under the banner of ‘peak phosphorus’ (Cordell et al. 2009; Steen 1998): Since
phosphorus in mineral fertilisers is obtained by mining of phosphate rock, and these
phosphorus reserves are limited, not enough phosphorus will be available in the
medium term without complex recycling processes. For example, it is very difficult
to recover a large part of the phosphorus in waste water, and it is also difficult to
recover the phosphorus lost as a result of soil washout into surface waters.
Since the economically usable phosphorus reserves are limited and there is no
physically and functionally equivalent substitute for phosphorus according to current
knowledge—i.e. the phosphorus deposits are not substitutable—it is necessary for
farmers to use only as much phosphorus as can be recovered through measures
within the framework of a closed-loop economy. The amount of phosphorus used for
fertilisation would have to depend on the current potential for recycling, which is not
very high. This illustrates how strong the decline in phosphorus use should be,
i.e. there will be enormous losses in yield. If one compares the phosphorus rule
obtained from the theory of strong sustainability with the rules of the Fertiliser
Ordinance concerning the use of phosphorus in fertilisation, it can be seen that the
rules of the ordinance are not compatible with the derived phosphorus rule, because
the use of mineral phosphorus is not limited with regard to recoverability.
The fulfilment of the deducibility criterion for every rule of the fertiliser regulation cannot be presented in this context. However, it is clear that the criterion is only
partially fulfilled by the regulations.
5.2 The Effectiveness Criterion
The criterion of effectiveness concerns the question of whether the use of the rules
can achieve desirable or good effects. With regard to the theory of strong sustainability, the criterion is fulfilled if the relatively desirable effects according to the
theory of strong sustainability can be achieved by using the fertilisation rules.
When plants grow, they extract nutrients from the soil. If the plants are harvested,
the nutrients are also removed and in the medium term the soil would be leached out
without a renewed supply of nutrients. Soil fertilization serves to maintain soil
fertility, to increase and improve yields and quality, and also to reuse animal
excrements and organic waste, etc. Fertilisation means that less soil has to be kept
available for agriculture and sufficient food can be provided. Without the addition of
fertilisers, only one third of current yields could be achieved.
There are numerous evaluations of the effects (on nutrient supply, environment,
farms, etc.) of the use of fertiliser rules (see for example BLAG 2012 with further
references). On the basis of the results of these evaluations, it can be established that,
if the fertiliser rules are used correctly, numerous effects of these rule uses are
desirable from the point of view of sustainability theory. The rules of the fertiliser
ordinance thus fulfil the effectiveness criterion.
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K. C. Reinmuth
phosphorus in mineral fertilisers is obtained by mining of phosphate rock, and these
phosphorus reserves are limited, not enough phosphorus will be available in the
medium term without complex recycling processes. For example, it is very difficult
to recover a large part of the phosphorus in waste water, and it is also difficult to
recover the phosphorus lost as a result of soil washout into surface waters.
Since the economically usable phosphorus reserves are limited and there is no
physically and functionally equivalent substitute for phosphorus according to current
knowledge—i.e. the phosphorus deposits are not substitutable—it is necessary for
farmers to use only as much phosphorus as can be recovered through measures
within the framework of a closed-loop economy. The amount of phosphorus used for
fertilisation would have to depend on the current potential for recycling, which is not
very high. This illustrates how strong the decline in phosphorus use should be,
i.e. there will be enormous losses in yield. If one compares the phosphorus rule
obtained from the theory of strong sustainability with the rules of the Fertiliser
Ordinance concerning the use of phosphorus in fertilisation, it can be seen that the
rules of the ordinance are not compatible with the derived phosphorus rule, because
the use of mineral phosphorus is not limited with regard to recoverability.
The fulfilment of the deducibility criterion for every rule of the fertiliser regulation cannot be presented in this context. However, it is clear that the criterion is only
partially fulfilled by the regulations.
5.2 The Effectiveness Criterion
The criterion of effectiveness concerns the question of whether the use of the rules
can achieve desirable or good effects. With regard to the theory of strong sustainability, the criterion is fulfilled if the relatively desirable effects according to the
theory of strong sustainability can be achieved by using the fertilisation rules.
When plants grow, they extract nutrients from the soil. If the plants are harvested,
the nutrients are also removed and in the medium term the soil would be leached out
without a renewed supply of nutrients. Soil fertilization serves to maintain soil
fertility, to increase and improve yields and quality, and also to reuse animal
excrements and organic waste, etc. Fertilisation means that less soil has to be kept
available for agriculture and sufficient food can be provided. Without the addition of
fertilisers, only one third of current yields could be achieved.
There are numerous evaluations of the effects (on nutrient supply, environment,
farms, etc.) of the use of fertiliser rules (see for example BLAG 2012 with further
references). On the basis of the results of these evaluations, it can be established that,
if the fertiliser rules are used correctly, numerous effects of these rule uses are
desirable from the point of view of sustainability theory. The rules of the fertiliser
ordinance thus fulfil the effectiveness criterion.
122
K. C. Reinmuth