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Description
Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers widely used in agriculture directly contribute to excessive eutrophication of water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, and consequently also of sea waters. That is a result of rapid leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds into groundwater. WKG is planning to launch a fertiliser to reduce this phenomenon – based on limestone with mineral (clay) additives, to deacidify, mineralise and increase the water capacity of the soil. The new fertiliser will have the ability to bind and then gradually release nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil, and to increase the level of phytoabsorption of these elements for crops. It will significantly slow down and reduce the process of their leaching into groundwater. The most important groups of recipients for our new product will be individual farmers and intermediaries in the fertiliser trade. Next, we are planning to license foreign entities for know-how related to the production of the innovative fertiliser.
The project includes the purchase of mobile mining machines enabling the production of fertiliser in the WKG mining plant. Also, we will purchase development services aimed at adapting our original fertiliser formula to applications in horticulture, and at conducting bench tests on the reduction of cyanobacteria growth and the phenomenon of eutrophication in cold waters. These services will be carried out by our project partner, NIBIO - The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research.
For the production of this new fertiliser, we will use limestone clay material, which is a waste product from our current production, and that increase the amount of waste reused by our plant by approx. 10,000 tons per year.
Summary of project results
The need for the project arose from the project promoter’s (WKG Sp. z o.o. - Funded projects - WKG Group) desire to manage and process kaolinite, a by-product of the company’s activities, into a fully valuable product.
The project promoter conducted a preliminary study of the fertilizer with mineral additives, including kaolinite. This research showed that the new fertilizer, in addition to its primary role of deacidification, excellently binds and gradually releases nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. This, in turn, prevents these compounds from leaching into groundwater and helps counteract the eutrophication of river and sea waters.
Eutrophication is one of the biggest problems of the Baltic Sea. It is a process of the over-enrichment of a body of water with nutrients that leads to the bloom of vegetation on the seabed, including cyanobacteria and algae, and consequently to the formation of so-called dead zones, where marine life disappears. Cyanobacteria produce toxins harmful to humans, and beaches are closed during their blooms. Eutrophication is mainly caused by the influx of fertilizers not absorbed by plants, which seep into the sea through groundwater. It is estimated that about 45% of the nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Baltic Sea comes from agriculture. The area of dead zones in the Baltic Sea has increased tenfold over the last 115 years and currently covers about 15% of the sea’s surface.
The main challenge of the project was to confirm the effectiveness of the fertilizer in mitigating eutrophication and to implement the innovative fertilizer into production. In modern agriculture, advanced farming must meet many conditions that not only protect and improve soil parameters, but also positively impact the aquatic environment. Therefore, it is very important to supply the soil with mineral substances, but equally important is improving soil structure and reducing its tendency to crust and compact. Due to increasingly frequent droughts and water shortages, it is crucial to reduce water loss in the soil and improve its infiltration capacity.
The project was implemented in the partnership with the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO About NIBIO - Nibio). The project partner conducted research and development on the effectiveness of the innovative fertilizer in mitigating the adverse phenomenon of eutrophication, particularly for the cold seas of northern Europe. As part of the project, the Norwegian project partner conducted field tests on the impact of the innovative fertilizer in reducing the growth of cyanobacteria and the occurrence of eutrophication in cold waters. NIBIO carried out experiments in the climate laboratory in Tromsø, a facility equipped with growth chambers with controlled day length, temperature, and humidity, as well as a greenhouse with controlled temperature.
The results of the conducted studies confirmed that the use of calcium fertilizers developed by the project promoter can mitigate the adverse phenomenon of eutrophication in areas such as northern Norway. The applied calcium fertilizers significantly delayed the appearance of blooms in runoff typical for eutrophication processes. It was also found that there was a greater ability to retain phosphorus and potassium ions in the soil subjected to leaching. It was confirmed that the use of the new calcium fertilizer is of great importance in mitigating the adverse phenomena related to agriculture.
Important part of the project was also investment activities focused on the purchase of the equipment necessary for launching the production of the new, innovative fertilizer to be used in agricultural and horticultural production, including organic production.
After the commissioning of the completed technological line, the production process of the new product was launched and the project promoter started promotional and marketing campaign. As a part of this campaign, four information events were organized, including, among others, leading Polish scientific institutions involved in the subject of fertilizers, such as the Agricultural University of Cracow, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Cracow University of Technology.
The implementation of the project has a positive impact on the natural environment, as the use of the innovative fertilizer helps reduce the adverse phenomenon of nitrogen and phosphorus leaching into groundwater, which causes the eutrophication of river and sea waters. At the same time, the primary role of calcium fertilizer in deacidification and regulating the soil’s water management is maintained. The addition of a clay fraction in the form of kaolinite to the fertilizer mineralizes and improves the physical and physicochemical properties of the soil, increases water permeability and retention in the soil, and improves soil structure by facilitating the penetration of water and air. This is important in the context of climate change, including increasingly frequent drought periods, especially in the central Polish lowlands.
The use of the new fertilizer will also bring significant benefits to end users. Providing plants with the appropriate nutrients throughout the growing season will contribute to increased yields and improved quality. By regulating the soil’s mineral balance, the fertilizer increases plant resistance, strengthens their root systems, and facilitates even plant growth. By ensuring the retention of residual moisture in the soil, the fertilizer will also mitigate the negative effects of droughts.
The project also has a direct, positive impact on the local environment and community. The formula of the new fertilizer is based on carbonate-clay components, which were previously a by-product of limestone extraction and processing. The project contributed to the efficient management of the entire exploited raw material and enabled the use and further reduction of raw material storage at the production plant’s dumps. This will contribute to the gradual elimination of heaps, leading to positive changes in the local landscape.
The implementation of the project brought tangible results also to the project promoter. The product range was expanded to include a high-quality fertilizer, which contributed to the diversification of production and business risk. With the acquisition of new customers, the company’s revenues increased, its competitiveness improved, and employment grew. Additionally, the project promoter developed cooperation with domestic and foreign research units and optimized the exploitation of the deposit by utilizing raw materials that were previously by-products of the plant’s operations.
Summary of bilateral results
As part of the project, Partner Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomic Research (NIBIO) conducted development work on the effectiveness of an innovative fertilizer in offsetting the adverse phenomenon of eutrophication, particularly for the cold sea areas of northern Europe. In particular, the cooperation consisted of:1) Implementation of specific development work within the framework of the project - working in search of common solutions to project challenges. The Norwegian partner carried out within the framework of the project bench tests of the impact of the innovative fertilizer on the reduction of cyanobacteria growth and the occurrence of eutrophication in cool waters (phyto-availability and leachability studies of fertilizers).2) Provide its contribution to the project to the extent of actual expenses incurred under the project.3) Provide the WKG with all information and data required for coordination, auditing, monitoring of project implementation and for reporting purposes.The project has developed a good practice for the fertilizer industry of incorporating the problem of eutrophication into fertilizer operations, something that has been overlooked by the industry to date. WKG and the Norwegian Partner took into account the purpose of calcium fertilizer not only in its nutritional function for crops, but also in its function of preventing the migration of NPK compounds into groundwater and reducing the risk of eutrophication of waters, which is an important novelty in the fertilizer industry. Another important novelty was the consideration of the specificity of cool and warm waters for this phenomenon, which increases the commercialization potential of the product.In addition, the partner''s role was to develop scientific materials and promote the results of the project as part of its scientific and teaching activities. The partner also participated in project events, where he presented, among other things, the results of his research.