and under the same conditions as recovered struvite
EGTOP “Final Report on Plant Protection (VII) and Fertilisers (V)”, adopted 8-10 June 2022 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/organic-farming/co-operation-and-expert-advice/egtop-reports_en 

EGTOP on nutrient recycling, biowaste, bone char, phosphogypsum

EGTOP underline that recycling of organic wastes is important for agri-food chain sustainability and that the “circular economy should be widely adopted in Organic Production” but underlines concerns about possible contaminants. EGTOP’s report on fertilisers (V) recommends approval of recovered struvite and phosphate salts in Organic Farming, and also provides various general and specific positions on nutrient recycling in Organic Farming. In discussion of struvite, EGTOP notes that if soils contain stores of phosphorus, it is preferable to increase soil P availability rather than adding P in fertiliser, but also notes (in discussion of “bio-waste) that there is a lack of sources of phosphorus and nitrogen for Organic Farming. EGTOP underlines however that recycled materials may include contaminants “such as microplastics, heavy metals, veterinary drugs or pesticides”

Bio-waste: EGTOP recommends modifying current wording of the Organic Farming Regulation (2021/1165) Annex II which allows use of “Composted or fermented mixture of household waste” to become conform with the Waste Framework vocabulary and read “Composted or fermented bio-waste”. "This effectively widens to organic wastes from gardens and parks and food wastes from restaurants, caterers, retailers (as well as households) and “comparable waste from food processing plants”. The term “bio-waste” is already used in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (CMCs 3 compost and 5 digestate).

Bone char: EGTOP recommends that “bone charcoal” (Animal Bone Char ABC from Hungary) be NOT authorised for Organic Farming. EGTOP note concerns about levels of PAH in this material, underline that bone meal is already authorised in Organic Farming and conclude “no clear advantage of using bone charcoal, but a certain (not precisely quantifiable) risk” and that “non-pyrolysed bone meal and other permitted alternative P-fertilisers should be used in preference”. EGTOP note that nitrogen is lost in pyrolysing bone meal, PAH are formed and that there are no concerns about pathogens if bone meal is used correctly, meaning that pyrolysis is not useful.

Phosphogypsum: EGTOP recommends that phosphogypsum be NOT authorised as a liming material in Organic Farming. EGTOP recognises the environmental interest of phosphogypsum use in Finland (locally available from phosphate rock processing, alternative minerals must be imported) but considers that phosphogypsum does not “strictly” meet the Organic definition of “plant, animal, microbial or mineral origin” because sulphuric acid is used in its production. EGTOP considers that use of industrial by-products can support the circular economy, but that phosphogypsum should be excluded because it is a by-product of mineral fertiliser production, and these fertilisers are not authorised in Organic Farming.

Iron phosphates: EGTOP recommended that ferric pyrophosphate be authorised for use in Organic Farming, as a plant production substance, not as a fertiliser. Ferric phosphate (iron (III) phosphate) is already authorised as a plant production product (Annex I, part 2). Both ferric phosphate and ferric pyrophosphate are used against slugs and snails.
EGTOP “Final Report on Plant Protection (VII) and Fertilisers (V)”, adopted 8-10 June 2022 here.
List of EGTOP committee members here.

Action on other recycled nutrient materials in Organic Farming

Companies wishing to see other recycled nutrient products considered for authorisation in EU Organic Farming need to propose a dossier to the European Commission via a Member State (national authority). ESPP has prepared outline proposals for the following:

• Calcined phosphates
• Recovered elemental sulphur
• Bio-sourced adsorbents used to treat wastewater
• Phosphorus-rich pyrolysis and gasification materials (inc. biochars)
• Algae and algae products grown to treat wastewater
• Vivianite
• Recovered nitrogen from off-gases.

See attached to DG AGRI reply of 9/8/22 to ESPP letter of 12/7/22 under ‘Organic Farming’ at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory

However, the European Commission (DG AGRI) will only move forward when a request is submitted by a Member State.

If you are interested to submit a request via a Member State, for one of the above or for other recycled nutrient products for authorisation in Organic Farming, ESPP can provide support.
Documents on ESPP website here.

