Potential Nutrient Conversion Using Nature-Based Solutions in Cities and Utilization Concepts to Create Circular Urban Food Systems

Resource type: 
Research
EU project stamp: 
No
Main entity: 
institute for circular economy & nature-based solutions (Vienna)
Societal challenges: 
Food security
Scope: 
Global
Focus: 
Austria
Description: 

This paper assesses the potential of treatment processes using NbS to close water and nutrient cycles in the urban food system. A Substance Flow Analysis approach is used to quantify the recoverable urban nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) budget contained in household wastewater and biodegradable kitchen waste, using the city of Vienna, Austria, as an example. The developed model reflects the metabolization of water and nutrients by treatment wetlands and biogas digesters into fertigation water and fertilizer. Results indicate that, using NbS, the wastewater and kitchen waste from 77,250 persons could fully cover the nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer demand of the entire vegetable production in Vienna, which currently supplies one-third of Vienna’s vegetable consumption.

Date: 
2021
Journal: 
Circular Economy and Sustainability
Language: 
EN