A substance flow analysis of phosphorus in the food production, processing and consumption system of the Netherlands

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient in agriculture. In recent years 15–18 Mt of P was used as mineral fertilizer in the global food production chain. The major source of this fertilizer is phosphate rock which is unfortunately a finite resource. In the long term this necessitates efficient use of fertilizer and optimized recycling of P rich waste streams (including manure). In order to determine the potential for sustainable use of P we performed a 3-year substance flow analysis (SFA) for the Netherlands, a country characterized by its intensive agriculture and a high livestock density. Su... Mehr ...