Spotlight

13 November 2024, Brussels and online, 14h – 18h30, legal status of biomass produced in wastewater treatment or with waste gas, manure or food waste inputs, and valorisation in fertilisers, feeds and industry. Presentation and discussion of legal analysis prepared for ESPP by Barry Love, Environmental Law Chambers, with user industries, algae production and processing experts, EU and national regulators.

Discover the workshop programme.

Registration available on Eventbrite.

Onsite participation = 50€ + VAT (contribution to organisation costs). Online participation: free.

https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/legalworkshop

ESPP, together with BETA technological Center, is organising ESPC5 (5^th European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference), taking place in Lleida, Spain, 8-10 October 2024.

The conference will delve into the challenges and opportunities of sustainable phosphorus management in the Mediterranean context, and will involve experts and stakeholders to discuss on themes such as organic agriculture, water reuse, eutrophication & P budgeting, and energy transition. The private sector experiences and the latest research on the topic will be complemented with site visits to biorefinery pilots in the region.

Registration is now open! Register here.

Learn more about the Conference: https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/espc5

16-17 April 2024 – Brussels & online –
plus research students meeting & site visits

NERM (Nutrients in Europe Research Meeting) is organised by ESPP, FERTIMANURE, LEX4BIO, RUSTICA, SEA2LAND, WALNUT and Biorefine Cluster Europe.

Towards closing nutrient cycles for a sustainable future, from R&D to implementation. NERM will include:

- key outcomes of recent nutrient recycling R&D under Horizon 2020, LIFE, Interreg and other programmes
- roadmap for future nutrient recycling R&D needs
- nutrient recovery technologies and recycled fertiliser production
- quality, application and use, stakeholder acceptance of secondary fertilisers
- from nutrient recovery to market
Plus PhD students and networking event 15^th April and site visits 17^th April (on-farm and sewage treatment nutrient recovery sites).

https://phosphorusplatform.eu/activities/conference/nerm

13^th March 2024 - Policy tools to support market pull for recycled nutrients
Identify policy tools to support market pull for recycled nutrients which could achieve consensus across industry and users.
The EU Green Deal 2019 mentions possible “legal requirements to boost the market for secondary raw materials, with mandatory recycled content” and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan 2020 refers to “stimulating the markets for recovered nutrients”. To date, there are no EU proposals.

Industry and user positions on possible market pull policy tools can differ. The aim of this meeting is to identify policies which could achieve consensus across recycled product producers (waste companies, recycling technology suppliers), industry and uses (fertilisers industries, distributers, farmers). And to discuss how to elaborate technical proposals to submit to policy makers. 13th March 2024 - Policy tools to support market pull for recycled nutrients.
Read more

14^th March 2024 - Proposing UWWT Directive targets for P and N recovery
Define proposals for possible regulatory targets for phosphorus and nitrogen reuse-recycling from sewage.
The proposed UWWTD revision draft text (art. 20) states: “The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts … setting out the minimum reuse and recycling rates for phosphorus and nitrogen …”.
This meeting aims to develop consensus proposals for such “reuse and recycling rates”, covering for example:

• what are feasible “rates” for P and for N recovery?
• how should these “rates” be defined? …  as % of wwtp inflow? … as % in sludge? … as % in ash? …
• as recovery of P or N down to a certain residual level (per p.e.)? … other …?
• should the “rates” be different for wwtps of different size? different configuration? Before or after sludge energy valorisation / combustion ?
• definition of “reuse and recycling”? … Should this include treated sludge use in agriculture (biosolids to land). If so, under what conditions, e.g. quality / contaminants? plant nutrient availability? spreading according to crop nutrient requirements? CE or National fertiliser certification ?
• should “reuse” and “recycling” be addressed differently depending on context: size of wastewater treatment works, regional context …
• should quality/functional requirements be specified for recovered nutrient products?
• other questions proposed by meeting participants.

