News
– ENDORSE will develop a transnational strategy to recover phosphorus salts and valorise them as fertilisers, promoting more sustainable agricultural practices
– The project is based on the cascading precipitation of different phosphorus salts, a more robust and cost-effective process than traditional methods
Phosphorus is an essential element for food production, yet its natural reserves are limited and non-renewable. Moreover, its excess causes significant impacts on soils and aquatic ecosystems. In response to this dual environmental and agricultural challenge, ENDORSE has been launched—an INTERREG SUDOE project that will design and implement a transnational strategy for the recovery of phosphorus salts from wastewater, promoting their valorisation as fertilisers through more sustainable agricultural practices that ensure long-term food security and the protection of natural resources.
The project, coordinated by Cetaqua – Water Technology Centre and developed in collaboration with entities from Spain, Portugal and France, will implement cascading precipitation, an innovative technology to recover different phosphorus salts from wastewater. Unlike traditional methods focused on a single salt such as struvite, this approach increases the efficiency of the recovery process.
Clara Reino, project coordinator and researcher at Cetaqua, highlights the benefits and innovative nature of the project: “With ENDORSE, we are leading the transition towards circular phosphorus management in the SUDOE area. Our demonstration pilots in Spain, Portugal and France will create real links between urban and rural sectors, benefiting agricultural SMEs and serving as a replicable model for more competitive and sustainable agriculture.”
The efficient and sustainable application of phosphorus salts will enable the controlled release of nutrients into the environment, improving their uptake, preserving soil health and minimising environmental impact. The project will demonstrate its viability through real crop examples in both open-field and greenhouse conditions across different territories in south-west Europe: Castilla y León (Spain), Northern Portugal, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie (France).
The ENDORSE project will harness wastewater through a circular economy approach, transforming what is traditionally considered waste into a valuable resource for agriculture, thereby reducing dependence on imports from non-EU countries and minimising pollution. Upon completion of the project, participating territories will have access to successful case studies and a clear roadmap for implementing phosphorus recovery action plans, enhancing environmental and economic sustainability and resilience.
ENDORSE brings together seven entities from Spain, Portugal and France: Cetaqua – Water Technology Centre (coordinator), Fundación Patrimonio Natural de Castilla y León, the Energy and Environment Technology Centre of the Region of Murcia (CETENMA), the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (CIMO), ACUSHLA, Fertil’Innov Environnement, and the Interdepartmental Chamber of Agriculture of Charente-Maritime and Deux-Sèvres. The project has a total budget of €1,739,900, co-financed at 75% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg SUDOE programme, and will run for three years (2025–2028).
The views and documentation provided in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisations financially supporting the project.
