Using phosphorus from sewage could help with soaring food bills, says report

Workers cleaning algae in Qingdao, east China. Phosphorus is a major cause of water pollution, as the runoff from fertiliser use produces an excess of nutrients leading to algae blooms. Photograph: Getty Images

Sewage could provide a novel way of helping consumers with soaring food bills and reducing pollution in our waterways – if sewage plants separated out phosphorus, a vital ingredient of fertiliser, according to a new report.

Phosphorus, found naturally in all plants, is essential for growing plants but its use as a fertiliser is creating widespread pollution in developed countries, because much of it is wasted. Phosphorus is a leading cause of water pollution, as the runoff from fertiliser use in fields produces an excess of nutrients that upset the natural balance of rivers and ponds, leading to algae blooms that harm fish and plants.