This will be achieved through the implementation and demonstration of innovative N&P recovery solutions, utilising human sanitary waste from urban areas and converting it into safe bio-based fertilisers for agricultural production in three pilot regions (the P2GreeN pilot regions), spanning a north-south trajectory from the Baltic Sea region, through the metropolitan area of Hamburg-Hannover, to the region of Axarquía in southern Spain. This approach will also extend to follower regions in Italy, France, Greece, and Hungary.

P2GreeN will close the nutrient cycles of N and P to support the transition towards a circular, clean economy (green transition) and promote sustainable food systems from farm to fork. It offers viable alternatives to reduce the current reliance on mineral fertilisers, replacing them with innovative, green, bio-based fertilisers, and thus reducing pressure on natural resources, specifically water and soil. P2GreeN will further enable policymakers to replicate its sustainable regional circular economy models across diverse regional settings in Europe.

To facilitate systemic change, co-creation strategies with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as harmonised governance frameworks that support innovation, will be key to P2GreeN’s approach.

AGRATHAER GMBH

Eberswalde, Paris 

Axarquía region, Hamburg Metropolitan region, Berlin-Brandenburg region, Gotland

P2GreeN will close nutrient cycles of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows to foster the transition towards a circular and clean economy (green transition) and support sustainable food systems from farm to fork. It offers viable alternatives to reduce the current reliance on mineral fertilisers, replacing them with innovative, green, bio-based fertilisers, thus minimising pressure on natural resources, specifically water and soil. P2GreeN will also enable policymakers to replicate its sustainable regional circular economy models across diverse regional settings in Europe.

To achieve this, P2GreeN will develop new circular governance solutions to transition from fork to farm and eliminate N and P pollution by linking blue urban infrastructure with green rural infrastructure, focusing on circular nutrient flows of N and P. This objective will be achieved through the implementation and exploration of innovative N and P recovery solutions, which utilise human sanitary waste from urban areas and convert it into safe bio-based fertilisers for agricultural production. These solutions will be demonstrated in three pilot cluster regions (P2GreeN pilot regions), following a north-south trajectory from the Baltic Sea region through the metropolitan area of Hamburg-Hannover to the region of Axarquía in southern Spain. The impact will be further amplified through four follower regions in Hungary, Italy, France, and Greece.

Circular business model scoring tool
Legal scoping review (regulatory analysis)
Methodology on Life Cycle Assessment for circular economy (CE) approaches.

• Seven novel governance solutions at the interface of rural/coastal-urban/industrial environments in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, and Hungary;
• Open green transition innovation platform as a permanent knowledge hub;
• Three LCAs and impact assessments on nutrient system transformation from fork to farm to fork;
• Sector-spanning, cross-cutting governance framework as a blueprint for EU-wide projects;
• Three blueprints for the standardisation and regulation of balanced N & P flows within safe ecological boundaries at EU and regional levels;
• Three blueprints for upscaling system innovation at the EU level.

A continuous dialogue between all partners, covering different aspects of a circular economy (CE) model, is essential due to the often cross-sectoral nature of innovative CE approaches.
Regulatory frameworks need to be unified across sectors and EU Member States (MS) to enable the upscaling of CE approaches.
 

• Share information and knowledge from the project with CCRI-CSO;
• Take an active part in CCRI support activities for Pilot and Fellow cities and regions;
• Participate in CCRI events;
• Facilitate exchange with other CCRI pilots, fellows, and projects through topic-specific events for sharing knowledge and experiences.

So far, nine deliverables have been published and can be downloaded on the P2GreeN website. The titles are:

• D-1.6 - Progress in the setup of pilot regions
• D-2.1 - Report on common guidelines for methodologies and template for data collection;
• D-3.7 - Scoping review describing the status of the legislative framework;
• D-5.1 - Network hub and repository of relevant stakeholders for engagement, outreach, and impact;
• D-5.5 - Report on results of actions for knowledge exchange and capacity building;
• D-6.1 - Initial plan for dissemination and exploitation, including communication activities;
• D-6.3 - Project website, P2GreeN promotion package, and visual identity established;
• D-7.2 - Innovation platform established;
• D-7.3 - Initial data management plan.

