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

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Fertieuropa (part of the SADER Group), based in Ribadeo (Spain) and manufacturing in Bilbao, is specialised in complex fertilisers (NPK) producing different formulas to satisfy a wide variety of crops based and depending on different regional crop needs. Phosphorus is an essential part of fertiliser production, with a very important role in the future of agriculture. Consumption of phosphorus fertilisers will increase in the future to ensure food production, but mined phosphate rock resources are limited. New methods and technologies for recovery and recycling phosphorus must be developed in order to satisfy the needs of the market without damaging the environment. For Fertieuropa, participation in the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform will provide the chance to learn about this theme, develop new ideas and participate in projects that promote the circular economy and ensure at the same time high-quality products.

Fertieuropa website www.en.fertieuropa.com/lang

One of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP)’s objectives is to be a hub for networking, for exchange of information and for interaction between research and industry. This SCOPE special edition aims to identify and summarise some of the most significant, recent, scientific publications into phosphorus stewardship. The following list of papers are summarised.

Download SCOPE Newsletter # 128

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The summary of the 3rd  European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference (ESPC3), Helsinki, 11 - 13 June 2018 is now published in ESPP SCOPE Newsletter no 127:
www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SCOPE127

The ESPC3 was co-organised by Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) and ESPP, bringing together nearly 300 participants from 30 countries, significantly increased from ESPC1 (Brussels 2013) and ESPC2 (Berlin 2015).

You will find the all outcomes here including summary, presentations, conclusions and posters.

The 3rd European Nutrient Event (ENE3) will take place at the ECOMONDO 2018 green technology expo, 8 - 9 November 2018, Rimini, Italy www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3 
Rimini, on the Adriatic coast, is only 1h45 train from Bologna airport and 2h10 train from Milan central.

ENE3 is Jointly organised by the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) and SMART-Plant (Horizon 2020 research project).

Day 1: phosphorus and nutrient recycling in Italy and the Mediterranean region, the new Italian Phosphorus Project. Presentations by: Italian Ministry of Environment and Protection of Land and Sea, ESPP, European Commission DG Research, key Italian institutes, EurEau, ISLE Utilities, OSTARA, CNP Cycles, Veolia, Suez, EasyMining, Outotec, Aqualia, Assofertilizzanti, Confagricoltura, ITALPOLLINA, Lombardy Region, CAP Holding.

Day 2: new nutrient recycling R&D projects, updates on current major projects, nutrient management in Horizon Europe, potential “Mission on Nutrients”. Presentations by: European Commission DG RTD and EASME. Project presentations by:
H2020 funding: AgroCycle, Circular Agronomics, HYDROUSA, INCOVER, Pegasus, PFeWTR, Run4Life, SABANA, SYSTEMIC, Water2Return
INTERREG funding: BEST, No_Waste, NuReDrain, Phos4You, SEABASED
LIFE funding: DOP, Newbies, Trialkyl, Vitisom
Other: BiofuelcellAPP, HTC, MIND-P, PARFORCE, RAVITA, StraPhos, ViviMag

Register here: www.eventbrite.it/e/3rd-european-nutrient-event-registration-49310903239 (free ECOMONODO ticket included)
See updated programme here: www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3 

Nearby the interest to exchange between different R&D projects addressing nutrient recycling (H2020, BBI, LIFE+, INTERREG, national, industry funded projects), technology providers and users, the objective of the meeting is to define together the need for action to foster nutrient recycling in Europe. This will be concretised in the publication of the proceedings and conclusions of the event, including a short presentation of all participating R&D projects. With the support of DG RTD, and P-REX (FP7 project), a similar event related to phosphorus recycling was organised in March 2015 leading to publication of the proceedings and conclusions by the European Commission: http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/circular-approaches-to-phosphorus-pbKI0115204.
Outcomes the 2nd European Nutrient R&D event (Basel, Switzerland) last year can be found at: www.phosphorusplatform.eu/R&D

The launch of the Czech Republic Phosphorus Platform (CPP) was announced at the 3rd European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference (ESPC3, 11-13 June 2018, Helsinki) by Jindra Duras (Vltava River Authority) who presented a poster (online here). CPP is as an initiative five first members: Two represent River Authorities (two of the five Authorities in Czech Republic) and advocate vision to control eutrophication of freshwaters. One member is interested in progress of new technologies for waste water treatment plants (ASIO) and two are from research, relating to the circular economy. CPP is open to new members and to new ideas and topics. The Platform project aims to engage government, other river basin authorities, universities, sewage treatment operators, industry, research and NGOs to develop actions to raise awareness about phosphorus losses, mitigation and recycling.

