We must be extremely economical with the phosphate that we still have in the world. Eighty percent of the phosphate stocks are lost due to inefficient use of fertilisers in agriculture. Slibverwerking Noord-Brabant (SNB) asserts that 20% of the required phosphate can be recovered from the waste water in the sewers. This water has a high phosphate content. SNB will be participating in relevant projects geared to completing the phosphate cycle and also launching its own initiatives. 

The weekly phosphate production of 1.4 million people can already be recycled due to the collaboration between Slibverwerking Noord-Brabant and phosphate producer Thermphos. Thermphos produces pure phosphor from this phosphate, which is then used as a raw material for a range of applications in food production, and, for example, in medicines.

Phosphor is necessary for all life on earth. The element phosphor occurs in nature in a compound with oxygen. This is what we call phosphate.