Read more

13^th March 2024: policy tools to support market pull for recycled nutrients
14^th March: proposing UWWT Directive targets for P and N recovery, ESPP policy workshop
Both: Brussels & online. Registration is open www.phosphorusplatform.eu/nutrientevents2024

The 3^rd edition of the SOFIE conference on organic and organo-mineral fertilisers industry will take place on the 16-17 January 2024, Brussels (Plaza Hotel) & hybrid. 

SOFIE is the only industry meeting place for organic-carbon-based fertiliser producers, distributors, advisory, technology suppliers.

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

Speakers include European Commission (DG AGRI and DG GROW), Notified Bodies (CerTrust, EFCI Register), Yara, ICL, Fertilisers Europe, Eurofema, EBA, S&P/Fertecon, ADAS, Nutriënten Management Instituut, IPS Konzalting. Registered participants include K+S, Sede Environment, Culterra, Terramarine, Tessenderlo Group, Unimer, Den Ouden, Fertinagro, Ductor, DCM, Compo, Stiesdal, Biota Nutri, Darling Ingredients Omya, Honkajoki, Labin, Ormin, Sappi, Agrana Starch, Green Circle, Centeon, AgriBioSource Europe, Alan SRL, The Waste Transformers, Steel Belt Systems, Sedron Technologies, Sanitation360.

Don't miss our updates on the SOFIE3 conference. 

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

SOFIE3 will be followed by ESPP's meeting on Defining “Bio-Based Fertilisers” and FPR “solely biological origin” (18^th January 2024 - Brussels and online). More information available here. 

→ Registration for both events is now open here ←

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 ammonia sulphate, recovered nutrients from aquaculture and other marine wastes.

Full meeting agenda HERE. Registration on Eventbrite.

30^th June

Consultation extended to 30^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. Elemental phosphorus (P₄) and phosphate rock are NOT included in the proposed list of “Strategic” Raw Materials.

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, and 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 (under “EU Critical Raw Materials”). 

Individuals, companies and organisations can input to the EU public consultation until 30^th June here.

ESPP is organising a first White Ammonia and N-recovery Research Meeting (WARM) in Brussels and hybrid, 7^th June 2023. 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 6^th Power to Ammonia conference by NH3 Event, Europe’s biggest ammonia event, Rotterdam 8-9^th June 2023 (one hour train from Brussels).

The final programme of the research meeting is available here.

Speakers already include DG RTD, DG ENV (Life), Severn Trent, ACEA, Fertilizers Europe, BETA Technology Centre Spain, EasyMining – RagnSells, Detricon, VTT, Boku, UGent, Fraunhofer Umsicht, INMS (International Nitrogen Management System), Cranfield University, Cetaqua, Colubris, INSA Toulouse, VunaNexus Switzerland, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Inagro, Politecnico Milano, GNS Halle, Samforsk Norway, Algen, FiBL …

Registration is open here. 

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 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.

ESPP notes that the term Bio-Based Fertiliser is already being used in R&D and that a comparable discussion is ongoing concerning the wording “nutrients of solely biological origin” in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation. ESPP considers that the definition and usage of these vocabulary terms are important for market clarity and for a possible future European Standard on defining and measuring “Bio-Based nutrient” content 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”, available here, that is open to comment. The objective is to achieve consensus on a proposed definition to submit for consideration by the European Commission and by CEN.

Brussels & online, 16-17 January 2024

We are pleased to announce that the 3^rd Summit of the Organic and organo-mineral Fertilisers Industries in Europe (SOFIE3) will take place in Brussels and online on the 16^th-17^th January 2024.

A full summary of the SOFIE2 Conference will be published as an ESPP SCOPE Newsletter in coming weeks. If you are not already subscribed to ESPP eNews and SCOPE, subscribe here.

Slides, posters and participants list are available to all registrants on the Swapcard app. 

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/SOFIE

Are you looking for a new challenge in sustainability, with networking across industry, science and regulation? ESPP is looking to engage a Brussels representative, full or part time. Your role will be to develop networking, industry participation and Platform membership, including widening scope beyond phosphorus to recovery of nitrogen and other nutrients. We are looking for someone who can analyse and communicate technical, scientific and regulatory information on phosphorus, nutrients and recycling, who is motivated for environmental objectives and combines a business-development and an association consensus culture. Minimum 5 years’ experience, existing network Employment could be as salaried staff, consultant status or shared staff with another organisation having similar objectives.

