Journal of Science Policy & Governance
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Volume 20, Issue 01 | March 28, 2022
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Policy Memo: A National Framework for Establishing a Circular Economy for Phosphorus
Omanjana Goswami (1,2), Ashaki A. Rouff (1)
Corresponding author: [email protected] |
Keywords: phosphorus; circular economy; nutrient management; EPA; sustainable fertilizer
Executive Summary
Phosphate rock (PR) is a finite and limited resource from which phosphorus (P) is mined for use in fertilizer. Approximately 40% of P applied as fertilizer is lost to erosion, and nutrient pollution and eutrophication caused by run-off from excess P in agriculture is a pervasive environmental issue. As agricultural demand for P fertilizers increases, existing reserves of PR are depleted and alternate sources need to be considered. To ensure a sustained supply of P without destabilizing global food security, there is an urgent need to implement feasible policy and technology options. Establishing a circular economy where P is recovered from existing nutrient-rich waste streams and reused as fertilizers is a viable solution to the dual problem of nutrient pollution and availability. This policy memo offers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Congress guidance to prioritize phosphorus policies by: (1) establishing a Federal Advisory Committee on a circular economy for P; (2) increasing Congressional funding of P-recovery research, (3) issuing a national ban on certain phosphate-bearing products, and (4) deregulating struvite from the 40 CFR Part 503 Biosolids Rule. We recommend implementation of a synergistic combination of the proposed policy options to accelerate transition to a circular P-economy.
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Background header image courtesy of NOAA's National Ocean Service from Flickr
Omanjana Goswami is a Staff Scientist at the Center for Food Safety (CFS). Her work at CFS focuses on using public facing scientific evidence and information to advocate for stronger pesticide and agricultural policies with regulatory agencies and communities. She holds a PhD degree in environmental science from Rutgers University, NJ. Omanjana served as a NOAA Knauss Legislative Fellow (2019-2020) in the office of former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard focusing on issues of pollution, environmental protection and conservation, science and technology.
Ashaki A. Rouff is an Environmental Geochemist studying inorganic and organic contaminants in natural, human-impacted, and engineered systems for environmental preservation and sustainability. Research foci include phosphorus recovery from wastewater for sustainable use of nutrient resources, metals in urban soils, and sustainably-sourced sorbents for gas capture. She holds a PhD from Stony Brook University, NY and received postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. She was the recipient of a 2019 Fulbright Global Scholar Award. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University, Newark.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the editors for their feedback and comments throughout the review stages that improved this manuscript.
Ashaki A. Rouff is an Environmental Geochemist studying inorganic and organic contaminants in natural, human-impacted, and engineered systems for environmental preservation and sustainability. Research foci include phosphorus recovery from wastewater for sustainable use of nutrient resources, metals in urban soils, and sustainably-sourced sorbents for gas capture. She holds a PhD from Stony Brook University, NY and received postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. She was the recipient of a 2019 Fulbright Global Scholar Award. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University, Newark.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the editors for their feedback and comments throughout the review stages that improved this manuscript.
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ISSN 2372-2193
ISSN 2372-2193