Bio-industries in the pulp and paper, food, forestry, and animal sectors generate significant amounts of materials rich in nutrient elements like potassium and phosphorus, which are essential to life, have no substitute, and are finite in natural deposits. Many such streams are landfilled due to contamination with heavy metals, while others are spread on land as low-quality fertilizers. Both are not optimal solutions. Chemical processing to convert these materials into commercial compounds comes with many advantages and significantly improves the sustainability of bio-based technologies.
This project will develop a robust process to decontaminate materials and wastes from the aforementioned bioindustries and recover highly desired potassium and phosphorus fertilizers with well-defined chemistry and application areas. Validation of the recovered fertilizers will be done by stakeholders and will include growth tests, quality, and performance assessments. A thorough market analysis, LCA and implementation plan will be done to speed up the commercialization of the developed technology.
Participants
EasyMining Services Sweden, Lantmännen, Ragn-Sells Treatment and Detox, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences – Department of Soil and Environment and Department of Molecular Sciences, and Södra Skogsägarna.
Budget & time plan
The project’s total budget is 7,2 MSEK and the project runs between November 2023 and April 2026.