Website of Czech Republic Phosphorus Platform www.fosforovaplatforma.cz and email address of Jindra Dura  

Poster presentation of CPP at ESPC3 www.phosphorusplatform.eu/images/Conference/ESPC3/Outcomes/ESPC3-poster-Czech-Repulic-Phosphorus-Platform.pdf

The 12^th European Waste Water Management Conference (EWWM), Manchester (AquaEnviro), addressed a range of questions about water treatment, including tomorrow’s challenges of phosphorus removal to stringent discharge consents and of emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, antimicrobial resistance, organic chemicals, microplastics). The conference brought together around 230 participants, mainly from water companies and technology suppliers.

Chris Thornton, European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP), opened the conference session on phosphorus (P), by summarising the pressures to remove phosphorus from wastewater and the developments towards phosphorus recovery and recycling. He underlined opportunities including the proposed new EU Fertilisers Regulation, EU R&D funding and projects, the draft EU Water Reuse Regulation, the Water Framework Directive review, the pending EU pharmaceuticals strategy, technology transfer and flexible consent permitting. A key and pressing challenge however is the questioning of use of sewage biosolids in agriculture, both from regulators and from supermarket or food industry purchasing criteria, driven by negative perceptions around contaminants

Complete reporting of the phosphorus session can be found in ESPP eNews 26: www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews026

The 3rd European Nutrient Event (ENE3) will take place at the ECOMONDO 2018 green technology expo, 8 - 9 November 2018, Rimini, Italy
www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3 Rimini, on the Adriatic coast, is 1h45 train from Bologna airport and 2h10 train from Milan central.

Day1: phosphorus and nutrient recycling in Italy and the Mediterranean region, the new Italian Phosphorus Project.
Day 2: new nutrient recycling R&D projects, updates on current major projects, nutrient management in Horizon Europe, potential “Mission on Nutrients”.

Register here: www.eventbrite.it/e/3rd-european-nutrient-event-registration-49310903239 (free ECOMONODO ticket included)

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

Please subscribe www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Subscribe 
Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews026
Download as PDF

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The PeGaSus research project (Phosphorus efficiency in the chicken Gallus gallus and pig Sus scrofa), 2017-2020, will look at the fate of phosphorus in livestock production (in fodder, animals, microbiota, manure slurry, soil and water), model phosphorus management strategies and policy measures, carry out livestock trials of different feed strategies and alternative phosphorus feed sources and laboratory studies to characterise biological factors impacting phosphorus utilisation, assess phosphorus recycling potential (manure, bone meal), model phosphorus deficient/surplus areas within selected eutrophication Sensitive Areas, and propose policy measures to reduce phosphorus losses and increase recycling. PEGaSus is a project within the European Research Area NETwork on Sustainable Animal Production (ERA-NET SusAn), a network of 36 national research councils, national food and food safety agencies or similar, agricultural ministries and other organisations, which pool funds for transnational calls for research into sustainable animal production.

PEGaSus www.pegasus.fbn-dummerstorf.de and www.sei.org/projects-and-tools/projects/pegasus-phosphorus-management-eu SusAn (European Research Area on Sustainable Animal Production) www.era-susan.eu

The ESPP catalogue of nutrient recycling and stewardship research, development and innovation projects has been updated and can be downloaded here.