Full job description on www.phosphorusplatform.eu/joboffer2022 Send CV to   before 8^th March 2022.

Please pass on this information.

2 February 2022, 14h – 17h CET

The webinar will discuss:
i) relationships between draw-down of soil P and crop productivity
ii) relationships between draw-down of soil P and diffuse P losses from agricultural soils

This ESPP webinar will follow on from the SPA (US) webinar “A Legacy of Phosphorus”, 30^th September 2021, 18h-19h30 CEST and from the Frontiers in Earth Science special on ‘Legacy Phosphorus’ summarised in ESPP eNews n°56

A SCOPE Newsletter Special Issue will summarise this ESPP webinar and will also include selected further abstracts submitted as well as a c. 20 relevant recent scientific publications.

Online. Free. Register here

Read more …

The EU Taxonomy will classify which economic activities, and when, are considered environmentally sustainable, so eligible for EU Green Deal investment. It may become a key tool for private investors, markets, other public policies. Phosphorus recovery from sewage is one of the 100 activities listed (at the same level as e.g. livestock production, crop production, hotels and accommodation …) but N-recovery or P-recovery from other streams is not cited.

Consultation open to 24^th September 2021, 18h00 deadline (not midnight).

Read more …

A first-ever UN report shows that nearly 10 000 ocean Harmful Algal Blooms were recorded worldwide over 33 years, and that impacts are increasing with rising seafood demand and coastal development.

109 scientists from 35 countries analysed over 9 500 HAB events including 7 million microalgae data points, of which nearly 290 000 toxic algae species occurrences, using the Harmful Algal Event Database (HAEDAT). The widely suggested idea that blooms are increasing with climate change is not confirmed, with blooms increasing in some areas of the world and decreasing or steady in others. Increases in reported HAB events are correlated to increased monitoring and increases in perception are probably related to increased aquacultural production and coastal development. Both Europe and the Mediterranean regions show an increase trend in reported HAB events over the study period (from 1985 to 2018), but possibly with an apparent peak around the year 2000 and after that a decrease in HAB events in the Mediterranean region and fluctuations without a clear increase in Europe (see Hallegraeff et al. Fig. 3 p. 5).

Read more …

2 June 2021, 09h00 -15h30 (Paris time, CET), online
Register here
EU Green Week Partner Event - #EUGreenWeek

This meeting, co-organised by ESPP, Biorefine Cluster Europe and ETA-Florence Renewable Energies, will link science, industry, agriculture and policy makers. EU-funded projects on nutrient sustainability and phosphorus recycling (Horizon2020, Interreg, LIFE…) and national and company nutrient projects will present, enabling dialogue and synergies. PERM will address how to improve uptake of project recommendations by policy makers and users, through to market, and identify perspectives for research and policy, and implementation gaps.

Proposals are welcome for presentations of studies into what factors in nutrient R&D projects improve uptake of conclusions by policy makers, industry and users.

Download the Programme
HERE as PDF

If you wish your project to be included in the programme and/or added to the inventory of projects, please contact

This is the major event on phosphorus sustainability in Europe, taking place every 2-3 years. The full programme of speakers for the 4th European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference, Vienna, 20 - 22 June 2022, is now published (Registration is now open on Eventbrite). Sessions cover city and regional actions on nutrient stewardship, business case examples of phosphorus recycling, policy tools, research perspectives and new technologies for P-recovery from research to industrial implementation in Europe and worldwide. 
ESPC4 is jointly organised by the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) and Proman Consulting, with support of the City of Vienna (Municipal Department 48 (MA48); Waste Management, Street Cleaning and Vehicle Fleet) and of Borealis, EasyMining, WKU and LAT 
Registration: Eventbrite 
Conference programme, hotel lists, etc: http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/espc4

4th European Phosphorus Research Meeting (PERM)

