Scaling circular potassium from waste

This project focuses on scaling circular potassium recovery by turning bioindustry waste into clean, high‑quality fertilisers—supporting a more resilient and sustainable nutrient supply in the Nordics.

Potassium and phosphorus are vital nutrients, yet fertiliser production today relies largely on mined resources while valuable nutrients are lost in waste streams. Ashes from fish feed production and straw combustion can contain over 20% potassium, representing a significant opportunity to recover domestic resources, reduce import dependency, and improve circularity in Europe.

Building on previous research, the aim of this project is to establish the foundation for the first regional industrial implementation of a circular solution for clean and safe potassium fertilisers. EasyMining’s technology for potassium recovery will be optimised for these waste streams to produce high‑purity, heavy‑metal‑free potassium salts.v

Together with partners across the value chain, the project will evaluate the technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of large-scale nutrient recovery in Sweden and the Nordic region. Activities include process development and pilot-scale validation, agricultural field trials to verify fertilizer performance, life cycle assessment (LCA), and studies supporting future commercialization. 

By transforming waste into valuable fertilizer products, the project contributes to a more resilient nutrient supply, reduced dependence on imported raw materials, and a more circular and sustainable agricultural sector. 

Illustration potassium project

Objectives: 

  • Characterize and assess the potassium recovery potential of ashes from fish feed ingredient production and straw combustion.  
  • Optimize and validate EasyMining's potassium recovery technology at pilot scale to produce high-purity, heavy-metal-free potassium fertilizers suitable for agricultural use. 
  • Evaluate fertilizer performance through agricultural field trials.  
  • Assess the technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of large-scale implementation, including engineering studies, market analysis, and life cycle assessment.  

 

Expected results:  

  • A robust chemical application able to recover >80% potassium from waste with low chemical consumption 
  • Recovery of heavy metal free commercial fertilizers such as potassium sulphate (>95 % purity) 
  • Demonstration that recycled fertilizers perform comparably to conventional products derived from mined raw materials. 
  • Identification of suitable pathways and locations for industrial deployment in Sweden and the Nordic region. 
  • The recovered products have a lower environmental footprint compared to fertilizers manufactured from mined raw material 

Partners: 

  • Coordinator: EasyMining
  • Bio-industrial operations and waste production (Bio3)
  • Waste management (Ragn-Sells)
  • Process development and engineering (EasyMining, Vilokan)
  • Field trials and validation of fertilizers (SLU Soil and Environment). 

Budget: 6,41 MSEK

Timeline
: December 2025 – June 2028

Funding
: The project is partly funded by Formas – a Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development 

Emilie Nordström
Project Leader / Lead R&D Engineer

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