Please put your R&D project to the list, complete gaps and send corrections if necessary and send you input to

You can find complete information about the ESPP R&D activities at our R&D website section: www.phosphorusplatform.eu/R&D

The ESPP stakeholder meeting, Brussels, 5th September 2018, showed a shared concern that the new EU Fertilisers Regulation be rapidly finalised. The meeting also showed general satisfaction with progress on many questions on STRUBIAS, that is the proposed EU-fertiliser criteria for recovered phosphate salts, ashes, biochars (which should be integrated into the new Fertilisers Regulation once this is adopted). Presentations by Fertilisers Europe (mineral fertilisers), ECOFI (organo-mineral fertilisers), Growing Media Europe and EFPRA (animal by products) outlined the importance of the new Fertilisers Regulation for the Circular Economy, progress made, and the need to resolve some outstanding questions (by-products, conformity assessment procedures, …). Companies and industry federations present called on ESPP to catalyse joint action to ask decision makers (European Parliament, Member States in Council) to finalise the Fertilisers Regulation, because companies need it to enable development of new recycled nutrient products and to remove obstacles to placing Circular Economy fertilising products on the market. The importance of maintaining the European Commission “delegation” to adjust Regulation annexes to take into account innovation and new data was underlined by all. Workshop discussions between stakeholders and a webinar with direct dialogue with JRC Seville underlined the considerable positive progress made in the new “Pre-Final” STRUBIAS report (online at www.phosphorusplatform.eu) and identified some significant outstanding questions: need to not exclude Cat1 Animal By-Product Ash (this would block a major phosphorus recycling route which is today operational in the UK, Portugal, The Netherlands, Switzerland …), sewage sludge as input to biochar/pyrolysis/gasification (need for data to show safe elimination of organic contaminants), absence of justification for 3% organic carbon limit for recovered phosphate salts (for coherence, refer instead to limits for “Mineral” and “Low-Carbon” fertilisers in PFCs), proposals for clarification of wording to make understanding easier for industry and users. One important question raised has much wider impacts for implementation of the new Fertilisers Regulation. JRC proposes definitions of “derivates” and “intermediates”, that is chemical processing of a recovered material to produce a fertilising product. This is essential, as was emphasised by ESPP in response to the first STRUBIAS proposals last year: safety criteria for ashes used directly on fields (which must be safe and have agronomic value, e.g. animal by-product disposal ash, poultry manure ash) are different from criteria for ash which is chemically reprocessed (contaminants removed, nutrient forms modified). JRC’s proposal is very positive, but dialogue is needed with industry and legal experts to ensure that the wording is legally unambiguous and compatible with real case examples of recycling – production processes and chemicals used.

JRC “Pre-Final” report and proposed Fertilisers Regulation criteria for recovered phosphate salts and derivates (including struvite), for thermal oxidation materials and derivates (ashes) and for pyrolysis & gasification materials (including biochars). Available for comment at www.phosphorusplatform.eu Deadline for input = final STRUBIAS working group meeting, Sevilla, 25th September. Working Group Members (only) can submit comments until 14th September. So you should ensure that you get your comments to Working Group Members (e.g. ESPP) before then (comments should specify to which line number of report they refer).

JRC webinar presentation, speakers slides and key points from STRUBIAS stakeholders workshops on phosphate salts, biochars and ash criteria: www.phosphorusplatform.eu

Comments on STRUBIAS Pre-Final Report to:

The European Commission has opened a public consultation, to 19th October 2018, on how the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWT 91/271/EEC) has affected sewage collection and treatment and contributed to the quality of water bodies and the environment. The objectives are to gather general public views and also expert opinion and detailed information, in addition to the first consultation which took place already in 2017. ESPP will respond to the consultation, based on our input to this first consultation (9/11/2017). We invite you to both respond directly online to the EU consultation and send any comments to ESPP to include in our input (comments on our 2017 input)

EU “Public consultation on the Evaluation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive” open to 19th October 2018 https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations/public-consultation-evaluation-urban-waste-water-treatment-directive_en

ESPP input to 2017 consultation on the UWWT Directive www.phosphorusplatform.eu/images/download/ESPP-input-UWWTD-consultation-SUBMITTED-TEXT%209_11_17.pdf

ESPP has commissioned an independent journalist to prepare an outline “Mission” on nutrients, to input to the EU FP9 (Horizon Europe) R&D programme preparation process. This document is based on input received from stakeholders consulted by SYSTEMIC, Biorefine, ESPP, ESPC3 and INMS (international nitrogen management system). The two page synthesis was submitted to the European Commission on 20th July 2018 in order to start discussion, and aims to provide an accessible overview, for strategic consideration in the EU programme content definition process. You are invited to already contact your National R&D Contact Points (list here: https://erc.europa.eu/national-contact-points) to ask them to support towards the EU the inclusion of nutrients in FP9 Horizon Europe. Input and comment is welcome to adjust and develop this nutrients Mission proposal.

