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“Farmers and society can benefit from the circular use of alternative fertilising products recovered from secondary raw materials, as they lead to lower environmental impacts on soil, water, and air quality, biodiversity and climate. FertiCovery will support policy makers and practitioners to remove barriers and promote the application of nutrient recovery and bio-based fertilisers.”
Martijn Vis, project coordinator from BTG Biomass Technology Group B.V.

There is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the efficiency of nutrient recovery technologies, as well as their agronomical and environmental impacts, leaving farmers without clear guidance on their application. Legal barriers further complicate matters, with uncertainty surrounding which fertilising products meet regulatory requirements. Moreover, the small-scale production of bio-based fertilisers leads to higher costs compared to conventional options. Addressing these issues requires innovative solutions that minimise environmental impact while maintaining agricultural productivity.

The FertiCovery project will first establish a longlist of 75 case studies of existing installations converting secondary raw materials into alternative fertilising products in Europe and worldwide. Partners will describe 25 nutrient recovery and bio-based fertiliser technologies, their feedstocks, value chains, products and applications, followed by an assessment of technical aspects and environmental impacts of the technologies (including energy); an assessment of composition, sanitary safety and environmental impacts of the associated fertilising products; and an assessment of feedstock availability, potential for upscaling, regulatory framework, costs and social risks resulting in the market and replication potential.

A multicriteria decision analysis report and datasheets of the 10-15 best available technologies will be shared with technology providers, end-users, farmers, industry, environmental organisations, policy makers, civil society, and the scientific community. The engagement of European and international stakeholders will be conducted through 5 workshops and 6 open forum events, fostering a forum of stakeholders from the whole supply chain.

The FertiCovery project started on 1 January 2025 and will run for 3 years. The consortium connects 8 partners from 7 countries and is coordinated by B.T.G. You can keep up with project progress on the project LinkedIn group and LinkedIn page.

 

The FertiCovery project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101181936.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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