International Trends in Sustainable Phosphorus Management

Abstract

Phosphorus（P）, along with nitrogen and potassium, is one of the three major nutrients essential for plant growth and an indispensable resource for fertilizers. Mineral P ore is the essential source of the phosphorus currently used for economic purposes worldwide. According to a 2018 report from the United States Geological Survey, about 75% of total global P production takes place in three countries: China, Morocco, and the United States, and more than 70% of global economic reserves of phosphorus ore are in Morocco. P ore is used mainly as a source material for fertilizers, but there is also a large demand for industrial uses, including semiconductors, surface treatment agents, EV secondary batteries, pharmaceuticals, and processed foods. As a resource essential for food supply, phosphorus is viewed as a strategic resource in the world, and its sustainable use is a topic of ongoing discussion especially in Europe and Asia. To ensure the sustainable management and conservation of phosphorus resources, phosphorus resources should be used more efficiently by agriculture and other phosphorus-dependent industries. To this end, we need to establish economically efficient conditions to implement the full-scale recovery of unused phosphorus resources, to develop phosphorus recycling technologies, and to realize the sustainable P value chain.