3R-BioPhosphate Ltd.

EU Legislative Interests

The company’s advocacy activities focus on the following European Union legislative proposals and policies: • Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on fertilising products, establishing rules for placing on the market EU fertilising products, including recycled nutrient-based products. • The European Union Circular Economy Action Plan, promoting sustainable resource use, recycling, and recovery of valuable materials in line with zero-waste objectives. • Commission Communication on Critical Raw Materials for the European Union (COM(2017)490), addressing secure and sustainable supply of essential raw materials, including phosphate rock. • Commission Consultative Communication on the Sustainable Use of Phosphorus (COM(2013)517), encouraging phosphorus recovery, recycling, and efficient use in agriculture. • Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (COM(2011)571), promoting resource-efficient and sustainable food production and consumption. • Towards a Circular Economy: A Zero Waste Programme for Europe (COM(2014)398), setting targets for reduction of food waste and promoting reuse and recycling of by-products, including phosphorus-containing materials. • Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), ensuring safe use of chemicals applied in nutrient recovery, fertiliser production, and industrial processes. • European Green Deal initiatives, promoting climate-neutral, energy-efficient, and sustainable industrial processes, including renewable energy integration and resource-efficient agriculture. • Farm to Fork Strategy (COM(2020)381), fostering sustainable food systems, circular nutrient cycles, and responsible fertiliser use in the European Union. • EU Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184) and associated water treatment regulations, supporting access to clean and safe water and sustainable water management practices in agriculture and industry. These legislative acts and policies are directly relevant to the company’s activities in research and development of circular economy technologies, industrial-scale water treatment, nutrient recovery, bio-phosphate fertiliser production, and sustainable energy solutions. Through these activities, the company supports the European Union’s objectives on sustainable agriculture, critical raw material security, resource efficiency, climate-neutral industrial processes, clean water provision, and a zero-waste circular economy.

Communication Activities

The company has actively engaged in communication activities with European Union institutions on policies related to circular bioeconomy, nutrient recovery, bio-phosphate fertilisers, and biochar. Key activities were conducted through participation in Horizon 2020 and FP7 projects, including the NUTRIMAN RUR15 CSA programme (2018–2031) and the REFERTIL project, led by Edward Someus, providing strong policy support to enhance synergies between policies, economic sectors, and industrial stakeholders. The company contributed as a member of the STRUBIAS Working Group, providing continuous policy support for harmonization of legislation on biochar, recovered phosphorus, and ash products. Communication activities included four policy workshops in Brussels presenting REFERTIL policy support outcomes, public consultations with international biochar producers and stakeholders, and regular meetings with the European Commission (DG Grow) to inform policy development. Outputs included the preparation of biochar policy support reports addressing environmental, plant, and human health safety through the food chain; development of harmonized and standardized analytical methods for physicochemical properties, potentially toxic element content, and organic pollutants; and support for legal standardization, accreditation, and permitting processes for industrial biochar production. The REFERTIL project demonstrated official, accredited permits for large-scale industrial pyrolysis plants and commercial applications of the ABC Animal Bone Char BioPhosphate product, including national horticultural permits and ongoing EU registration under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 and REACH compliance for capacities above 1,000 tonnes per year. Key focus areas of communication and policy support were: 1. Development of scientific and technological knowledge on biochar and phosphorus recovery under market-based conditions. 2. Legal evaluation and economic sustainability assessment of biochar and recovered phosphorus products. 3. Definition of quality and safety criteria for biochar from plant, bone, and waste sources, including mandatory limits, self-declaration elements, and risk assessment for soil and groundwater. 4. Standardization and accreditation of analytical methods, supporting harmonized evaluation of biochar performance internationally. 5. Direct interaction with EU institutions to support the revision of the Fertilising Products Regulation, biochar legislation, and nutrient recovery frameworks. These communication activities directly support the European Union’s objectives on circular economy, sustainable agriculture, clean water and water treatment, resource efficiency, energy transition, and safe chemical management. Further details are available at https//www.biophosphate.net and https://www.3rbiofarm.com/

Interests Represented

Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members

Member Of

3R-BioPhosphate Ltd (https://biophosphate.net - https://3Rbiofarm.com) led by Someus providing strong policy support to reinforce interaction between policies, initiatives/economic sectors for circular bioeconomy and EU Fertilisers Regulation rev biochar/Phosphorus recovery/compost cases. Activities: S&T for P recovery, nutrient recycling, circular bioeconomy. Member in platforms/organisations: • NUTRIMAN Nutrient Management and Nutrient Recovery Thematic Network (2018-2031) www.nutriman.net • European Biochar Research Network (eBRN), Cost Action Biochar (TD1107), official national representative, cost.european-biochar.org (7 years) • European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform, phosphorusplatform.eu (5 years) • Sustainable Phosphorus Platform, forum/sustainablephosphorusplatform (1 year) • TP organics Technology Platforms, tporganics.eu (5 years) • Agroinnova, www.agroinnova.unito.it (12 years) • BIOREFINE cluster, http://biorefine.eu, Interconnecting projects/people for nutrient cycling (3 years) • Member/active participation in the Hungarian Biomass cluster; Competitive Vegetable production cluster; FAO, Global Soil Partnership (7 years)

Organisation Members

• European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform, phosphorusplatform.eu • Sustainable Phosphorus Platform, forum/sustainablephosphorusplatform • TP organics Technology Platforms, tporganics.eu • Agroinnova, www.agroinnova.unito.it • BIOREFINE cluster, http://biorefine.eu, Interconnecting projects/people for nutrient cycling