The third day of ESPC4 (22 June 2022, Vienna) will be the 4th European Phosphorus Research Meeting, showcasing R&D into phosphorus recycling and recycled products and new approaches to phosphorus stewardship. This is a unique opportunity to meet and exchange with other projects working on phosphorus, and to discuss research perspectives with the European Commission, industry and stakeholders. The meeting will be limited to around 100 participants, 20 project flash presentations and around 20 posters, in order to enable dialogue, discussion and networking. To participate: register as below and contact
Co-organised by ESPP, Biorefine Cluster Europe, TU Wien, Proman Consulting. 
Registration with booking for ESPC4: Eventbrite 
Conference programme, hotel lists, etc: http://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/espc4

Workshop on iron phosphate chemistry applied to phosphorus stewardship

ESPP, with WETSUS, INCOPA, INRAE Rennes and the Horizon 2020 projects P-TRAP and SUSFERT, is organising a science and implementation workshop on iron phosphate chemistry in different systems (sediments, soil, agriculture, waste water and sewage sludge). The objective is to improve understanding of applied iron phosphate chemistry in these systems, to develop phosphorus recycling, eutrophication management and better agronomic use of secondary resources. The 1.5 day workshop will be held in Utrecht, the Netherlands 13 - 14 July, 2020 and include a networking dinner. The themes will cover: Iron phosphorus interactions in sediments, in soils and engineered systems, Strategies for phosphorus release and P-recovery from iron phosphates, Iron - phosphate interactions in agriculture and Markets for recovered iron phosphate materials.
Utrecht, the Netherlands 13-14 July, 2020. See note below on Corona virus. Registration: here 
Contact:

Corona virus situation

ESPP is monitoring with concern the Corona virus development. In agreement with the City of Vienna for ESPC4 and PERM have been postponed to 20 - 22 June 2022. All registrations will be transferred to the new date. If attendance is not possible for the registrant, then partial reimbursement will be made (minus non-recoverable costs). All registrants will be directly updated of developments by email.

Researchers at KWR Netherlands have found gene fragments of the Covid-19 virus in wastewater entering a sewage works, with repeated tests confirming the results. The virus gene fragments were not detected in the sewage works effluent (treated water), but only one site was tested, and sewage sludge was not tested. Although the tests do not discriminate between potentially active virus and inactive fragments, it is underlined that the results do not indicate that Covid-19 infection is possible from sewage. Workers in contact with wastewater should in any case use protective equipment, because of other health and safety risks in handling wastewater, and the water industry underlines that this should be reinforced. The World Health Organisation briefing on Covid-19 in water and sewage (19th March) can be summarised as follows: there is no proof for this the Covid-19 virus, but it has a fragile outer membrane and is likely to be more rapidly inactivated in sewage than other viruses which have been shown to survive for days to weeks in water or sewage (e.g. gastroenteritis, hepatitis).  A new paper in Nature (published 1/4/20) found high virus RNA concentrations in faeces of nine Covid-19 patients, but no infectious virus in faeces, in urine nor in blood. The study concludes that there were indications of viral replication in the gut and that the absence of detected viable virus in faeces may be because the nine patients were mild cases, and none had diarrhoea (which occurs in maybe 2% of Covid-19 cases).
KWR press release “What we learn about the Corona virus through waste water research“ 24th March 2020 
KWR Webinar “COVID-19: Significance and impact of the pandemic for the water sector” 
WHO “Water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management for the COVID-19 virus. Interim guidance” 19th March 2020 
“Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019”, R. Wölfel et al., Nature, 1 April 2020

Corona Virus situation

Postponement of ESPC4 and PERM (4th European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference and European Phosphorus Research Meeting), Vienna 15-17 June 2020.

Given the development of the international corona virus situation, and after re-discussion with the venue hotel and the Belvedere Palace, we have decided to postpone ESPC4 and PERM to Vienna 31st May – 2nd June 2021.

All registrations will be transferred to the new date to be fixed. If this is not possible for the registrant, then partial reimbursement will be made (minus non-recoverable costs). All registrants will be directly updated of developments by email.

