Imagine if the waste from farms and sewers wasn't a pollution problem, but a goldmine for nutrients. This project finds ways to scrub nitrogen and phosphorus out of manure and wastewater to make cheap, local fertilizers. It's like turning a costly disposal headache into a useful product for farmers.
High fertilizer prices and strict pollution laws make waste disposal expensive for farms and cities. Currently, valuable nitrogen and phosphorus are wasted in sewage and manure instead of being sold as products.
A suite of recovery technologies including ammonia stripping, membrane treatments, and ultrasound operations, paired with new economic incentive models and regulatory roadmaps.
If you are a farm owner dealing with record-high fertilizer prices — this project developed nutrient recovery methods that provide a competitive price alternative. It allows you to use recovered nitrogen and phosphorus from local waste streams to maintain soil health.
If you are a utility manager dealing with the cost of disposing of sewage sludge — this project developed safe composting and treatment routes. This turns a waste liability into a new revenue stream by selling recovered nutrients.
If you are a dairy plant dealing with high-volume wastewater effluents — this project developed membrane and ultrasound treatments. These systems recover nutrients and reduce the environmental footprint of your production site.
The project aims to supply recovered nitrogen and phosphorus at a competitive price compared to traditional fertilizers, especially during periods of record-high market prices.
The project is testing solutions in real settings across three river basins and two island sites, targeting a potential of 38.3 Mton of manure and 252 kton of dry sludges.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not listed, but the project focuses on creating business models and replication roadmaps for these technologies.
It develops new governance models and regulatory pathways to ensure that recovered nutrients are safe and compliant for agricultural use.
The project runs from November 2023 to April 2027, moving from mapping and co-design to real-world testing in regional clusters.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 21 partners across 10 countries. With a 24% industry ratio (5 companies) and 3 SMEs, there is a strong link between the 5 universities and 3 research centers and the actual end-users. The inclusion of 8 'other' entities suggests heavy involvement from public administrations and regional authorities, which is critical for the governance and regulatory goals of the project.
Contact FUNDACION CIRCE in Spain for details on nutrient recovery technology pilots.
Contact us to match with NENUPHAR's technology providers for nutrient recovery.
