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To meet global food demands sustainably, it is necessary to safeguard finite natural resources and reduce harmful emissions to the environment. Nutrients in biowastes are often not managed appropriately. Instead, they can be recovered, recycled into bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) and reincorporated into food production systems. This review addresses three critical issues for developing and adopting new BBFs, focusing on the European context: (1) BBFs should match the agronomic efficiency of mineral fertilizers. We propose that the agronomic efficiency of BBFs can be increased through pre-treating the inputs in biowaste transformation processes (e.g., anaerobic digestion), chemical treatments of existing BBFs, organo-mineral combinations, and soil placement strategies. (2) Production and use of new BBFs is not free of environmental impacts, and these are influenced by regional conditions. (3) Public perception and end-user preferences play a significant role in the adoption of BBFs. Therefore, it is vital to address the requirements of end-users of BBFs. Our findings indicate that for widespread adoption, BBFs need sufficient and reliable nutrient amounts and crop-adequate ratios, as well as competitive pricing. A key advantage of BBFs over mineral fertilizers is their ability to improve soil fertility. However, farmers also require fertilizers that can be handled and applied with existing machinery and offer the practicality of commercial products. Another important aspect is the willingness of consumers to buy products fertilized with BBFs. Designing and promoting BBFs requires a careful assessment of environmental impacts and regional conditions, as the sustainability of BBFs depends on factors like energy sources and biowaste transport distances. Ultimately, the goal is to promote a circular economy and not just to substitute mineral fertilizers with new products. This review aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders by highlighting key innovatio

To meet global food demands sustainably, it is necessary to safeguard finite natural resources and reduce harmful emissions to the environment. Nutrients in biowastes are often not managed appropriately. Instead, they can be recovered, recycled into bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) and reincorporated into food production systems. This review addresses three critical issues for developing and adopting new BBFs, focusing on the European context: (1) BBFs should match the agronomic efficiency of mineral fertilizers. We propose that the agronomic efficiency of BBFs can be increased through pre-treating the inputs in biowaste transformation processes (e.g., anaerobic digestion), chemical treatments of existing BBFs, organo-mineral combinations, and soil placement strategies. (2) Production and use of new BBFs is not free of environmental impacts, and these are influenced by regional conditions. (3) Public perception and end-user preferences play a significant role in the adoption of BBFs. Therefore, it is vital to address the requirements of end-users of BBFs. Our findings indicate that for widespread adoption, BBFs need sufficient and reliable nutrient amounts and crop-adequate ratios, as well as competitive pricing. A key advantage of BBFs over mineral fertilizers is their ability to improve soil fertility. However, farmers also require fertilizers that can be handled and applied with existing machinery and offer the practicality of commercial products. Another important aspect is the willingness of consumers to buy products fertilized with BBFs. Designing and promoting BBFs requires a careful assessment of environmental impacts and regional conditions, as the sustainability of BBFs depends on factors like energy sources and biowaste transport distances. Ultimately, the goal is to promote a circular economy and not just to substitute mineral fertilizers with new products. This review aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders by highlighting key innovations

The csv files "MARINA-Nutrients_model_results_for_2050_per_basin", "sum_TDN_TDP_exports_by_rivers_for_Europe", "top_rivers_with_excess_TDN_export_for_2050" and "top_rivers_with_excess_TDP_export_for_2050" contain the main results of Ural-Janssen et al. (2024). The model results are presented in unit of load (Gg/yr) and yield (kg/km2/yr, area normalized) for the current (period of 2017-2020) and future (2050) per river basin. These results are obtained by model application for 2050 based on a baseline scenario (SSP5-RCP8.5), following the equations that are provided in the "Materials and methods" of the paper and in the "Supplementary Information" of the paper. The folder contains "codebook.csv" file for further description on the model parameters.

The excel file "main_MARINA-Nutrients_model_outputs_for_Europe_2017-2020" contains main results of the MARINA-Nutrients model for Ural-Janssen et al (2023), Hotspots of nutrient losses to air and water: an integrated modelling approach for European river basins. The model results are presented in unit of load (kg/yr) for the period of 2017-2020 per river basin. These results are obtained by model calculations following the equations that are provided in the "Materials and Methods" of the paper and in the supporting file of the paper. The folder contains Codebook.csv file for more details on the data.