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nutrients-in-eu-farm-to-fork-policy-tickets-127743595533

Within the new Green Deal, the EU's 'Farm-to-Fork’ policy poses ambitious objectives for agriculture – food system sustainability, including to reduce nutrient losses by 50% and fertiliser use by 20% before 2030, to improve nutrient stewardship (revised Circular Economy Action Plan and European Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan) and to address diet, including via consumer food product nutrition labelling. Horizon Europe also underlines circularity in the food system, and proposes to develop a “comprehensive EU policy to balance nutrient cycles”.

The objective of this webinar is to understand challenges and opportunities for nutrient management in 'Farm-to-Fork' policy implementation and enable dialogue between policy makers, NGOs, industry and professional organisations, scientists and regions/cities.

Friday 27th November, in three parts:

- 9h00 - 10h30 CET: dialogue and questions/discussion with experts
Nutrients in EU Green Deal policies: from objectives to actions

- 11h30 -12h30 CET: preparation of a contribution document for the European Commission
Input to the EU's Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan

- 14h-15h30 CET: ESPP Annual General Assembly - members only

After registering, you are invited to prepare before 23 November 2020 a contribution which will be circulated to all webinar registrants. ESPP will put circulate to all registrants one indexed pdf document containing all contributions received by this date: maximum one page but a well-spaced half page is more likely to be read, must be in WORD or RTF, can include hyperlinks to other documents, websites, etc, should include your contact email(s). Submissions which are too long or not in WORD/RTF will NOT be used. You can also prepare a very short statement which you can input to the online ‘Chat’ during the meeting to link to this submission document and/or your website or to a publication, as well as preparing ‘Chat’ questions to the webinar speakers and panellists

Friday 27^th November. 2020.
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nutrients-in-eu-farm-to-fork-policy-tickets-127743595533
Full programme and speaker updates here: https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/events

Call for texts: phosphorus stewardship and climate change

ESPP (European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform) and the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (North America) are preparing a special SCOPE Newsletter edition on “Nutrients and Climate Change”. This will consist of selected short texts presenting expert perspectives on how climate change will impact nutrient emissions and eutrophication as well as actions to mitigate this. Proposed texts are invited from researchers, companies, stakeholders and any interested party. Around twenty texts will be selected for publication.The SCOPE Newsletter is circulated worldwide to 41 000 companies, stakeholders, regulators and media interested in nutrient management, with a detected opening rate of 12-14%, and is published on the ESPP website www.phosphorusplatform.eu  Send us your ideas for action for on nutrients and climate change to appear with the world’s leading experts. Maximum 600 words. Deadline 29th February 2020 latest. Call details and instructions here: https://phosphorusplatform.eu/callfortexts

4th Phosphorus in Europe Research Meeting (PERM), Vienna, 17th June 2020

A unique opportunity to meet and exchange with other projects working on phosphorus, and to discuss research perspectives (in Horizon Europe and in national / regional programmes) with the European Commission, industry and stakeholders. Programme is now online www.phosphorusplatform.eu/espc4

Part of the 4th European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference (ESPC4), Vienna 15-16 June www.phosphorusplatform.eu/espc4 Confirmed speakers at ESPC4 already include: Ulli Sima (Vienna City Minister of Environment), Franz Josef Radermacher (FAWn, Club of Rome), Claudia Olazabal (DG Environment, Head of Unit Soil Health), Silvia Tonti (Yara), Isidro Campos Rodriguez (DG AGRI, CAP), Theodora Nikolakopoulou or Johanna Bernsel (DG Grow, Fertilising Products Regulation), Annika Eskusson or Katja Klasinc (DG Research, P-Recycling R&D Programs), Jacob B. Hansen (Fertilisers Europe), Mark Sutton or Will Brownlie (GPNM, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology), Mahesh Pradhan (UN Environment) and representatives of eight cities presenting their Nutrient Management and Circular Economy Strategy.

