Finding new ways to enhance nutrient recycling in the Baltic Sea Regions
HELCOM Agri group initiated development of a regional strategy on nutrient recycling.
"Nutrient recycling is essential to reduce nutrient losses to the Baltic Sea and to efficiently use limited phosphorus resources" says Tarja Haaranen, the Chair of HELCOM Agri group.
As a first step, a HELCOM Workshop on nutrient recycling in the Baltic Sea countries was organized on 27-28 March in Berlin, Germany. The workshop gathered more than 40 experts from all Baltic Sea countries to discuss national strategies and programmes to recycle phosphorus in agriculture and waste water management. The Workshop aimed at creating suggestions for HELCOM to promote nutrient recycling and fully utilize valuable components of manure and sewage sludge.
Nutrient recycling was also in the focus of the 4th Meeting of the HELCOM Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices organized on 3-4 April in Brussels, Belgium. Smart nutrient management in agriculture is a priority for the Agri group. The group particularly aims at advancing manure standards as a basis for effective nutrient accounting on farm level. This enables balanced fertilization as manure is considered not as a waste but as a nutrient resource.