Abstract
Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture is one of the EU Green Deal’s priorities. Since poultry production is increasing worldwide, stabilized poultry litter such as composted pelletized poultry litter (CPPL) is an alternative fertilizer option. On the contrary, compared to chemical fertilizers, the environmental impacts of composted products have not been adequately studied, and no data are currently available for CPPL produced by a closed composting system, such as the Hosoya system. The aim of this research was to assess the role of CPPL as a potential alternative for chemical fertilizer by evaluating the environmental impact of CPPL production via the Hosoya system using common chemical fertilizers. Based on life cycle assessment (LCA), the environmental impact (11 impact categories) was determined for the production of 1 kg of fertilizer, as well as for the production of 1 kg of active substances (nitrogen (N), phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), and potassium chloride (K2O)) and the theoretical nutrient (NPK) supply of a 100 ha field with CPPL and several chemical fertilizer options. The production of CPPL per kilogram was smaller than that of the chemical fertilizers; however, the environmental impact of chemical fertilizer production per kilogram of active substance (N, P2O5, or K2O) was lower for most impact categories, because the active substance was available at higher concentrations in said chemical fertilizers. In contrast, the NPK supply of a 100 ha field by CPPL was found to possess a smaller environmental impact compared to several combinations of chemical fertilizers. In conclusion, CPPL demonstrated its suitability as an alternative to chemical fertilizers.
Highlights
Chemical fertilizers provide nutrients to plants quickly and
This study evaluated 11 environmental impact categories, the most extensively used and calculated impact category, the global warming potential, was used in order to understand the relevance of the calculated environmental impacts of Composted pelletized poultry litter (CPPL) and chemical fertilizers
As a final statement, considering the environmental impact by producing 1 kg of active substances, CPPL has a higher environmental impact compared to individual chemical fertilizers
Summary
Chemical fertilizers provide nutrients to plants quickly and . Since relatively low amounts of chemical fertilizers with an increased active substance content are sufficient for productivity [1,2,3], the introduction of chemical fertilizers has decreased the usage of manure to a low level in intensive farming systems. The positive effects of the use of manure as a fertilizer for soil–plant systems, on the environment, highlight the importance of organic matter-based fertilizer applications. The European Commission presented the “Farm to Fork Strategy” in the spring of 2020. This strategy is one of the major elements of the European Union’s Green Deal aiming at the use of sustainable practices, including carbon management and storage in soil, improved nutrient management, and reductions in chemical fertilizer use in precision and organic farming, in order to improve water and soil quality and to reduce emissions [21]
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