Ökobilanzen von Recycling-Phosphor-Düngemitteln

Whereas fertilisers based on phosphate rock show a high abiotic resource depletion potential, phosphorous (P) recycling fertilisers such as struvite are related to a high fossil primary energy demand. Compost can result in very high acidification, eutrophication and global warming potentials. Sewage sludge, its ash and P-recycling fertilisers based thereon, Thomas phosphate or meat and bone meal as well as especially wood ash provide significantly lower environmental impacts but have partially other disadvantages, e.g. P-availability or pollutant accumulation. For future P-supply in agriculture, it is important to recover P from urban waste disposal. The life cycle assessment (LCA) represents an important contribution to analyse strengths and weaknesses of P-recycling pathways.