Phosphorus or a Sull???
While Russia’s fireworks on the Ukrainian front keep the world on its toes, the EU is quietly filing under its own phosphorus wishlist—and the price tag is getting hotter.
Half‑Year Numbers that Rattle the Euro‑Minds
- First half of 2025: EU imports from Russian phosphor‑mines hit roughly €500 million.
- That’s a jump of more than 30% over the same stretch last year.
Press releases say the market’s swell is “a cancerous growth in our supply chain.”
Ragn‑Sells Speaks
Pär Larshans, Chief Sustainability Officer (yes, he’s got a name to remember) is not carrying a straight face: “It’s a bleeding wound for Europe’s future. We’re licking our own wounds—wastewater, that is—and we’re still eager to hoard raw materials from a place that’s playing geopolitical cards.”
What’s the real issue? We’re getting chill vibes from the EU: build resilience, stop the import spree, and start recycling what we already have.
Why It Matters
Phosphorus is the backbone of fertilizers. When a continent depends on a single foreign supplier—especially in a crisis‑tangled region—it’s not just an economic risk; it’s a nutrition safety net dilemma. The EU must lean into advanced recycling, local mining alternatives, and a new culture of “green grab-backs” to keep our fields thriving.
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Why Phosphorus Is the New Superman of European Food
A whopping 90% of the potatoes, bread, and animal feed the EU munches on comes from somewhere outside the EU—mostly Russia and Morocco. That’s like saying you need a secret sauce in every pizza to make it taste good.
2025’s Surge
- From Jan-June 2025, EU companies spent €500 million on Russian phosphorus.
+30% compared to the same months a year ago. - “Without phosphorus there’s no food, so the topic isn’t just environmental – it’s national security.” This is how Europa’s phosphors champion Pär Larshans puts it.
Meet the Recycling Hero
Ragn‑Sells’ brainchild EasyMining turned sludge ash — the brown goo from city sewage — into RevoCaP. RevoCaP is a pristine calcium phosphate the EU can use instead of buying it from overseas.
- High‑purity, green (about 90% recovered).
- Now approved for organic farming.
- Still banned from animal feed because of out‑dated BSE rules.
The Legal Janitor
If the EU keeps that old ban on RevoCaP for animal feed, there’s a big chance the tech will be shipped out of the EU. “A tiny tweak in the feed annex could unlock a worth‑billions‑a‑year green industry and secure the phosphorus loop,” Pär says.
Takeaway
Think of phosphorus as that silent superhero in your breakfast. Let’s clean up its paperwork and keep it in the EU—security first, Cookies second.
