Phosphorus management in Europe in a changing world

Abstract

Food production in Europe is dependent on imported phosphorus (P) fertilizers, but P use is inefficient and losses to the environment high. Here, we discuss possible solutions by changes in P management. We argue that not only the use of P fertilizers and P additives in feed could be reduced by fine-tuning fertilization and feeding to actual nutrient requirements, but also P from waste has to be completely recovered and recycled in order to close the P balance of Europe regionally and become less dependent on the availability of P-rock reserves. Finally, climate-smart P management measures are needed, to reduce the expected deterioration of surface water quality resulting from climate-change-induced P loss.

An Assessment of the Drivers and Barriers for the Deployment of Urban Phosphorus Recovery Technologies: A Case Study of The Netherlands

“…Schipper mentioned that even though P recovery might not currently be economically viable, efforts should be made now to ensure that technologies are ready when scarcity of phosphate rocks starts to play a role [20]. Schipper and Schoumans et al state that some form of government intervention in the market place will be necessary to create a P recovery market [20,21].…”

Socio-Hydrological Approach to the Evaluation of Global Fertilizer Substitution by Sustainable Struvite Precipitants from Wastewater

“…Despite the issues surrounding phosphorus demands and yield gaps, there currently exists no financially attractive recovery technology for the enormous phosphorus recovery potential from livestock (Schoumans et al, 2015), while urban recovery is often also limited due to financial constraints. The competitive position of the relatively expensive, recovered phosphorus is improving, however, as over the past 15 years the phosphorus price of di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP;Index Mundi, 2017) (Index Mundi, 2017).…”

Global Phosphorus Recovery for Agricultural Reuse

“…The production cost varies depending on the recovery 30 technology, whose feasibility for implementation depends on wastewater composition and existing infrastructure. In this study, municipal wastewater composition is assumed roughly, globally homogenous, while the Sustainable Development Goals dataset on percent of urban population with access to sanitation is used to derive an approximation on the (Schoumans et al, 2015). Although other struvite recovery technologies are available, this one was chosen given its commercially effective implementation in various different countries.…”

“…A phosphorus recovery efficiency of 20% of the influent is taken for struvite crystallization in wastewater (Schoumans et al, 2015); while a 90% efficiency can easily be achieved when struvite precipitation is applied on source-separated urine (Wilsenach et al, 2007). An efficiency of 85% and 75% for cattle and swine, and poultry respectively is assumed for pelletization of composted livestock waste.…”