Ecological and economic aspects of mineral fertilizer production and sewage sludge recovery

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33730/2310-4678.4.2025.346187

Keywords:

Haber–Bosch process, greenhouse gases, energy expenditures, raw material base, circular economy, agronomic value, wastewater treatment, sustainable development

Abstract

The article examines modern approaches to providing agriculture with nutrients from the perspective of resource efficiency, energy saving, and sustainable development. The main focus is on comparing the raw material and energy inputs required for the production of traditional mineral fertilizers and the generation of sewage sludge (SS) as an alternative type of organo-mineral fertilizer. It is shown that the production of mineral fertilizers, particularly nitrogen-based ones, is extremely energy-intensive and is accompanied by significant emissions of greenhouse gases — CO2, N2O, and CH4, which negatively affect the environment and contribute to global climate change. Ammonia synthesis, the key component of nitrogen fertilizers, requires large amounts of natural gas, electricity, and hydrogen. The production of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers also relies on non-renewable mineral resources, the extraction of which leads to land degradation, the formation of toxic waste, and water pollution. In contrast, sewage sludge is naturally formed during the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater and therefore does not require additional natural resource inputs. The main energy costs in obtaining sewage sludge are associated with pumping, filtration, aeration, dewatering, and stabilization processes; however, overall, these energy expenditures are several times lower than those for producing traditional mineral fertilizers. Sewage sludge contains organic matter, as well as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium compounds, and trace elements essential for plant growth and development, which ensures its high agronomic value. In the context of the transition to a circular economy, the use of sewage sludge as a fertilizer is a promising approach to enhancing the environmental, energy, and economic efficiency of agricultural production. The article provides an analytical justification for the feasibility of implementing these environmentally balanced practices in Ukraine.

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Published

2025-11-14

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No. 4 (2025)

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Articles

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