“Proposal for a Horizon Europe mission on nutrients. Grand challenge: Healthy people and planet. Mission: To halve the nutrient footprint of food by 2030, for more resilient farms, healthier diets and a better environment” www.phosphorusplatform.eu/R&D Comments and input welcome to

European Commission proposed legislative text for FP9 Horizon Europe, 7th June 2018
https://ec.europa.eu/info/designing-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme/what-shapes-next-framework-programme_en

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

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Link to www.phosphorusplatform.eu/eNews025
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On 1st June 2018, the European Commission published the legislative proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2020. Objectives are announced as fairer funding targeting (including limiting payments to 100 000 € per farm), higher environment and climate action objectives (in particular: preserving carbon rich soils such as wetlands, obligatory farm nutrient management tool, crop rotation) and tighter food safety (reducing pesticides, antibiotics). Art. 3 fixes that Member States shall establish a system of “Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients” and this is specified in Annex III “Rules of conditionality” (GAEC 5) – see detail below. The payment conditionality requirements (Annex III) also include (SMR 1) respect of the EU Water Framework Directive (and specifically “Article 11(3)(e) and Article 11(3)(h) as regards mandatory requirements to control diffuse sources of pollution by phosphates”) and (SMR 2) respect of the EU Nitrates Directive, as well as (GAEC 4) buffer strips (both within and outside Nitrate Directive Vulnerable Zones), tillage management (GAEC 6) and no bare soil in most sensitive periods (GAEC 7). Nutrients are also included in the CAP indicators (Annex I): “I.15 Improving water quality: Gross nutrient balance on agricultural land” and “1.16 Reducing nutrient leakage: Nitrate in ground water - Percentage of ground water stations with N concentration over 50 mg/l as per the Nitrate directive”.

In Annex III, footnote 2, it is specified that the Farm Sustainability Tool for Nutrients “shall provide at least for the following elements and functionalities”:

a) Elements

• Relevant farm information based on LPIS and IACS (Integrated Administration and Control System and Land Parcel Identification System);
• Information from the soil sampling, on an appropriate spatial and temporal scale;
• Information on relevant management practices, crop history, and yield goals;
• Indications regarding legal limits and requirements relevant to farm nutrients management;
• A complete nutrient budget.

b) Functionalities

• Automatic integration of data from various sources (LPIS and IACS, farmer-generated data, soil analyses etc.) as far as possible, to avoid data input duplication for farmers;
• Two-way communication between PA/MAs and farmers allowed;
• Modularity and possibility to support further sustainability objectives (e.g. emissions management, water management)
• Respect of EU data inter-operability, openness and re-use principles;
• Guarantees for data security and privacy in line with best current standards.

The CAP legislative proposal will now go to discussion by European Parliament and Council, a process in which stakeholders (including ESPP) will make input and representations.

* Annex III conditionality definitions: SMR = Statutory Management Requirement and GAEC = Standards for good agricultural and environmental condition of land
Legislative text proposal for a Regulation “establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the Common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) …” COM(2018) 392 final and 2018/0216 (COD), 1st June 2018 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A392%3AFIN and presentation page https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/future-cap_en

The European Commission JRC has circulated the pre-final STRUBIAS report, proposing EU Fertilisers Regulation criteria for phosphate salts and struvite, biochars - pyrolysis and gasification materials, and thermal oxidation materials (ashes). JRC has circulated the report to members of the official STRUBIAS Working Group and it can be consulted on the ESPP website here. It will be presented and discussed, as well as an update on the EU Fertilisers Regulation proposal, at the stakeholder meeting organised by ESPP in Brussels on 5^th September. Please note that JRC will only accept comments on this report from members of the STRUBIAS Working Group (this includes: ESPP, DPP and several other ESPP members), so we invite comments to by 3^rd September latest.

