TotalMaterial Requirement assessment of Phosphorus sources from Phosphate ore and urban sinks: Sewage Sludge andMSWincineration fly ash

Abstract

Diversification of phosphorus sources can bring substantial synergy effects within all the<br />sustainable development domains: environmental, economic and social, and such an opportunity should not be<br />overlooked. Urban sinks accumulate phosphorus and other elements and may serve as sources of secondary<br />raw materials. This paper evaluates phosphorus sources based on their total material requirement (TMR).<br />Resource requirements and emissions of the conventional phosphorus production from mining through the<br />acid route processing have been quantified and have been used as a yardstick against which to measure the<br />performance of two recycling options: spreading of sewage sludge and phosphorus recovery from municipal<br />solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWA). The sludge spreading had the lowest TMR. Phosphorus extracted<br />from the MSWAhad four-fold higher TMR than the conventional production. However, method modifications<br />were suggested and are currently being tested, which reduce the methods TMR well below the TMR of the<br />phosphorus production from the ore. The entire impact of the Swedish mineral fertilizer demand can be<br />avoided by recycling urban sinks of phosphorus. Sweden can become self-sufficient in mineral fertilizer<br />because the phosphorus quantities imported in food and later found in the urban sinks such as food waste,<br />sewage sludge and MSW incineration residues cover the entire necessary quantity.