Press release
06 February 2012
Ministry of the Environment
Government wants improved phosphorus recovery cycle
The Government has today decided that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency will be given a special assignment on the sustainable reuse of phosphorus. The Agency's tasks will include identifying phosphorus resources in the community with the potential to improve the recovery cycle.
Phosphorus is an important nutrient and at the same time a finite resource; researchers warn that phosphorus reserves may be depleted sooner than expected. Today, the reuse of phosphorus occurs mainly in the form of sewage sludge spreading. As a step in the Government's efforts to achieve a toxin-free everyday environment, the Government considers that it will be important in the long run to recycle phosphorus from more sources. It is also important that the recycling is done in such a way as to ensure that dangerous substances are not spread. To enable phosphorus to be recycled safely in various land areas (arable land, forest land, etc.), the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency will draw up quality criteria that sludge, digestate, compost, etc. must meet. These include hygiene standards and limit values for metals, as well as for organic pollutants and pharmaceuticals, and other relevant substances.
- It is an important question of creating a cycle that is both resource-efficient and toxin-free, says Minister for the Environment Lena Ek.
The assignment also includes examining, motivating and, where necessary, proposing investment support for new technology to enable the extraction of phosphorus from various phosphorus sources so that it may be reused in a sustainable manner. The Environmental Protection Agency is also required to propose an intermediate target for the reuse of phosphorus.
The assignment is to be conducted in consultation with several other agencies, including the Swedish Chemicals Agency, the National Food Agency, the Swedish Board of Agriculture, the Swedish Forest Agency, the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, VINNOVA and the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth. The assignment is to be reported in its entirety by 12 August 2013. The sub-task of proposing investment support is to be reported by 31 August 2012.
Contact
Erik BratthallPress Secretary
+46 8 405 10 00
+46 72 743 31 57
email to Erik Bratthall, via the Senior registry clerk
