Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS
Background
Most of the phosphates that are mined end up as fertilisers in agriculture but they also play an important role in preserving agents, flame retardants, de-foamer, water softener and plasticiser. Missing natural phosphate deposits in Europe are the reason for the raising awareness in terms of the criticality of this resource. Nitrogen as ammonia or nitrate is the other main nutrient for plants. Even if nitrogen is the most abandoned element in the air the conversion into plant available forms via the Haber-Bosch process is very energy consuming. Furthermore nitrate and ammonia are water soluble and are easily transferred as mineral or farm fertiliser into surface and ground water where they cause environmental problems.
Your challenge
- Different determining conditions in the periphery of the recycling plant
- Recovered nutrients not yet a recycling product (marketable fertiliser)
- No sales market established for recycling products
- Different regional requirements for a recycling strategy
- Fulfilment of ordinances (fertiliser regulation, REACH)
Design of regional recycling concepts
- Strategic and technological support for WWTPs, local authorities and municipalities
- Optimisation, scale-up and implementation of existing technologies
- Evaluation and characterisation of recycling products according relevant ordinances
- Analysis of process and waste waters, sludges, ashes, farm fertiliser and secondary raw materials
Your advantage
- Establishment of sustainable technologies
- Support during the transfer of ideas into a large scale
production - Avoidance of harmful chemicals
- Development of marketable products
- Saving due to reduced disposal costs
- Via Fraunhofer IWKS access to a multiplicity of stakeholders and
networks