The production of fertilizers is associated with significant emissions to the air, discharges to water and solid wastes. Nitrogen from the air has to be fixed through an energy-intensive process. Phosphate rock and potash ore are mined and beneficiated.

Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides , ammonia, fluorides, sulphur dioxide and dusts are emitted to the air during various production processes for some 14 key fertilizers and intermediates. Discharges to water are mainly nitrogenous solutions and phosphates. Phospho-gypsum is the primary solid waste.

Workplace concerns include exposure to gaseous emissions and to safety hazards.

A growing awareness of hazardous products and pathogens in the environment has also brought to focus certain fertilizer impurities: radionuclides and heavy metals.

Progress thus far

Over the past 30 years, the energy used to produce each tonne of ammonia (the building block for nitrogenous fertilizers) has been reduced by 30 to 50 percent. Wherever feasible, integrated lines are constructed that capture excess energy from one stage of production and channel it back into the system.

According to recently developed Best Available Techniques (BATs), production facilities built after 1990 may also produce 25 to 30 percent fewer emissions than older, less innovative plants.

Increasing automation and the use of sensors has reduced worker exposure to emissions. In this context, IFA has an online "Incident Reporting Scheme" through which members are encouraged to share experiences to prevent the repetition of production system failures and to draw attention to "near" failures.

The industry continues to improve the quality of its products with the characteristics that are essential for efficient storage, transportation and application. With a hungry population growing until at least the middle of this century, the industry's commitment to cleaner production of fertilizers will help ensure a sustainable supply of plant nutrients and thus a better standard of living for all.

Responsible and efficient production of fertilizers

IFA is a signatory to the UNEP International Declaration on Cleaner Production and invites its members to follow this example.
IFA encourages its members to increase energy efficiency, provide healthy and safe workplaces and achieve other cleaner production goals through:

• the adoption of BATs,
• support for "clean air" and "clean water" legislation,
• objective and scientific approaches for evaluating toxicity, soil contamination and risk analysis.

IFA fosters the exchange of information on innovations that help to continually improve the environmental performance of fertilizer production.

May 2001