Nutrient recycling

Kemira and Veolia to pilot test vivianite recovery from sewage

ViviMag® is a Kemira patented technology to recover clean Vivianite (iron (II) phosphate) by magnetic separation from sewage sludge or sewage sludge digestate. The technology was developed by WETSUS and Delft University, in cooperation with Kemira and the water industry The industrial automated pilot is installed at Schönebeck municipal wastewater treatment plant in Germany, by Veolia, since July 2022, and will process 1 m³/h of digested sludge, that is c. 15% of the sewage works’ total sludge production. The objective is to recover at least 50% of the total P inflow to the sewage works (proportional to the 15% of sludge treated). Dosing with iron salts is the most widely used and operationally reliable way to remove phosphorus from sewage and so prevent discharges into the environment, which is necessary to respect EU water quality legislation and to prevent eutrophication. Iron dosing is often used even with biological P-removal, to ensure very low P discharge consents. Anaerobic conditions (e.g. in sludge to biogas digesters) tend to convert iron (III) to iron(II), resulting in significant presence of Vivianite, which can be separated and recovered because of its magnetic properties. Vivianite has shown to be effective as an iron-providing fertiliser (see ESPP SCOPE Newsletter n°138), useful in calcareous soils with iron deficiency in parts of Europe. Phosphorus in Vivianite shows better plant availability than in iron (III) phosphate, but in soils Vivianite may tend to oxidise within hours to iron (III) phosphate. The success of the ViviMag project will therefore depend not only on the pilot-scale recovery trial at Schönebeck, and at other municipal wastewater treatment plants already planned, but also on identifying a viable industrial market and logistics for the recovered Vivianite.
Kemira – Veolia press release 16^th June 2022. 

European Commission policy brief on “next-generation fertilisers”

A 2-page (plus references) “Science for policy brief” issued by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) says recycled and organic fertilisers show smaller carbon footprints and reduce nutrient losses. The briefing says that the European Commission has set a goal of 30% reduction of non-renewable resources in fertiliser production. This refers to a Commission press release of December 2018 (IP_18_6161) which estimated that 30% of EU phosphorus imports could be replaced by recycling from sewage sludge, organic wastes or manure. The JRC policy brief underlines that nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium all face surging costs and supply disruption as a result of the war in Ukraine and international trade restrictions. Organic fertilising materials are indicated to have 78% lower greenhouse emissions (for N) and 41% lower (for P) than mineral fertilisers (based on digestate and compost in Havukainen et al. 2018, DOI). The brief notes that various promising technologies for nutrient recovery and novel fertiliser products are already being developed, but that further investment is needed in technical improvement, including for recovering both energy and nutrients from manures.
“The next-generation of sustainable fertilisers: a win-win solution”, European Commission JRC Science for Policy Brief, JRC130293, 2022 HERE.

Climate change

Climate change and lake eutrophication

Review paper shows that climate change is likely to accentuate lake eutrophication and algal bloom problems worldwide. Based on some forty references, this paper provides a summary of how increased nutrient inputs (eutrophication) can negatively impact lake ecosystems: decreasing water transparency, oxygen depletion, excess phytoplankton growth, accumulation of organic matter and phosphorus in sediments, loss of biodiversity. It is emphasised, as is well recognised, that the accumulation of phosphorus in sediments can render lake recovery very slow (decades) even after P inputs are reduced. Recent studies suggest that combined phosphorus and nitrogen can stimulate harmful algal blooms (HABs), so that reducing N inputs is also important. Studies show that climate change has already started to impact lakes, including increased surface water temperatures (increases of up to 1°C per decade found), increased water evaporation, reduced ice cover and changes of stratification and mixing. Surface water warming can extend the stratification season (when a layer of cooler, deep water does not mix with surface water). This can reduce nutrient upwelling, so in some cases reducing algal blooms, but can also lead to anoxic deep waters and reduced fish production. Offshore surface waters may also warm faster than near-shore waters, leading to ecosystem dysfunction. Climate change will also result in increased frequency and magnitude of exceptional events, such as high rainfall events and summer droughts which can lead to higher nutrient releases. Increases in wildfires also cause P and N losses to lakes.
“A global problem: trends in nutrient loadings of lakes with climate change and increasing human developments”, 4 pages, C. Marti, Hydrolink 2021/1, LINK.

Swiss lakes: climate change, nutrients and biodiversity resilience

Decades of data from five peri-alpine lakes show that climate warming reduces plankton food web connections, particularly under phosphorus loading. 24 – 43 years of monthly data from Lakes Baldegg, Sempach, Halwil, Freifensee and Surichsee covered, at different depths, abundance and taxa of phytoplankton and zooplankton (grazers of phytoplankton), phosphate (DIP) and water temperature. Over this period, these lakes have undergone significant re-oligotrophication (reduction of anthropogenic phosphorus inputs) whereas water temperature has risen by 0.6 – 2°C. The authors conclude from the data that water temperature increases cause non-linear changes to taxa interactions, modifying in particular populations of small grazers (rotifers, ciliates, mixotrophic dinoflagellates) and colonial cyanobacteria. This reduces trophic connections, making foodwebs less stable and more sensitive to changes in phosphorus concentrations.
“Climate change and nutrient fluctuations interact to affect ecological networks in lakes”, E. Merz et al., Nature Portfolio, preprint 2022 DOI.

