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A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system

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A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system. / Rothwell, Shane; Forber, Kirsty; Dawson, Chris J. et al.
In: Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 314, 115021, 15.07.2022.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Rothwell, S, Forber, K, Dawson, CJ, Salter, JL, Dils, RM, Webber, H, McGuire, J, Doody, DG & Withers, P 2022, 'A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 314, 115021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021

APA

Rothwell, S., Forber, K., Dawson, C. J., Salter, J. L., Dils, R. M., Webber, H., McGuire, J., Doody, D. G., & Withers, P. (2022). A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system. Journal of Environmental Management, 314, Article 115021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021

Vancouver

Rothwell S, Forber K, Dawson CJ, Salter JL, Dils RM, Webber H et al. A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system. Journal of Environmental Management. 2022 Jul 15;314:115021. Epub 2022 Apr 25. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021

Author

Rothwell, Shane ; Forber, Kirsty ; Dawson, Chris J. et al. / A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system. In: Journal of Environmental Management. 2022 ; Vol. 314.

Bibtex

@article{dff6e3761d624715befe0b63f5cb8aac,
title = "A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system",
abstract = "The UK food system is reliant on imported phosphorus (P) to meet food production demand, though inefficient use and poor stewardship means P is currently accumulating in agricultural soils, wasted or lost with detrimental impacts on aquatic environments. This study presents the results of a detailed P Substance Flow Analysis for the UK food system in 2018, developed in collaboration with industry and government, with the key objective of highlighting priority areas for system interventions to improve the sustainability and resilience of P use in the UK food system. In 2018 the UK food system imported 174.6 Gg P, producing food and exportable commodities containing 74.3 Gg P, a P efficiency of only 43%. Three key system hotspots for P inefficiency were identified: Agricultural soil surplus and accumulation (89.2 Gg P), loss to aquatic environments (26.2 Gg P), and waste disposal to landfill and construction (21.8 Gg P). Greatest soil P accumulation occurred in grassland agriculture (85% of total accumulation), driven by loadings of livestock manures. Waste water treatment (12.5 Gg P) and agriculture (8.38 Gg P) account for most P lost to water, and incineration ashes from food system waste (20.3 Gg P) accounted for nearly all P lost to landfill and construction. New strategies and policy to improve the handling and recovery of P from manures, biosolids and food system waste are therefore necessary to improve system P efficiency and reduce P accumulation and losses, though critically, only if they effectively replace imported mineral P fertilisers.",
keywords = "Phosphorus, Food system, Substance flow analysis, United Kingdom, Manure, Policy",
author = "Shane Rothwell and Kirsty Forber and Dawson, {Chris J.} and Salter, {J. L.} and R.M. Dils and H. Webber and J. McGuire and Doody, {Donnacha G.} and Paul Withers",
year = "2022",
month = jul,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021",
language = "English",
volume = "314",
journal = "Journal of Environmental Management",
issn = "0301-4797",
publisher = "Academic Press",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A new direction for tackling phosphorus inefficiency in the UK food system

AU - Rothwell, Shane

AU - Forber, Kirsty

AU - Dawson, Chris J.

AU - Salter, J. L.

AU - Dils, R.M.

AU - Webber, H.

AU - McGuire, J.

AU - Doody, Donnacha G.

AU - Withers, Paul

PY - 2022/7/15

Y1 - 2022/7/15

N2 - The UK food system is reliant on imported phosphorus (P) to meet food production demand, though inefficient use and poor stewardship means P is currently accumulating in agricultural soils, wasted or lost with detrimental impacts on aquatic environments. This study presents the results of a detailed P Substance Flow Analysis for the UK food system in 2018, developed in collaboration with industry and government, with the key objective of highlighting priority areas for system interventions to improve the sustainability and resilience of P use in the UK food system. In 2018 the UK food system imported 174.6 Gg P, producing food and exportable commodities containing 74.3 Gg P, a P efficiency of only 43%. Three key system hotspots for P inefficiency were identified: Agricultural soil surplus and accumulation (89.2 Gg P), loss to aquatic environments (26.2 Gg P), and waste disposal to landfill and construction (21.8 Gg P). Greatest soil P accumulation occurred in grassland agriculture (85% of total accumulation), driven by loadings of livestock manures. Waste water treatment (12.5 Gg P) and agriculture (8.38 Gg P) account for most P lost to water, and incineration ashes from food system waste (20.3 Gg P) accounted for nearly all P lost to landfill and construction. New strategies and policy to improve the handling and recovery of P from manures, biosolids and food system waste are therefore necessary to improve system P efficiency and reduce P accumulation and losses, though critically, only if they effectively replace imported mineral P fertilisers.

AB - The UK food system is reliant on imported phosphorus (P) to meet food production demand, though inefficient use and poor stewardship means P is currently accumulating in agricultural soils, wasted or lost with detrimental impacts on aquatic environments. This study presents the results of a detailed P Substance Flow Analysis for the UK food system in 2018, developed in collaboration with industry and government, with the key objective of highlighting priority areas for system interventions to improve the sustainability and resilience of P use in the UK food system. In 2018 the UK food system imported 174.6 Gg P, producing food and exportable commodities containing 74.3 Gg P, a P efficiency of only 43%. Three key system hotspots for P inefficiency were identified: Agricultural soil surplus and accumulation (89.2 Gg P), loss to aquatic environments (26.2 Gg P), and waste disposal to landfill and construction (21.8 Gg P). Greatest soil P accumulation occurred in grassland agriculture (85% of total accumulation), driven by loadings of livestock manures. Waste water treatment (12.5 Gg P) and agriculture (8.38 Gg P) account for most P lost to water, and incineration ashes from food system waste (20.3 Gg P) accounted for nearly all P lost to landfill and construction. New strategies and policy to improve the handling and recovery of P from manures, biosolids and food system waste are therefore necessary to improve system P efficiency and reduce P accumulation and losses, though critically, only if they effectively replace imported mineral P fertilisers.

KW - Phosphorus

KW - Food system

KW - Substance flow analysis

KW - United Kingdom

KW - Manure

KW - Policy

U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021

DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115021

M3 - Journal article

VL - 314

JO - Journal of Environmental Management

JF - Journal of Environmental Management

SN - 0301-4797

M1 - 115021

ER -