The PHOSTER + FlashPhos Workshop, held on October 15, 2024, brought together leading innovators, stakeholders from industry, academies and Phosphorus value chain actors plus policymakers at Politecnico di Milano to advance the conversation around sustainable phosphorus recovery to produce and industrially scale up critical raw materials in a frame of circular economy. This hybrid event attracted an engaged audience both in-person and online, emphasizing the critical role of secondary raw materials and the need for efficient supply chains in the face of resource scarcity and sustainability goals to be achieved.
With a packed agenda, the workshop featured presentations from key figures in the PHOSTER and FlashPhos projects, as well as collaborative roundtable discussions focused on leveraging phosphorus recovery technologies and facilitating their market scale up. The event underscored the achievements of both the EU-funded projects and laid out a clear pathway for scaling these innovations across Europe’s industrial sectors emphasizing the importance of a systemic approach.
Opening Remarks and Project Insights
The day began with an introduction by Roberto Canziani and the Rector’s delegate from Politecnico di Milano, setting the stage for insightful exchanges. Andrea Turolla presented an overview of the PHOSTER project, highlighting its ambitions for sustainable phosphorus recovery. This was followed by Matthias Rapf, who provided an inside look into FlashPhos, detailing its innovative recycling approach aimed at reducing phosphorus dependency. The first session ended with the progress state of the FlashPhos proposed process by Luigi Di Rienzo, FlashPhos project Manager at Italmatch Chemicals partner.
Outcomes and Impact
The PHOSTER and FlashPhos project teams shared significant advancements, demonstrating how their innovations can influence industries from agriculture to specialty chemicals. Notably, PHOSTER partners outlined the project’s early successes in recovery technologies, while FlashPhos representatives discussed both the benefits and challenges encountered in implementing novel phosphorus recycling industrial methodologies.
Roundtable Discussions: Collaboration Across Sectors
Following a networking lunch, attendees participated in three dynamic roundtable sessions:
- Roundtable 1: Making Circularity Real
Stakeholders explored the integration of secondary materials sourcing, with panelists from energy, wastewater, and agriculture discussing how recovered phosphorus can play a dual role across competing needs in fertilizers and e-mobility batteries. - Roundtable 2: Industrial and Market Perspectives
Representatives from diverse sectors, including agrifood, specialty chemicals, and construction materials, discussed the importance of creating circular value chains for phosphorus. Industry leaders pointed out the need for consistent regulatory support to overcome existing market barriers. - Roundtable 3: Policy and Regulatory Challenges
Policymakers and regulatory experts took center stage to address the complexities in phosphorus waste management and resource recovery. Discussions focused on aligning regional policies with EU-wide sustainability goals, emphasizing the importance of a unified approach for maximizing phosphorus recovery across Europe. A special focus on Waste Water Treatment sludges’stocking and cross boundary handling rules was taken to facilitate the market uptake of the novel released technologies.
Open Forum and Next Steps
The workshop concluded with an open forum where participants discussed actionable steps to expedite the commercialization of phosphorus recovery technologies. Stakeholders from various sectors emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration to scale these solutions and meet Europe’s growing demand for sustainable resources.
Looking Ahead
The success of the FlashPhos + PHOSTER Workshop demonstrated the growing momentum for sustainable phosphorus recovery and secondary raw material utilization in Europe. As this workshop marked the end of the PHOSTER project, FlashPhos continues to advance, nevertheless they are both set to play a pivotal role in establishing new supply chains that support Europe’s circular economy goals.
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