Lake Balaton algal bloom linked to climate change

The major algal bloom in 2019, despite low P inputs, was probably caused climate-induced lake stratification, leading to deep-water anoxia and so P sediment release (internal P loading). Nutrient inflows to Lake Balaton (Hungary, 590 km²) have been successfully reduced by twenty-five years of eutrophication management actions, including sewage P-removal, agriculture negative P-balances and 70 km² of wetland reflooding. P-inflows (external P loading) prior to the 2019 algal bloom were generally below 2 mgP_-total/m² lake surface/day since 2000, compared to around three times higher in the 1980’s. The late summer 2019 algal bloom exceeded 300 mg -chlorophyll/m³ (50% higher than ever recorded in pre-management blooms) and was unusually dominated by Ceratium furcoides (dinflagellate) and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (blue-green). The bloom was preceded by two anoxic P-release pulses. The authors conclude that the bloom was the consequence of climate change, with temperatures leading to reduced lake mixing (stratification) and thus an ecological regime change. New management actions will be necessary to prevent such blooms reoccurring, such as modifying lake water levels.
“Record-setting algal bloom in polymictic Lake Balaton (Hungary): A synergistic impact of climate change and (mis)management”, V. Istvánovics et al., Freshwater Biology. 2022;00:1–16, DOI.

Extreme rainfall events and agricultural P losses

Data for the State of Wisconsin, for 15 years at the HUC8 level (medium size water basins = c. 50 in the State), comparing weather, livestock and crop data, show that river water total P and N increase after rainfall events. River water concentrations of both P_-total and ammonia-N increase immediately after rainfall events: +130% for P_-total and +75% for N_-NH4 after ≥ 2 inches of rainfall. For N_-NH4 the increase remains significant for only around three days, whereas P_-total remains significantly increased for four or more days. Also, the increase shows for N_-NH4 only in Spring – Summer, whereas for P_-total it shows all year round. The data suggests that nutrient runoff spikes are higher in areas with more cropland and smaller livestock units (rather than CAFOs = concentrated animal feed units). The authors conclude that climate change, which is expected to exacerbate high rainfall events, will significantly increase agricultural nutrient losses to rivers.
“Climate change and water pollution: the impact of extreme rain on nutrient runoff in Wisconsin”, M. Skidmore, T. Andarge & J. Folz, University of Illinois, conference paper 8/2022 LINK.

Research

Microplastics are taken up by and can be toxic to crop plants

Review of over 100 studies shows micro/nano plastics can be phytotoxic, impact plant growth and inhibit nutrient uptake, and can be found in crops, but impacts vary widely between different polymers and particle characteristics. Summarised studies cover a wide range of different plants, polymers, particle sizes, culture substrates and effects on plants. Tests often used high concentrations of microplastics (e.g. 2% w/w in culture substrate). Some studies show no effect, or even positive impacts (improved soil water retention due to microfibres), but most studies find phytotoxic effects, including reduced shoot or root growth, reduced biomass production, reduced photosynthesis. Microplastics can reduce plant nutrient uptake by adhering to the root surface or by oxidative stress to roots, but also by adsorbing nutrients and so reducing their availability in soils. Microplastics can modify essential mineral levels in plants (e.g. Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn), which may inhibit chlorophyll synthesis. They can inhibit seed germination by adhering to the seed. Studies confirm that microplastics can be taken up by plant roots and transported to above-ground plant tissue, so potentially entering the human food chain in crops.
“Micro(nano)plastics and terrestrial plants: Up-to-date knowledge on uptake, translocation, and phytotoxicity”, F. Wang et al., Resources, Conservation & Recycling 185 (2022) 106503 DOI.

Excessive sewage sludge land application linked to nutrient losses

Increasing sewage biosolids use to 130 kgP/ha/y – 320 kgN/ha/y correlated to increased river P and N concentrations. In 2013, new State regulations ended Class B biosolids (sewage sludge) application in most of South Florida, resulting in a significant increase in application in the Upper Saint John’s River Basin (USJRB, 4 600 km²). Both total P and N application in biosolids, and area of fields receiving biosolids were already increasing in USJRB 1998-2013, but from 2013 both increased considerably further, with total nutrient application increasing around 4x and receiving area increasing around 2x. Application rates thus rose from c. 80 to c. 130 kgP/ha/y after 2013 and nitrogen from c. 170 to c. 320 kgN/ha/y. River total nutrient loads after 2013 increased by +40 to +200% for P and +5 to +20% for N. The authors estimate that this corresponds to 0.5 – 2 % of increased biosolids P applied, 0.2 – 1% for N. ESPP suggests that the higher biosolids application rates, after 2013, are excessive, because they are much higher than agronomic P requirements (see e.g. here), and that this shows that sewage sludge land application should be strictly limited to not exceed crop nutrient needs (balanced fertilisation), in particular for phosphorus which is usually “limiting” for this.
“Trends in phosphorus fluxes are driven by intensification of biosolids applications in the Upper St. Johns River Basin (Florida, United States)”, A. Canion et al., Lake and Reservoir Management, 2022 DOI.