Wednesday 9^th October, Liège University
Back-to-back to ECSM’19 (European Conference on Sludge Management), Liège 6-8 October 2019
More information: www.phosphorusplatform.eu/Premovalworkshop

Flyer - Email - Registration

The morning session will highlight viewpoints from professionals working in industrial production and will present practical examples of symbiosis within different fertiliser industry sectors. The afternoon will feature EU decision makers in this area, and will include a panel debate which will aim to find a solution within the political spectrum on the use of byproducts and industrial symbiosis. Organized by Fertilizers Europe. More information

Read previous SPOTLIGHT features.

ESPP will present and chair during the 6th Sustainable Development in the Food & Beverage Industry Conference, 16-17 January, Berlin (ENG European Networking Group). The conference focusses on the sustainable value chain for food production and consumption. ESPP will address phosphorus, from the field to diet, integrating nutrient stewardship and recycling into food production sustainability criteria. Conference speakers include CEOs and sustainability directors from leading food companies, supermarkets and restaurants, as well as the FAO and the European Commission.

Read previous SPOTLIGHT features.

  Stakeholder meeting on
  Acceptance and value of recycled
  fertilisers in organic farming
  12th December – Brussels.

  Registration:
  www.eventbrite.ca/e/recycled-nutrients-and-organic-food-tickets-38702699817?aff=es2

  Read previous SPOTLIGHT features.

Now open for submissions – deadline to request materials = 15^th July 2017

Stage 2 of the Everglades Foundation George Barley Water Prize is currently open for applications for teams capable of testing their solution for two consecutive weeks processing c. 24 litres/hour (see exact specifications in application materials). Applicants will submit daily inflow and outflow samples from their technology. A total of $80,000 will be awarded in November of this year to the top 3 teams in Stage 2. You can apply to stage 2 whether or not you applied to stage 1. The deadline to request Stage 2 application materials is 15^th July 2017 and the deadline to submit applications is 31 August 2017. Beyond Stage 2, the Pilot Stage, the third stage of the George Barley Water Prize, will qualify 10 teams to compete at a Pilot location in Canada in early 2018, with awards totalling $800,000. Finally, the Grand Prize will see the top 4 teams compete in Florida for the ultimate $10 million award. Information www.barleyprize.com

The George Barley Water Prize (Everglades Foundation) has named its first winner as WETSUS Netherlands, with the NaFRAd project (Natural Flocculation Reversible Adsorption). WETSUS (European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology) takes home the US$ 25 000 prize for the Prize Stage 1. After winning Stage 1, the Wetsus team is now preparing its submission for the second stage which requires testing and demonstrating at the laboratory lab scale. Stage 2 of the Prize is open to organisations worldwide, whether or not they participated in Stage 1. Deadline: 15^th July 2017. See more information here.

The presentations of the ESPP conference on Phosphorus stewardship in industrial applications (01-12-2016) are now online here. The report of the conference is published as a SCOPE newsletter article "Phosphorus in the chemicals industry".

European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) General Assembly focussing on Phosphorus stewardship in industrial applications will be held on Thursday 1st December, Brussels, within the First EU Raw Materials Week. Success stories and innovation in P stewardship in industry will be presented and areas for possible research or value-chain collaboration will be identified. Programme and registration here.

ESPP is organising a workshop on “Pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals in sewage biosolids: questions for recycling”, Malmö (near Copenhagen) 27th October 8h00 – 12h00, in cooperation with the Nordic Phosphorus Conference, 27th October (12h00) – 28th 13h30 (same venue). See Facebook event page. More info here.

ESPP is organising a workshop on “Pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals in sewage biosolids: questions for recycling”, Malmö (near Copenhagen) 27th October 8h00 – 12h00, in cooperation with the Nordic Phosphorus Conference, 27th October (12h00) – 28th 13h30 (same venue). See Facebook event page. More info here.

Summary of the ESPP working meeting on the EU Fertiliser Regulation revision, held Brussels 29 June 2016, can be downloaded here. Presentation by the European Commission and other stakeholders are included as annexes. Background information of the workshop can be found here. See also other inputs of ESPP to the Fertiliser regulation revision process in the Regulatory Activity section.

www.phosphorusplatform.eu/scope-in-print/news/1500-nutrient-recycling-r-d-list-and-events

ESPP is developing an online listing of R&D projects addressing nutrient recycling, in order to facilitate exchange and knowledge transfer between projects and with potential user companies for recycling technologies and recycled nutrient products. In order to bring together nutrient recycling R&D and user industries.

