Phosphorus continues to be a hot topic in the fertilizer industry, as rising demand for food and decreasing arable land, among other factors, drives demand for the critical crop nutrient. Experts are worried we’ll exhaust our supplies of rock phosphate, the primary material feeding phosphate fertilizer production, sooner than later.
Add to this that excess phosphorus keeps ending up in waterways, causing harmful algal blooms, and the industry is under increasing pressure to better manage the nutrient and bring balance back to the nutrient cycle.
The Rising Demand for Phosphate Fertilizers
Phosphorus sustains life on earth; without it, we simply cannot survive.
Critical to crop production, use of fertilizers originating from phosphate rock have risen significantly in past decades, and are credited with feeding the global population.¹ We depend on phosphoric fertilizers to grow our food crops, raise our livestock, and ultimately keep the world turning.
But the ever-rising population, changing diet patterns, and production of biofuels, among other global trends, are putting more pressure on phosphate rock resources than ever before, causing scientists to ring the alarm bell.
Phosphate Rock Sources in Decline
Phosphate rock is a finite resource for which there is no substitute. Scientists have long known that phosphate rock scarcity was an impending risk, but the topic has received little public attention until recent years as the problem has become more concerning.
Further, the factors listed above, paired with growing geopolitical uncertainties and the revelation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic of just how fragile existing supply chains are, have heightened awareness around securing reliable supply chains for everything from fertilizers to medical supplies.
In addition to the decline of available sources of phosphate rock, the phosphate rock that remains is problematic. After years of mining the most economic and attractive deposits, average grade has been dropping, and remaining sources are fraught with challenges ranging from greater impurities and excessive waste generation, to accessibility and higher energy requirements – all of which contribute to rising costs.¹
Further, experts are not in agreement on exactly how much the world has in phosphate reserves, with estimates ranging anywhere from 30 to 300 years.²
Almost everyone agrees, however, that current use patterns are not sustainable and the world will eventually run out of this essential resource.
Phosphorus in the Environment
In an interesting contrast, the phosphorus put into the nutrient cycle often goes to waste, with much of it ending up in waterways where it causes eutrophication and uninhabitable “dead zones.”
This is thanks to a broken nutrient cycle in which phosphorus put into use follows a linear path right back out of the system, instead of returning to the start of the cycle. The cause for this one-way trip is the result of a complex combination of several factors including inefficient nutrient management, fertilizer runoff, lack of recovery systems, and more.
This disparity between dwindling resources and nutrient waste has brought on a flurry of activity in repairing the nutrient cycle, with several options on the table.
Options in Alternative Sources of Phosphorus for Use in Fertilizer
Future phosphorus management will require a multi-faceted approach; the industry will need to exploit every available opportunity to continue feeding the world. This will entail recycling existing sources of wasted phosphorus, improving nutrient use efficiency, and limiting demand where possible.
Recycling Phosphorus From Wastes
Phosphorus recycling isn’t a new concept; in fact, it’s a very old one. For generations, phosphorus was naturally recycled on farmlands as farmers spread the manure their farm generated onto their crops.
Several capturable waste streams of phosphorus could be exploited for use. Among the most recognized are human excreta or biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, manure, and food waste.
Scientists and industry have been exploring each of these avenues for a long time and have made promising progress, with some systems already in place.
Improving Nutrient Efficiency
Experts estimate that about 80% of mined phosphorus is lost along the journey from mine to field to fork.³ And while not all losses are preventable, an 80% loss leaves significant room for improvement.
As the mining and agriculture industries explore ways to reduce preventable losses caused by spillage and other factors, agronomists have been focusing on nutrient use efficiency, or NUE, as a way to reduce the amount of phosphorus contributing to runoff while also helping growers to maximize their investment.
From specialty fertilizer production, to the development of controlled-release fertilizers, and other advancements that contribute to 4R best practices (supplying the right source at the right time in the right place and at the right rate), there are numerous opportunities to improve nutrient use efficiency.
Researchers are also exploring opportunities in improving phosphorus efficiency in animal feed applications as well.
Limiting Phosphorus Demand
The world will always require phosphorus to produce food, but there are opportunities to reduce demand, primarily when it comes to eating habits.
In addition to improving overall efficiency of phosphorus use to reduce overall demand, moving away from high meat and dairy diets would help to reduce pressure on phosphate resources.
Conclusion
The growing strain on phosphate rock resources, paired with the environmental problems wasted phosphorus brings, is a constant reminder that the world needs a better way to manage phosphorus if we are to feed the growing population.
The world must take a combined approach to phosphorus management, recycling existing waste streams, mitigating inefficiencies and improving nutrient use, and limiting excess demand.
FEECO is the world’s foremost expert on phosphoric fertilizer production, providing feasibility testing and process development services, custom fertilizer granulation equipment and plants, as well as parts and service support. We are committed to helping our customers make the most of available phosphorus resources through recovery and reuse applications, enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and more. For more information on our phosphatic fertilizer capabilities, contact us today!