N.V. Sludge processing North Brabant
Description
Phosphorus Worldwide:
Phosphorus is an important and essential element for all life on earth. Plants need phosphate from the soil to grow. By using (artificial) manure, we add phosphate and other minerals for the growth of cultivated plants. Humans and animals also need phosphate for energy, bone growth and DNA formation.
Worldwide, the supply of phosphate is limited. Mining of phosphate ore takes place mainly in Morocco, China, and the United States. About 80% of mined phosphate is currently needed for food production. Due to the increasing world population, greater meat consumption and the cultivation of energy crops for biofuel, the demand for phosphates has increased significantly in recent years and will continue in the coming decades. According to some experts, the stock of extractable phosphate ores is sufficient for a few more decades, other experts speak of a longer period but indicate its finite availability in the course of the 21st century.
The growing shortage of phosphate, combined with the ever-increasing demand for food, could lead to less crop production for food per inhabitant of the earth and consequently higher food prices: scarcity, hunger and social and geopolitical tension will increase as a result.
Meanwhile, the (Western) world is using phosphate in a wasteful manner.
But what about the solutions to prevent or eliminate the problems outlined?
This is where opportunities lie for Dutch industry, engineering firms and universities and colleges. The method of phosphate use, the availability of recoverable phosphate from waste streams, etc. are challenges for the aforementioned parties where cost savings and revenue generation appear possible. This raises questions such as What is our policy? and How sustainable is our national policy?
Sludge Processing:
Mr Sijstermans manager Proces & Milieu of N.V. Slibverwerking Noord-Brabant(SNB) in Moerdijk is our host and will give the participants a guided tour with explanations of SNB's factory, among other things.
SNB processes a considerable part of the Dutch sewage sludge from sewage treatment plants. Until the 1990s, this sludge was reused as fertiliser in agriculture. Because of the contaminants in the sludge, this was no longer considered responsible and therefore SNB's sludge incineration plant was commissioned in 1997.
13.00 to 13:30: Reception and registration participants
13:30 to 13:40: Short welcome by Mr Sijstermans
13:40 to 14:15: Speaker 1, Mr De Buck
14:15 to 16.00 hrs: Speaker 2, Mr Sijstermans and tour of factory
16.00 to 16.45 hrs: Speaker 3, Mr De Ruiter
16.45 to 17.00 hrs: Discussion
17.00 to 17.15 hrs: Evaluation and conclusion
Speaker(s)
Speaker 1: The phosphorus cycle, applications, the necessity of phosphorus for life on earth, phosphate ore reserves and other phosphorus sources, needs, waste, world population growth, biomass use as an energy source, national and international policy, geopolitics, legislation NL, EU and USA. Furthermore, a tour d'horizon of the possibilities of significantly and sustainably reducing phosphorus needs and phosphorus recovery. This will be outlined by Mr De Buck of the Ministry of EL&I; Nutrient Platform NL
Speaker 2: The technique of phosphorus recovery from RWZI sludge and related waste streams and residual streams by the SNB plant; by Mr Luc Sijstermans manager Process & Environment of SNB.
Speaker 3: Processing the recovered phosphorus into usable phosphorus and phosphorus compounds for agriculture, horticulture, food processing, etc.; by Mr Rob de Ruiter, director of Business Development at EcoPhos s.a. and former director of Thermphos
Location
Sludge processing North Brabant
Middenweg 38, Port no M348, 4782 PM Moerdijk
Organiser
Sustainable Technology
Name and contact details for information
André P.G. Dijkmans, tel. 06-20249738