scientists at Arizona State University are launching the Sustainable Phosphorus Initiative today (details of launch event). The initiative is led by ASU ecologist James Elser, sustainability expert Daniel Childers, and business professor Mark Edwards. They highlight the fact that the current use of phosphorus is highly unsustainable, and must be changed urgently.
Phosphate minerals are mined mainly in five countries, and 90% of the production goes into fertilisers, meaning that if "peak phosphorus" comes to pass, which will likely happen around the middle of this century, it will immediately hit global food production.
So recycling of phosphate-rich waste, e.g. sewage should become a priority ...
More on this later.
No comments:
Post a Comment