WC145 NovDec 2025 - Magazine - Page 28
FRESHWATER
Because of the triple threat to water quality, food security and
the economy, in 2014 the European Union identified phosphorus as a “critical resource” and created the European Sustainable
Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) to advance development of recovery
and reuse technologies, practices and policies by bringing together
industry, government, academia and non-government organizations. Its catalogue currently lists 42 technologies for recovery of
4. Support for technology development: supporting phosphorus re-
search and technology development with policy and economic
incentives, streamlining of new technology approvals processes,
and identifying and addressing other technical, economic and
institutional barriers to ensure we have the tools needed to
achieve sustainable phosphorus use in Canada.
Progress in implementing these recommendations has been
slow. However, recently there has been
reason for optimism.
Pollution Probe, Canada’s long”Notonlycouldphosphorusrecoveryandreusecontributeto
est-standing environmental notfor-profit, is working to establish a
protectionofwaterqualityinLakeErieandotherwaterbodies
“Circular Nutrient Innovation Canada
acrossCanada,itmayalsobecriticallyimportanttoensuring
Platform” to connect researchers, government policy makers, not-for-profit
sustainableagriculturalproductionandglobalfoodsecurity.
and civil society organizations, industry,
and others working to transition to a
circular economy for phosphorus and
phosphorus from sewage, manure and other sources. Noting this
other nutrients. With support from Environment and Climate
advancement in technology the E.U. determined that existing
Change Canada, Pollution Probe has also completed studies
limits on phosphorus releases from wastewater treatment plants
mapping the flow of phosphorus through the economies of
were outdated and in November 2024 issued a revised Directive
Ontario, Québec and British Columbia to identify opportuConcerning Urban Wastewater Treatment which will create targets
nities for phosphorus recovery and reuse, and is assembling a
for recovery and reuse of phosphorus from the sewage sludge of all
network of key delivery partners as a first step towards creation
large-scale E.U. wastewater treatment facilities.
of a thriving nutrient recovery and reuse sector in Canada.
In Canada, phosphorus reuse and recycling is far less adFurthermore, in June 2024, Natural Resources Canada
vanced. Farmers reuse manure from livestock operations to fertiadded phosphorus to Canada’s Critical Minerals List. In
lize nearby fields and phosphorus is being recovered from a small
doing so, the federal government has acknowledged that
number of municipal wastewater treatment systems on a limited
phosphorus is essential to Canada’s economic security,
scale. Workshops were held by Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolthe phosphorus supply chain is threatened, and there is a
itan) University in 2014 and by the International Institute for
reasonable chance of phosphorus being produced in Canada
Sustainable Development in 2018 to examine Canada’s phosthrough recovery and reuse.
phorus problem. These workshops recommended priorities for
Inclusion on the Critical Minerals List signals that phosphoadvancing phosphorus recovery and reuse in Canada that remain
rus reuse and recovery has become a federal government prirelevant today, including:
ority, but the question of who will step up to lead the charge
1. Recognition of phosphorus as a critical resource: a clear statement
remains. Phosphorus recovery and reuse does not fit within the
from the Government of Canada that phosphorus is essential
mandate of a single government department, or even within
to Canada’s food security and economic growth and in need of
the jurisdiction of a single level of government. In the past
sound management to protect water quality and the environment
this has resulted in a leadership gap and slowed progress. The
is needed to galvanize support for action.
Canada Water Agency was created to lead the whole of govern2. Coordination: establishing a Canadian equivalent to the ESPP to
ment and whole of society solutions to freshwater problems.
facilitate knowledge sharing, experience transfer, networking and
It already leads federal efforts to reduce phosphorus pollution
building trust among Canadian government, industry, farmers,
to Lake Erie, Lake Winnipeg and Lake of the Woods. Having
cities, researchers and other stakeholders.
the Canada Water Agency fill the leadership gap on advancing
3. Informed decision making: a comprehensive, up to date underphosphorus recovery and reuse would appear to be a natural
standing of phosphorus flows in Canada to quantify phosphorus
fit. Participation of federal, provincial and territorial departuse, phosphorus losses and the amounts of phosphorus that
ments responsible for environment, natural resources, agriculcould be recovered and reused, to enable targeting of key sectors
ture, infrastructure, technology and innovation, and private
and regions, and provide essential information to policy makers
sector, academic and non-government organizations will also
and technology developers.
be essential to success.
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WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2025
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