This “pre-final” report (450 pages …) includes report, annexes, market study and (pages 34-39) proposals for CMC requirements, labelling and conformity assessment for EU Fertiliser label eligibility of STRUBIAS materials (and for materials derived from them). The 450-page document was circulated on 13^th August, and ESPP is now only starting its analysis. Many of the comments made on the “interim” and “market” reports of 2017 are taken into account and JRC has clearly done a lot of work to do this. ESPP wishes to express our recognition and appreciation of this. Many aspects of the proposed criteria for the STRUBIAS materials are considerably different from the 2017 version, taking into account comments, and in ESPP’s view greatly improved. ESPP already notes the following proposals (as we understand it so far … our analysis is still underway):

• Sewage and sewage sludge are accepted as input materials for phosphate salts and for ashes, but not for biochars;
• Raw manure is accepted as input substrate for all three STRUBIAS materials;
• For all phosphate salts and all ashes, the criteria are widened to include “derivate” materials, that is: not only direct use of e.g. struvite or ash onto fields as a fertiliser or liming material (after granulation or blending), but also use of these materials as inputs to fertiliser production processes (with chemical processing);
• This chemical processing can include reaction with any “intermediate” (as defined in REACH: any substance produced for and consumed in chemical processing to produce another substance), without any specific (additional) REACH registration requirements for these intermediate chemicals;
• Phosphate salts (e.g. struvite) precipitated from industrial wastewaters (e.g. fertiliser industry, phosphate rock processing, biofuel production…) appear to be excluded;
• No nutrient plant availability criteria are specified for any of the STRUBIAS materials – this avoids duplicating the proposed Fertiliser Regulation product function categories (PFC) criteria which define such criteria for fertilisers (or neutralising and reactivity criteria for liming materials);
• Minimum phosphorus content of phosphate salts = 16% P₂O₅, maximum organic carbon = 3%, minimum dry matter = 90%;
• Maximum iron + aluminium content of phosphate salts = 10% (Fe+Al);
• Cat1 Animal By-Product ash is excluded, despite being a known, effective, safe and significantly used fertiliser product;
• For most ashes, the only specific contaminant limits (beyond those applicable to all products in PFCs) are limits for chlorine, for PAH (poly aromatic hydrocarbons) and for dioxins (PCDD/F);
• Similarly, the only specific limits for pyrolysis materials are chlorine, PAHs, dioxins and PCBs;
• A PAH limit is fixed for phosphate salts precipitated from sewage;
• No minimum temperature is defined for biochar – pyrolysis – gasification processes: the H/C_org ratio < 0.7 (under specified testing conditions) is considered sufficient to show that the process ensures pyrolysis;
• All three STRUBIAS materials will be under Module D1 (Annex IV) conformity assessment procedure, that is production process quality assurance system is required, with a quality control system which is validated by a national notified body.

The above are points initially identified by ESPP. These remain to be verified and completed, for which your input is important. Overall, the report concludes that “many STRUBIAS materials provide plants with nutrients, especially P, with a similar agronomic efficiency to mined phosphate rock and processed P-fertilisers”, that they provide an “added value material” for both conventional European agriculture and organic farming, and that they offer the potential to replace 17-31% of mineral phosphate fertilisers” in Europe.

“Pre-final STRUBIAS Report. DRAFT STRUBIAS recovery rules and market study for precipitated phosphate salts & derivates, thermal oxidation materials & derivates and pyrolysis & gasification materials in view of their possible inclusion as Component Material Categories in the Revised Fertiliser Regulation”, European Commission (JRC), circulated 13^th August 2018, download online at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory comments to ESPP by 3rd September 2018 and discussion at stakeholders meeting Brussels and webinar 5^th September www.eventbrite.ca/e/eu-fertilisers-regulation-and-strubias-tickets-47156434164

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

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Several Horizon 2020, INTERREG and LIFE EU research funding calls are open or will be opened soon for which nutrient recycling and stewardship fits in. Seven open calls under Horizon 2020 at this moment are related to the biobased industry (BBI) with a submission deadline soon of 6 September 2018, with two focused specifically on nutrients. One call (BBI.2018.SO1.D2) has a focus on finding solutions to dilution, pollution and content diversity challenges to turn mixed urban bio-waste into sustainable feedstock for the bio-based industry. The other call (BBI.2018.SO3.D4) has a focus on producing biopesticides or bio-based fertilisers as components of sustainable agricultural management plans.The other five calls have more general biobased industry focus.

