Recycling of wastewater-derived phosphorus in Swedish agriculture: a proposal

In 2001 the Swedish Government commissioned the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Swedish EPA) (i) to examine the need for stricter human health and environmental regulations governing the agricultural use of sewage sludge and (ii) to propose national targets for the agricultural recycling of phosphorus (P) originating from wastewater. The Swedish EPA may propose: (i) stricter regulations on sludge treatment to limit the risk of spreading pathogens in the environment and transmission of infectious diseases; (ii) recycling of 20-30% of wastewater-P to agriculture by 2015 and recycling of 35-50% of wastewater-P to agriculture by 2025.