BONUS PROMISE

Phosphorus recycling of mixed substances

Coordinator: Kari Ylivainio, Natural Resources Institute Finland
Share of the BONUS funding: EUR 464 968
Duration: 3 years, 1.4.2014-31.3.2017

Summaries of annual reports:
BONUS PROMISE final report
BONUS PROMISE year 2 report
BONUS PROMISE year 1 report

Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is essential for all living organisms, but its global reserves are finite and expected to diminish severely in 50-100 years. Neglecting this, millions of tons of P is dissipated as anthropogenic wastes are co-incinerated and dumped, and manure is excessively applied to arable land, followed with P losses to surface waters. Agriculture is the largest contributor to the non-point P load in the Baltic Sea region, and recycling of P from urban and agricultural organic wastes is the only way to conserve the resource and to prevent eutrophication. To produce safe recycled fertilizers, however, handling and treatment procedures need to be improved and implemented, since P-rich materials may contain significant amounts of organic contaminants, heavy metals and pathogens. Mono-incineration together with successive processing may be a way to ensure a full recovery of P in a safe fertilizer product. A shining example of cutting-edge solutions to protect water bodies could be demonstrated in the  Baltic Sea region through efficient handling and treatment procedures combined with environmentally sound agricultural practices. BONUS PROMISE will convey backbone data on potentially hazardous contaminants in organic and recycled P-fertilizers, assess strategies for P fertilization that fully acknowledge food safety and food security, establish agro-technological transfer regions and thus pave the way for a fundamental adoption of advanced fertilizer practices in the Baltic Sea region.

Keywords: Phosphorus recycling, incineration, biological treatments, pathogens, xenobiotics

Partners: Finland, Germany, Sweden

Introductory article: see page 9 of BONUS in Brief May 2014