• EU 2019/1009 (Fertilising Products Regulation) – Recycling fertilisers are not yet included;
• EU 91/271/EWG §14 (1) – Reclamation of sewage sludge requires minimising environmental risks;
• EU 2020/741 – Disinfection and monitoring requirements;
• EU Directive 2008/98 – Waste Framework Directive.

National regulations vary significantly between Member States, which hinders the upscaling of circular economy solutions across Europe.

Nutrient losses to the environment pose a major threat to the functioning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Biogeochemical nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fluxes are considered especially critical, as high N and P loads are associated with issues such as groundwater pollution, eutrophication of water bodies, and biodiversity loss. The N and P emissions of recent decades have put European rivers and coasts into an alarming geochemical and ecological state.

The agri-food sector plays a key role, as it significantly contributes to N and P pollution, while also depending heavily on mineral fertilisers for agricultural production in Europe, with an estimated consumption of approximately 11 million tonnes of N and P per year. Current mainstream production methods for N and P fertilisers are unsustainable for Europe’s food security as well as for the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

The planned revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) imposes stricter standards for nutrient management and the removal of micropollutants. The use of innovative technologies for nutrient recycling from sanitary waste reduces nutrient loads in urban wastewater and enables the filtration of pollutants, such as pharmaceutical residues in urine, before they enter the sewage system.

An estimated overall reduction in pollution caused by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) discharge of 10% by 2030 compared to current levels (180 Gg/yr for N and 11 Gg/yr for P), and a replacement of mineral fertilisers by 2% for N and 2.27% for P across Europe, based on current mineral fertiliser usage.
 

Toolbox for social acceptance of new technologies and food produced based on fertilisers from human sanitary waste.

Four different circular bio-based fertiliser systems for all farm types of agriculture and horticulture.

Public authorities, farmers and farmers' associations, wastewater treatment organisations, policymakers at the Member State (MS) and EU levels.

• LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR GEMUSE- UND ZIERPFLANZENBAU GROSSBEEREN/ERFURT EV
• VILLE DE PARIS 
• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN 
• SWEDISH UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
• COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
• LUKE - NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE FINLAND
• NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH 
• CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS CERTH
• BIOAZUL, SL
• C.I.P. CITIZENS IN POWER 
• ECOVILLAGE HANNOVER EG (Terminated)
• GOLDEIMER GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH
• INSTITUT D'ARQUITECTURA AVANCADA DE CATALUNYA
• ICLEI EUROPEAN SECRETARIAT GMBH (ICLEI EUROPASEKRETARIAT GMBH)
• FUNDACION CENTRO ANDALUZ DE INVESTIGACIONES DEL AGUA
• SUN GLOBAL CHEMICALS SERVICES SL
• IRIDRA SRL
• ECOLE NATIONALE DES PONTS ET CHAUSSEES 
• CENTRE FOR ECONOMICAND REGIONAL STUDIES
• HAFENCITY UNIVERSITAT HAMBURG
• SUSTCHEM TECHNIKI SYMVOULEFTIKI ANONYMI ETAIREIA - PAN.D.BRAIMIOTIS - PAN.G.SKARLATOS A.E.
• TRANSITION APS
• Triodos Bank
• MOVERIM CONSULTING SPRL
• SOCIEDAD AGRARIA DE TRANSFORMACION TROPS N 2 803 DE RESPONSABILIDAD LIMITADA 
• AGRI SMART DATA SL
• Touch Down Gotland AB
• SANITATION360 AB - S360
• GOTLANDS BRYGGERI AB
• AGUAS Y SANEAMIENTOS DE LA AXARQUÍA SA
• KREISWERKE BARNIM GMBH