Optimising economic incentives for P-recovery in livestock units

Modelling of credits for P-recovery from manure in the Great Lakes area shows net economic benefit compared to eutrophication costs, but risk of favouring large livestock units. The study covers six US states in the Great Lakes basin, with a total of over 2 200 regulated CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations of > 300 animal units (one animal unit is defined as 1000 lbs of live weight). In two papers, firstly a fixed subsidy for P-recovery (22 US$/kgP, corresponding to estimated costs of eutrophication) and an obligation to implement in all regulated CAFOs is modelled, and secondly a system of P-credits tradeable between CAFOs with various P-credit prices. Combination with biogas production was also considered with prices of 30 to 120 US$/MWh. Biogas production impacts the choice of which P-recovery technology which is appropriate, and so its costs. With a fixed P-recovery incentive of 22 US$/kgP, capital costs (CAPEX) for P-recovery total 2.5 billion US$, or 5.2 billion if combined with biogas. Considering CAPEX, operating costs, value of recovered phosphates and the P-recovery subsidy, total net income for CAFOs is 230 million US$/year. However, the subsidy tends to favour larger CAFOs where economy of scale makes P-recovery and biogas production more cost-effective. Although this may be environmentally effective in reducing phosphorus losses and eutrophication, appropriate adjustment of the scheme to ensure fair incentives is necessary. At 22 US$/kgP incentive, P-recovery is net profitable for around 80% of CAFOs, representing around 2.3 million animal units (it is smaller CAFOs for which it is not profitable). The study concludes that total phosphorus recovery costs are lower than the economic impact of phosphorus releases to the environment, so that phosphorus recovery is not only environmentally but also economically beneficial.
“Analysis of incentive policies for phosphorus recovery at livestock facilities in the Great Lakes area”, E. Martín-Hernández et al., Resources, Conservation & Recycling 177 (2022) 105973, DOI.
“A geospatial environmental and techno-economic framework for sustainable phosphorus management at livestock facilities”, E. Martín- Hernández et al., Resources, Conservation & Recycling 175 (2021) 105843, DOI.

Long-term field trials suggest manure application can increase labile soil P

29 year maize field trial in China suggests that manure P fertilisation results in higher labile soil P than mineral P only. The trial was in “black soil” (loamy clay), pH 7.5, at Gongzhuling, Jilin Province, China, with a temperate continental monsoon climate. Fertilisers were applied as control (none), NK, NPK and NPK+manure. N, P and K were respectively applied at 165, 36 and 68 kg/ha/year, except in the NPK+manure treatment where total N was maintained at 165 kgN/ha/y, resulting in total P doubled to 75 kgP/ha/y and K to 145 kgK/ha/y. The P application rate in the NPK+manure treatment is thus very considerably higher than agronomic recommendations. Crop yield was significantly higher in the fertilised plots (compared to control) within ten years, and was significantly higher with P fertiliser (NPK, NPK+manure treatments, compared to NK only) in the second and third decades. Calculated soil P balance was negative and soil Olsen-P remained below the China environmental threshold level (50.6 mgP_-Olsen/kg) in all treatments except for NPK+manure, whereas soil P balance was positive and Olsen-P rose above the threshold in the third decade in the NPK+manure treatment. The proportion of labile soil P was also higher with additional manure application, suggesting that the application of organic carbon can increase soil P availability for crops.
“Effect of long-term fertilization on phosphorus fractions in different soil layers and their quantitative relationships with soil properties”, Q. Wang et al., J. Integrative Agriculture 2022 DOI.