Other interesting Horizon 2020 calls with a focus on nutrients should be published on 16 October 2018, with a submission deadline 23 January 2019. These calls will focus on closing nutrient cycles (CE-RUR-08-2018-2019-2020), high-quality organic fertilisers from biogas digestate (CE-SFS-39-2019), circular bio-based business models for rural communities (CE-RUR-10-2019), integrated water management in small agricultural catchments (SFS-23-2019), and sustainable European aquaculture 4.0: nutrition and breeding (DT-BG-04-2018-2019). A call on building a water-smart economy and society including reuse of wastewater and recovery of nutrients (CE-SC5-04-2019) should open 14 November 2018, submission deadline 19 February 2019.

In the same period several calls will be opened with a focus on more sustainably primary and secondary sourcing of critical raw materials (CRMs, e.g. phosphate rock and white phosphorus) and on soil management. INTERREG North Sea region and North West Europe region have submission deadlines in September and November 2018 respectively. The Integrated Projects and Preparatory Projects under the LIFE sub-programmes for Environment have deadlines in September 2018. Horizon 2020 SME instrument has cut-off dates in October, February, May and September.

ESPP is interested to collaborate in existing and upcoming research projects and can help in networking, dissemination and communication activities. Please contact Kimo van Dijk for more information and possibilities (). See our ESPP list of EU research funding calls and the ESPP list of running and finished EU and national funded nutrients research projects.

ESPP list of EU research funding calls www.phosphorusplatform.eu/images/download/ESPP-list-nutrient-related-EU-research-funding-calls-2018-07-13.pdf

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

Contact for ESPP research, development and innovation activities Kimo van Dijk

The European Commission (Joint Research Centre, JRC) has published a call for field testing sites to sample and analyse drainage/runoff waters following applications of manure (or compost, digestate, etc from manure). The activity can be embedded into ongoing field trials. JRC will cover full costs of sampling: 5 - 10 litre samples will be required, from ground and surface water, samples will be collected, stored and shipped according to JRC specifications and with supplied sampling equipment. JRC will ensure analysis and data evaluation. This is part of the JRC study to support DG Environment work on “manure in a processed form” under the Nitrates Directive. JRC’s stated objective is to assess possible risks of veterinary medicinal products (VMPs), including anti-microbial resistance (AMR), veterinary antimicrobial agents (AMA) and biocides (used for stable disinfection) following application of manure and processed manures. JRC considers that there is a data gap on the drainage of nutrients which have been irrigated with wastewater or fertilised with animal manure (or derived biosolids, such as compost or digestate). It would seem appropriate to also collect samples of the applied manure/biosolids, and to have ‘control’ fields (without application), but these are not specified in the JRC call. Given that the JRC call identifies a data gap, it would also be appropriate for any party having relevant existing data to JRC – email below (data or publications on nutrients and contaminants in runoff/ground water following manure or biosolids application, in particular for VMPs and AMR). Analysis of such existing data could, presumably, modify JCR’s specifications for possible field sampling.

Deadline to propose field sampling sites to JCR = 31^st August 2018 to “Call for participation in an EU-wide monitoring campaign of manure” 31^st May 2018 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/science-update/call-participation-eu-wide-monitoring-campaign-manure (includes link to Participation Form) and “EU-wide monitoring of manure supporting the development of safe processed manure criteria”, 31^st March 2018, Joint Research Centre JRC Ispra, Water and Marine Resources Unit https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/jrcsh/files/20180531-notice_of_call_expression_of_interest.pdf

ESPP and the EU Horizon 2020 project SYSTEMIC are collecting data, scientific reports or other relevant information to input into the EU study launched on (nitrogen-containing) recycled nutrient products produced from manures. This study aims to inform the European Commission as to which products might be exempted from limitations applicable to “manure in a processed form” under the Nitrates Directive. Objectives of this study are summarised below (SYSTEMIC workshop article).

Submission of existing data or publications on nutrients or contaminants in runoff or groundwater following application of manure, processed manure or biosolids – by 29^th July latest – to SYSTEMIC and ESPP If product or trial information is confidential, please contact these emails so that we can arrange direct transfer under confidentiality agreement to JRC.

