BLÅNE – Bærekraftig utnyttelse av slam fra havbruksnæringen

Discharges of phosphorus and nitrogen from aquaculture are currently greater than the combined emissions from all land based sources. The accumulation of solid particles from marine sludge around fish farms can harm benthic fauna and vulnerable habitats, while dissolved nutrients may lead to eutrophication. Marine sludge therefore represents a potential environmental problem, but it also represents an underutilized resource. Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for food production, in both fertilizers and feed. At the same time, global supplies of phosphorus are declining in volume and quality, increasing both their economic value and supply risk. Recovering nutrients from sludge could therefore be highly beneficial. Knowledge about the use of marine sludge in bioprocesses is limited, and current applications are few. Developing robust value chains for processing and utilizing the resources in marine sludge will be important for stimulating technological innovation and creating incentives for collection. The BLÅNE project will develop three fundamentally different technologies capable of converting nutrients in marine sludge into valuable products: organic fertilizers with high bioavailability, biostimulants that can enhance plant growth, and mineral phosphorus – a resource in global short supply. The goal is to establish new circular value chains that support green value creation along the coast while significantly reducing the environmental impacts of aquaculture. Through this project, aquaculture sludge can shift from being a challenge to becoming an important input resource for agriculture and industry. The BLÅNE consortium brings together a broad, interdisciplinary team of innovative producers, technology developers, and research institutions with strong expertise in both aquaculture and agriculture. Together, they represent a new blue green value chain with substantial potential for industrial scaling and efficient, circular use of marine resources.