A transition management framework to stimulate a circular phosphorus system.

As the global population is projected to increase by two billion people by 2050, so will the demand for phosphorus (P), an essential nutrient for all living organisms and a major driver of eutrophication. To sustainably meet these challenges, we apply the conceptual framework of transition management (TM) to demonstrate how the trajectory of the current linear P use system could be strategically shifted toward a more circular P system. We present US case studies to examine P transitions management in intensive agriculture, wastewater disposal, and food waste management.

The Science of 4R Nutrient Stewardship for Phosphorus Management across Latitudes.

When phosphorus (P) fertilizers were introduced, the main goals were to increase the productivity and profitability of agricultural crop production. Over time, other goals have been added: to minimize losses affecting water quality, to increase recycling, to reduce consumption of the limited resource, to improve soil health, and to enhance biodiversity. The science of 4R nutrient stewardship addresses these multiple goals.