Phosphates are essential for agriculture and industry, yet their production relies heavily on finite, mined resources. Now, innovative recycling technology is changing that by recovering valuable phosphates from waste, reducing environmental impact, and closing the loop on phosphate use.
A key breakthrough in phosphate recovery comes from advanced chemical processes that extract phosphates from sewage sludge ash, a byproduct of wastewater treatment. Traditionally, this ash is discarded, but a new technology by startup SusPhos can refine it into high-quality, circular products for fertilisers, cement, and industrial applications. This approach not only reduces reliance on virgin phosphate mining, but also consumes less energy and minimises waste.
Closing the P-cycle
Projected in 2028, the first full-scale plant based on SusPhos’s groundbreaking technology will be realised in Moerdijk, the Netherlands. Strategically located on the site of their joint-venture partner Slibverwerking Noord-Brabant (SNB), one of Europe’s largest sewage sludge incineration plants, the SusPhos One facility will set new standards for circular phosphate management. This plant will serve as a beacon for urban mining, transforming waste into high-value products.
By curving the linear phosphate process into a circular cycle, innovations in phosphate recycling are paving the way for a zero-waste future, where essential nutrients are continuously reused rather than lost.
