Hi Florent and Elisabeth,

Indeed as Bjartur mentioned struvite (or, more general-recovered phosphates) is the only resource recovered from wastewater that we can use as a fertilizer in the Netherlands. Agricultural use of sludge is allowed if heavy metal concentrations are low, but in practice this is not done (as they are often too high, and there are other cheaper/better fertilizers around).

More information about this is in the Dutch law. For example I refer to wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0019031/ (in Dutch..).

So although the use of recovered phosphates (struvite, magnesium phosphate or dicalcium phosphate) is allowed (a big step forward), other products from domestic wastewater, such as urine, compost, faeces, terra preta, etc are considered a waste and therefore cannot be used as a fertilizer.

Nevertheless, I am currently working on a project to see if we can find a loophole in the law to apply urine on a test field of a municipality. We are now in conversation with the government about this. If successful (small chance) then we'll get back to you.

If I recall correctly the Dutch Nutrient Platform was involved in getting struvite in the law. Or at least they might be able to elaborate more on the process of getting the fertilizer-law amended.

Kind regards,
Tiemen

Dear Elisabeth,

thanks for your feedback. Indeed, it's not very usefull except that to know that exist...

At this step, I have no more questions regarding the evolution of our project. we will share information documents (leaflet) about OCAPI in english soon on the forum.

Regards,

Hi Florent,

I e-mailed Mariska to alert her to your question. She referred me on the Bjartur Swart who works with STOWA in the Netherlands. He replied to me by e-mail as follows:

++++++++++

Hi all,

I’m afraid there is no further information. Struvite (from wastewater or urine) is allowed to be used as a fertilizer.
Thats all.

Met vriendelijk groet

Bjartur Swart

www.saniwijzer.nl/

+++++++++++++

Probably not helping you much. Perhaps if you have specific questions we could try again to find out from him or others who work in the Netherlands?

Regards,
Elisabeth

Hello,
do you have any update about regulations on struvite or other products from excreta?
We (the OCAPI program www.leesu.fr/ocapi in french!) are under process to propose actions to incude urine' products in french regulations.
Thanks for your feedback!

Dear all,

(Elisabeth, I could not find a category on legislation; if there is a better place for this post please shift it there - thanks!)

From the Dutch newsletter of our national Nutrient Platform I copy (google-translate) paste the following information. I hope you find it useful, and other countries will follow suit! Best regards, Mariska.

Struvite taken up in the fertiliser legislation from January 2015

Struvite is a phosphate fertiliser (magnesium ammonium phosphate) which can be produced from waste, sewage sludge and manure. Depending on the composition, struvites have an agriculturally fast or slow effect as a phosphate fertilizer. Depending on the source, struvite may be contaminated with heavy metals, organic microcompounds or pathogens. The use and handling of the waste as struvite fertiliser is currently only possible if the substance is listed in Annex AA of the Implementation Law on Fertilisers; for example, the product of a potato processing industry is listed in Annex AA. For other struvites and struvite containing waste there was a missing business opportunity as a fertiliser.

However, this is now changing. An amendment to the Implementation Law on Fertilisers is being prepared, where it is possible to bring struvite on the market as raw material for phosphate fertiliser or directly as phosphate fertiliser. The finalisation of the amendment after the interministerial coordination will go down in May. Currently during the summer months, the Council of State will key the bills. Then, the finalisation takes place in September and the Cabinet needs to approve the bill in October. Planning is to publish the bill in the Government Gazette, after which it will enter into force 1 January 2015.

More information: Annemiek Strijker, a.strijker @ nutrientplatform.org, tel +31 70-304 3763.

With best regards,
Mariska
_____
Dr.ir. Mariska Ronteltap
Senior Lecturer in Sanitary Engineering
Environmental Engineering and Water Technology Department
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands
T: +31 15 215 1767 | E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NB. Not in the office on Thursdays