Essential for all living organisms, phosphorus (P) is necessary in plants, for example, for root development, stalk strength and seed formation. Although found naturally, soil degradation and an ever-increasing global demand for higher yields require an external source of phosphorus to be used in agriculture.
Phosphate rock is a finite resource – recent studies have shown is likely to become rare and expensive within 30 years. The EU acknowledged this by adding it to the list of Critical Raw Materials in 2014. Morocco, China and the USA control most of the phosphate rock reserve, leaving other countries vulnerable to geopolitical issues and to fluctuating prices. The EU, for example, is 92% dependent on imports – a problem compounded by the fact that there is no synthetic alternative.
Despite this, phosphorus is still largely ‘wasted’. Transferred within food from rural to urban areas where most people live, phosphorus is eliminated during wastewater treatment to prevent eutrophication of natural water bodies. With worldwide demand increasing, and the quality of reserves declining (both in terms of content and contamination), there is now an urgent need to boost phosphorus recovery and to recycle residues into fertiliser.
A 10.8 M. € project, Phos4You seeks to address this challenge. Funded through INTERREG, North- West Europe Programme, this four-year project aims to guarantee food security by reducing EU’s dependence on imported phosphate rock. Under the lead of Lippeverband in Germany, Phos4You aims to demonstrate innovative technologies for P-recovery under real-life conditions and to support production of quality- assured, secondary products (e.g. bio-based fertiliser).
As one of three Scottish partners, the ERI will contribute to the development of quality standards; undertake analyses of raw products; assess the potential of small-scale demonstration units and engage with stakeholders to establish the potential uptake of recovery technologies in rural areas.
For information contact Barbara.bremner@uhi.ac.uk
