Objective
Phosphorus (P) is necessary for life as a macronutrient and cannot be substituted for this use. P-fertilisers must be available to sustain soil fertility and ensure food security to feed the world population. Yet, the resource is non-renewable. EU relies on imports of P-rock to a very high extent (93%). The fact that P is essential renders the increasing scarcity inevitable and leads to concerns about the future use.
This study assesses long-term resource use and recycling with a model based on material flow analysis and resource economics. Societies produce P-rich wastes, which are secondary resources, calling for sound environmental management. Recycling from secondary resources must be optimised for the long term to extend the period for which P will be available to EU agriculture.
The study proposed here integrates long-term recycling of a non-renewable resource into a dynamic optimisation problem and seeks to determine the optimal use of primary and secondary P resources. In this model physical and economic inefficiencies are considered, while scenarios show the possibility of prolonging resource lifetime. The project is in line with the Resources Strategy of the EU. It helps to design policies for the efficient use of P, which will play an important r ole in food security and thus global and inter-generational equity.
The training provides the researcher with complementary scientific competencies. Having an environmental engineering background and a PhD in waste and resources management, the researcher combines her engineering skills with environmental and resource economics, under the auspices of the EU. She will benefit from the award by improving her methodological capacity and by enlarging her international scientific network.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
- social sciences economics and business economics
- social sciences sociology demography fertility
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
WAGENINGEN
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.