Analysis of sewage sludge options and costs in Austria

Data from the 635 municipal wastewater treatment works (wwtps) > 20 000 p.e. in Austria (treating 98% of the country’s sewage) show LCA, costs and nutrient implications. Over 70% response rate for most parameters enables detailed analysis; Around 90% P-removal is achieved, mainly by chemical P-removal. Taking into account the fertilising efficiency in sewage sludge, only around 12% of P and 2% of N are currently usefully recycled. This is because 44% of P is currently landfilled in sewage sludge incineration ash (SSIA) or in sewage sludge used in “landscaping” (22%). Most N is lost in sewage works in denitrification (71%). Wastewater treatment contributes c. 0.3% of Austria’s total energy demand, with N₂O losses from sludge incineration being a potentially significant greenhouse emission if incineration increases (whereas these could be stripped from incinerator offgases). Greenhouse emissions from sludge treatment are highly variable, depending on site specific factors such as incineration efficiency, use of composted sludge in agriculture (fertiliser replacement value) or in landfill (no replacement value). Sewage sludge management and disposal make up 0.3 – 20 % of total wwtp costs. The analysis does not show clear differences between different sludge management routes, with variations depending rather on wwtp size, technology and local factors, but does provide a basis for future analysis and scenario development for phosphorus recovery options.
“Systematic data-driven exploration of Austrian wastewater and sludge treatment - implications for phosphorus governance, costs and environment”, A. Amann et al., Science of the Total Environment 846 (2022) 157401 DOI.

Algae recycling of fire extinguisher waste

Recycling of end-of-life mono ammonium phosphate (MAP) from fire extinguishers was tested by solvent treatment then use as fertiliser for microalgae growth. MAP is the main component of ABC fire extinguishers (see SCOPE Newsletter 127) and 100 000 t/y are generated as waste annually as fire extinguishers are serviced. The waste cannot be directly used as fertiliser because it is very fine powder and silicone-treated to ensure flow when used, rendering it problematic to handle and hydrophobic. In this study, eight different solvents were tested to render the waste power water-compatible, then it was tested for growth of several different freshwater and saltwater microalgae in 100 ml culture flasks. Several of these solvents showed to hydrophilise the extinguisher powder waste, rendering nutrients available for algal growth. Propan-2-ol = (CH₃)2CHO (isopropyl alcohol) was selected for further assessment. The extinguisher waste treated with this solvent showed not toxicity to algae, and with Chlorella MUR269 showed good growth, nitrogen and phosphorus removal, even up to 2 gP-PO₄/l. This solvent is readily biodegradable, but the fate of the silicone from the waste extinguisher powder is not indicated.
“Microalgae-based circular economy approach to upcycle fire extinguisher powder waste”, E. Nwoba, N. Moheimani, Resources, Conservation & Recycling 180 (2022) 106210, DOI.

Vivianite an effective catalyst for UV oxidation of pharmaceuticals

Synthetic vivianite was tested to catalyse degradation of tetracycline antibiotics by ultraviolet light and in synergy with peroxodisulfphate. Commercially purchased vivianite (= iron (II) phosphate [that is Fe²⁺] = Fe₃(PO₄)₂. 8H₂O – see SCOPE Newsletter n°138) was tested at 0.4g/l with LED UV light (c. 300 mW) and 10 mg/l of antibiotics, in otherwise clear water, pH 4.5, stirred. Three different antibiotics were tested: tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline. E. coli tests, the degradation products showed lower toxicity than the antibiotics. With ten minutes of UV, only 4 – 10% of the antibiotics were photolyzed. With addition of vivianite (no UV), 20 – 25% of antibiotics were removed, probably by adsorption, whereas with UV and vivianite this increased to 28 – 47%. PDS (peroxodisulphate, 1 mM) with UV (ten minutes) achieved removal of 47 – 55%. 95% - 100% elimination of the antibiotics was achieved by vivianite + PDS + UV. Addition of inorganic ions (chlorine, nitrate, sulphate, carbonate) showed to not significantly deteriorate the antibiotic removal rate. Because the optical absorption edge of vivianite is c. 442 nm, sunlight was also tested, and also showed near 100% antibiotic photolysis with vivianite + PDS + sunlight. In E. coli tests, the degradation products showed lower toxicity than the antibiotics. Tests showed that elimination remained at around 100% after five reuse cycles (reuse of vivianite and PDS) showing that these are acting as reusable catalysts. Iron leaching showed concentrations of iron of 0.2 – 1.4 mgFe/l (presumably showing some vivianite loss). The authors suggest that this could be an application for vivianite recovered from wastewater treatment. ESPP notes that further research would be necessary to test whether recovered vivianite shows the same photocatalytic behaviour and that the photolysis of antibiotics is likely to only be effective in “clear” water (allowing light penetration) relatively free of other organics.
“Effective elimination of tetracycline antibiotics via photoactivated SR-AOP over vivianite: A new application approach of phosphorus recovery product from WWTP”, X-H. Yi et al., Chemical Engineering Journal 449 (2022) 137784, DOI. 

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