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

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ESPP is organising a stakeholder meeting to discuss the EU Fertilisers Regulation and STRUBIAS, 5^th September 2018, all day in Brussels. The meeting will update on trilogue progress on the Fertilisers Regulation and outstanding issues, questions around implementation, accompanying standards. The meeting will include a webinar with JRC, 14h00 – 15h30, to discuss the draft final STRUBIAS report proposing EU Fertiliser Criteria for recovered phosphate salts and struvite, biochars and pyrolysis materials, and ashes (used directly as fertilisers, or used as ingredients in fertiliser production processes). This will enable preparation of the final STRUBIAS Working Group meeting, 25-27 September (closed meeting, STRUBIAS WG members and Member States only).

Wednesday 5^th September 2018, Brussels, 9h00 – 17h15

Programme here.

• update on triloue progress on the EU Fertilisers Regulation and outstanding issues, e.g. mineral and organic by-products, definition of mineral and low-carbon fertilisers, contaminant limits, animal by-products (ABPs CMC11) …
• questions around implementation (3 year period?), guidance and accompanying standards
• workshops on the three STRUBIAS draft criteria
  • struvite and recovered phosphate salts
  • biochars and pyrolysis materials
  • ashes, for direct application to soil, and as ingredients to fertiliser production processes
• webinar with EU Commission JRC to discuss the draft final STRUBIAS report and proposed EU Fertiliser Criteria, in preparation for the final STRUBIAS meeting end September (closed meeting, STRUBIAS WG members and Member States only).

Participation = 96,84 € (inc. VAT) to cover meeting room and catering costs. Venue information will be sent to you on registration

Free for ESPP members, governments, policy makers – request free access code from Access online to webinar only (14h-15h30 only) is also free, but registration is obligatory.

Both the all-day Brussels event and the 14h - 15h30 webinar are open to STRUBIAS group members and to other interested stakeholders by online registration

Registration: www.eventbrite.ca/e/eu-fertilisers-regulation-and-strubias-tickets-47156434164

The third European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference (ESPC3), co-organised by BSAG and ESPP in Helsinki, 11-13 June was a success. Nearly 300 participants from 30 countries, significantly increased from ESPC1 (Brussels 2013) and ESPC2 (Berlin 2015). Highlights included input from the European Commission (DG Environment and DG Research), Finland national government (ministries of the Environment and Agriculture and Forestry). international organisations (HELCOM, Rhine Commission), company and nutrient management success stories. An active discussion addressed proposals for including nutrients in the next EU R&D funding programme (Horizon Europe, which will follow on from Horizon 2020). With UN-Environment support, the “Global call for a science initiative on phosphorus” was launched, please participate by signing at www.opfglobal.com. A full summary of the ESPC3 conference will be published in coming months in ESPP’s SCOPE Newsletter.

ESPC3 presentation slides and posters will be online soon at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/ESPC3

Sign the Global call for a science initiative on phosphorus at www.opfglobal.com

The European Commission has started preparation of FP9 (Horizon Europe) the Research & Innovation funding programme 2021-2028 which will follow on from Horizon2020. The new programme has an announced budget of nearly 100 billion € and the draft Regulation text (outlining structure and objectives) was published 7^th June. As already communicated (eNews n°21), it is proposed to include in FP9 “Missions” (art. 5 of published Regulation) which will be horizontal, across the “Challenges” (thematic R&D funding). There are expected to be only a “small number” of missions over the whole of FP9, with up to 10 year duration. Possible examples cited are: fight against cancer, clean transport, plastic-free oceans. Meetings have been organised on 30^th May by DG Research, SYSTEMIC, Biorefine Cluster Europe, ESPP and INMS (international nitrogen management system) and a further meeting at the European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference 3 (ESPC3) on 11^th June, with DG Research, BSAG and ESPP, to discuss proposing a possible “Mission” relating to nutrient sustainability. Such a “Mission” could concern all five of the FP9 thematic “Challenges”: health, inclusive and secure society, digital & industry, climate and food & natural resources. Proposed input and ideas for content and vision of such a “Mission” on nutrients should be sent to

FP9 regulation proposal published 7/6/18 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-4041_en.htm
and https://ec.europa.eu/info/designing-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme/what-shapes-next-framework-programme_en

Criteria for defining and selecting FP9 “Missions”, see the Mazzucato report https://ec.europa.eu/info/designing-next-framework-programme/mission-oriented-policy-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme_en
and summary https://t.co/wAb5gNmBqB

You are invited to send your ideas for a nutrients “Mission” (R&D needs, themes and content, vision and objectives …) to