Phosphorus recycling is critical – and solutions are here   

Phosphorus is critical to sustainable societies, but it doesn’t often get the spotlight in climate policy discussions. At the COP29 conference in Azerbaijan, Ragn-Sells organised a seminar to call attention to the overlapping crises around the phosphorus cycle as well as the circular solutions that can address them. The session, held November 19 at the Swedish Pavilion, was entitled “Closing the phosphorus cycle will reduce eutrophication and methane emissions”. 

Not only is mined phosphate rock an increasingly scarce and high-emission resource, but untapped phosphorus from sources like urban wastewater streams are contributing to excess nutrients in lakes, rivers, and seas. The resulting algae blooms release so much methane that they account for an estimated 20% of global emissions – and are projected to double by 2050. 

With linear models for phosphorus at the root cause of these issues, the only long-term solution is circularity. 

Treating waste like the resource it is 

The seminar detailed two phosphorus recovery technologies currently being scaled up to transform nutrient streams and reduce carbon emissions. 

The first – Ragn-Sells’ Havbruk project in Norway – retrieves and filters fish sludge from farming sites via a pump and specialised net. That fish waste and feed residue can then be stored for processing to recapture nutrients like phosphorus. Developed in a country with 900 salmon farming sites alone, the project is a model for sustainable food production. 

Seminar speaker Hans Kleivdal, Deputy EVP and Head of Business Development at NORCE Climate and Environment, stressed the impact this technology can have. 

"Norway produces almost 40 million meals every day in the aquaculture sector, and we can improve the footprint of that," he said. 

The second is Ash2Phos, a process developed by EasyMining that recovers phosphorus and other nutrients from incinerated sewage sludge. The result is a clean, high-quality fertiliser product suitable for use in agriculture. This innovation yields a range of other products as well: sand for the construction industry, a coagulant for wastewater treatment, and even some heavy metals. 

Circular phosphorus waiting to enter the market 

Throughout the session, speakers underscored the benefits of bringing sustainable, domestically sourced phosphorus to market – and the need for political support. 

Joining the seminar panel, EasyMining CEO Jan Svärd shared progress on the Ash2Phos scale-up. The first facility is set to become operational in 2027 in Schkopau, Germany, a location chosen due to German legislation requiring phosphorus recovery by 2029.  

Still, some EU regulations are hindering progress. That’s the case with RevoCaP, the calcium phosphate produced through Ash2Phos. Despite its proven effectiveness as both a crop fertiliser and high-quality animal feed, the product’s origins mean that it cannot be used as a feed phosphate in Europe. Svärd mentioned how this impacts the technology’s scalability. 

"To launch this on a global scale, we need to be able to go for high-value applications like feed," he said.   

“We want to adopt these processes and products” 

With legislative roadblocks in Europe, EasyMining will export RevoCaP as a feed phosphate for other markets instead.  

Panellist Marvin Friesen, CEO of Friesen Group, detailed the enthusiastic response the product has received from Canadian authorities. There, RevoCaP is currently moving through the registration process with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 

"It's exciting to hear there are solutions to the problems for the planetary boundary limits. We just need to accelerate the regulatory approvals and industry. We want to adopt these processes and products," he said. 

Watch the full video of the “Closing the phosphorus cycle will reduce eutrophication and methane emissions” COP29 seminar on Business Sweden’s website.