Final roadmap for circular nutrient recovery from biogas plants in Europe

A roadmap for transitioning to a circular economy for nutrients recovered from organic waste at anaerobic digestion plants, based on findings from the EU H2020 SYSTEMIC project (grant agreement No 730400). The report outlines large-scale nutrient recovery technologies demonstrated at five biogas plants in Italy, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, with input from over 30 additional operators. It details technical, economic, and regulatory challenges, including high initial costs, legal barriers, and market access issues, and proposes a technology cascade approach to improve cost-effectiveness. The roadmap supports policy makers, biogas plant operators, and farmers in advancing circular agriculture by promoting biobased fertilisers and soil conditioners as alternatives to synthetic fertilisers. It highlights the importance of tailored fertiliser blends, 4R nutrient stewardship, and a harmonised EU regulatory framework, including carbon pricing, to incentivise nutrient recovery. Life cycle assessments show lower environmental impacts than conventional fertiliser transport, with Fertiliser Replacement Values offsetting process chemical use. The project’s results are based on real-world trials and aim to enable sustainable nutrient cycling in food and agricultural systems.