Scenario analysis for nutrient emission reduction in the European inland waters

Despite a large body of legislation, high nutrient loads are still emitted in European inland waters. In the present study we evaluate a set of alternative scenarios aiming at reducing nutrient emissions from anthropogenic activities to all European Seas. In particular, we tested the full implementation of the European Urban Waste Water Directive, Directive that controls emissions from point source. In addition, we associated the full implementation of this Directive with a ban of phosphorus-based laundry detergents. Then we tested two human diet scenarios and their impacts on nitrogen and phosphorus emissions. We also developed a scenario based on an optimal use of organic manure. The impacts of all our scenarios were evaluated using a statistical model of nitrogen and phosphorus fate and an agro-economic model. We demonstrate that the ban of phosphorus based laundry detergents coupled with the full implementation of the Urban Waste Water Directive is the most effective approach for reducing phosphorus emissions from human based activities. Concerning nitrogen, the highest reductions are obtained with the optimized use of organic manure.

BOURAOUI Faycal;  THIEU Vincent;  GRIZZETTI Bruna;  BRITZ Wolfgang;  BIDOGLIO Giovanni; 

2015-01-30

IOP PUBLISHING LTD

JRC91606

1748-9326,   

http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/9/12/125007/,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC91606,   

10.1088/1748-9326/9/12/125007,