In order to bring together nutrient recycling R&D and user industries: European nutrient recycling event, Basel, 18th and 19th October: programme and registration (now open) www.nweurope.eu/phos4you

Read previous SPOTLIGHT features.

 ESPP presentation UNIFA circular economy workshop from European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform

ESPP will organise a technical meeting on recycled nutrient products in the proposed EU Fertiliser Regulation revision,
29th June 9:00-17:00, Brussels. If you wish to participate in this meeting please indicate to me your name and organisation

More information here.

Meet at 16 June 2016, Amersfoort, Netherlands, European struvite recovery operators willing to share their practical experience and learn more about running recovery technologies. This workshop will be linked to the official commissioning of the first WASSTRIP/PEARL/LYSOTHERM facility in the world.

More information at: http://www.eip-water.eu/arreau-struvite-recovery-recycling-learning-alliance

Presentations, live stream and outcomes of the ESPP co-organized event "Forum for Action - Recycle nutrients, clear the waters" at 20 April in Helsinki, Finland can be found here: http://mmm.fi/en/recyclenutrients

20 April, Hotel Scandic Park, Mannerheimintie 46, Helsinki, Finland.
Registration now open and program online.
You can present your experiments and experiences in nutrient cycling on the Forum of Solutions.
http://mmm.fi/en/recyclenutrients

Adequate, up-to-date data, in a useable form, is essential to support nutrient stewardship decisions and investments, both for policy makers and for industry. Through the DONUTSS project, ESPP hopes to define how to ensure collection and management of nutrient data necessary to develop the bio-nutrient circular economy. A first workshop, Ghent (3-4 Sept 2015) brought together the European Commission services, data organisations, industry federations and scientists to discuss how to take this forward.

Join or support the DONUTSS consortium to ensure up-to-date nutrient data, in a useable form.

Follow this link to the DONUTSS workshop report and documents.

The European Commission has published a report “Circular approaches to phosphorus, research to implementation”, presenting conclusions of the 4th March 2015 Berlin workshop on P-recycling.

The workshop was organised by the European Commission, P-REX and ESPP parallel to the ESPC2 (2nd European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference) and brought together 80 participants and 28 nutrient recycling projects (see list below). Initiatives present included R&D and demonstration projects funded by the EU (FP7, LIFE+, InterReg) as well as national funded projects and industry initiatives.

The workshop noted that some processes are already at the commercial production scale, e.g. processing manure to organic fertiliser, calcium silicate filter media for diffuse farm P-removal, struvite recovery, EcoPhos P-recovery from manure and sludge ash.

Participants underlined the need for policy support for phosphorus recycling and coherent interpretation of pertinent EU and national legislation as preconditions for widespread implementation.

The workshop identified the following R&D needs:
•    Phosphorus flow studies (mass flows, characteristics), to identify points for P-recovery implementation
•    Social science (attitudes, acceptance, choices) to accompany P-recycling implementation
•    Actions covering the whole value-chain, from P-recovery to market of recycled P products
•    Detection & risk assessment of organic contaminants in sewage sludge and recovered nutrient products
•    Full-scale demonstration projects
•    R&D to support standards, BAT, product criteria, best practices
•    Coherency and interpretation of EU and national legislation
•    Regional approaches and adapting to specific local situations or niche markets
•    Clustering of projects and networking to enhance impact on policy, improve synergy and mutual learning and facilitate market uptake

“Circular approaches to phosphorus: from research to deployment”, 48 pages, European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 2015, ISBN 978-92-79-46827-8 http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/circular-approaches-to-phosphorus-pbKI0115204/ See also SCOPE Newsletter n° 113.

Kemira waste water treatment plant

The European Commission has opened (deadline 20th August 2015) a public consultation on the Circular Economy based on a proposed ‘Roadmap’  intending to make more ambitious the previous 2014 ‘Circular Economy Package’. This indicates that an Action Plan will identify key measures across the value chain, citing as possible specific areas of intervention waste management, development of markets for secondary raw materials (e.g. organic fertilisers) and critical raw materials (including phosphorus).

