Ragn-Sells, through its innovation company EasyMining, is leading a pioneering project in Schkopau, Germany and Helsingborg, Sweden, to recover the critical raw material phosphorus from sewage sludge ash. The initiative addresses major environmental challenges such as nutrient pollution, climate emissions, as well as Europe’s dependency on imported fertilizers.
With the patented Ash2™Phos technology, over 90 percent of the phosphorus in the sewage sludge is recovered. Each production plant contributes with a reduction of 20,000 tons of CO₂e annually. The phosphorus recovered is cleaner than mined alternatives and supports a more sustainable, low-impact agriculture.
Another key nutrient, and environmental challenge, is nitrogen. With EasyMinings’ Aqua2™N cutting-edge technology, up to 30 percent of the nitrogen in our wastewater can be recovered and put to use again as fertilizer.
These technologies are both examples of how we can transform the traditional wastewater treatment plants into true “resource recovery plants” and thereby enhancing local food security by ensuring a stable, domestic supply of essential nutrients.
Success has been driven by technological innovation, strong environmental permitting, and collaboration with Swedish stakeholders such as the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). These scalable models exemplify Team Sweden’s leadership in circular economy solutions and resilient resource management.
