The Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of the Environment has granted funding of 27.1 million euros to Phosphorgewinnung Schkopau GmbH for the construction of the world’s first phosphorus recovery plant using EasyMining’s Ash2Phos process.
PGS (Phosphorgewinnung Schkopau GmbH), a joint venture between EasyMining Germany GmbH and GELSENWASSER AG, has received a grant from the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of the Environment for 27.1 million euros for the construction of the world’s first phosphorus recovery plant using EasyMining’s Ash2Phos process. Set to launch in 2027, this project will ensure a stable supply of high-quality phosphorus and position Saxony-Anhalt at the forefront of innovative technologies within recycling and waste management.
The Minister of the Environment for Saxony-Anhalt, Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann, handed over the funding decision to PGS and commented:
“With the establishment of this highly innovative phosphorus recovery plant, Saxony-Anhalt can once again make a name for itself as a state of future technologies. Phosphorus is a critical raw material on which our agriculture in particular depends on. Especially for countries like Germany, which have to import thousands of tonnes of phosphorus every year, the establishment of a circular economy solution in which phosphorus is recovered on a significant scale could be a real step forward. Recovering the raw material could also make an important contribution to protecting our environment and our natural resources.”
The Ash2Phos process represents a paradigm shift in phosphorus recovery technology with focus on environmentally friendly, sustainable and efficient recycling.
“We want to establish a closed-loop solution for the vital nutrient phosphorus in Europe,” explains Christian Kabbe, Managing Director of EasyMining Germany GmbH, and Agnes Janda, Head of Wastewater at GELSENWASSER AG. “This will ensure a stable supply of high-quality phosphorus and also contribute to a more sustainable food supply,” concludes Christian Kabbe.
Phosphorus recovery in Saxony-Anhalt
- The recovery plant in Schkopau is the first plant in the world to utilise the new Ash2Phos technology for phosphorus recovery.
- The phosphorus recovered from sewage sludge ash is of high quality and can be used directly as a fertiliser as well as in the chemical industry.
- The Ash2Phos technology enables more than 90 percent of the phosphorus to be extracted from the ash produced during sewage sludge incineration.
- It also enables other substances to be recovered, such as ferric chloride for reuse as a precipitant in sewage treatment plants and sand.
- Pollutants are removed from the sewage sludge ash and thus from the water cycle, reducing the burden on the environment.