Make your input to this consultation (individuals, organisation) by deadline 20/8/2015

Follow this link to find out more

18-20 May 2015, Marrakesh, Morocco

The International Symposium on Innovation and Technology in the Phosphate Industry, organised by the OCP Group, focuses on innovation, technology and current trends in processes to upgrade phosphates and derivatives  and R&D prospects in the phosphate sector. The 3^rd SYMPHOS will take place in Marrakesh, Morocco, 18-20 May 2015. Watch the video here below or on YouTube. 

Symphos

The eMarket platform enables match making between suppliers of recovered nutrients and potential end-users looking for secondary raw materials and products. The plattform is accessible through the ESPP website. The non-commercial plattform facilitates the market development for secondary nutrients. Interested companies, utilities, farmers and other nutrient suppliers or users are invited to register their offer or requirements online. Use and participation are free of charge with information/content given on voluntarily base. See how it works, and register as a user here. The eMarket has been developed within the P-REX project.

Students and young professionals discussed the possibilities of P-Recovery from the sewage sludge at the P-REX Summer school of September 2012 in Basel, Switzerland. The 3-day Summer school was accompanied by the i-net technology event concentrating on the P-recovery options in Switzerland.

Read more about the summer school and the technology-event at SCOPE N° 108, or at the latest Biorefine bulletin.

Full presentations of the technology event can be found here.

2/4/2014: The European commission has approved the “Commitment” for a Raw Materials Covenant (RMC) for a Circular Economy, taking local phosphorus recycling, reuse and efficiency as a leading example.

The Covenant is organised by ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and sustainable Resource management www.acrplus.org ) and EPE (European Partners for the Environment www.epe.be ) and brings together cities and regions across Europe committed to implement the EU’s ‘EIP Raw Materials’ through efficient use of natural resources in a collaborative economy at territorial level, including resource efficiency agencies, new business models, local value chain cooperation, Business Clubs and “Benchmarks of Excellence”. Large companies and local businesses, farmers, utility companies, Poles of Excellence and other stakeholders will be involved.

Local sustainable phosphorus management will be a flagship project for the RMC Covenant, and the ESPP (European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform) will assist cities and regions in defining guidelines for local policies, tools and objectives for phosphorus flow assessment, reuse and recycling and use efficiency.
Participating cities and regions already include: Ile de France, Lapland, Athens, Alsace, Brittany Region (Bretagne), Rhône-Alpes, Lombardy, and others are invited to now join the project in preparation for the formal Covenant signature with the EU later this year.

First steps are being taken to organise stakeholder cooperation and facilitate value-chain development for sustainable phosphorus management in USA + Canada.

At the 2^nd P-RCN meeting (see SCOPE Newsletter 100 under ‘Downloads’) key stakeholders identified the need to go beyond the coordination of research and to actively develop sustainable phosphorus management and the business value chain. The development of such a “partnership” is seen as one long-term outcome of the 5-year P-RCN project.  The operational form of the “partnership” remains to be defined (network, structure, cooperation platform …), probably with regional implementation in different zones of the USA and Canada. Motivated P-RCN participants are now contacting frontrunner companies and organisations to initiate a pre-launch phase to mobilise interested parties, define the project objectives, organisation, feasibility and funding.

Interested companies and structures should contact Jim Elser, Arizona State University, P-RCN lead investigator see SCOPE Newsletter 100 under ‘Downloads’ at http://www.phosphorusplatform.org/downloads.html.

The 4th Sustainable Phosphorus Summit will be held in Montpellier, France on 1st to 3rd of September 2014. The Summit contributes to solving the phosphorus challenge by defining the global research priority agenda for phosphorus-related issues. Themes covered include global phosphorus cycle, sustainability and phosphorus resources. Special consideration will be given to the phosphorus efficiency in agriculture, as well as phosphorus in food and wastes.

Online registration for the event is open at sps2014.cirad.fr. See programme here.