Approved the new European regulation on fertilizers: among the novelties, new maximum limits of cadmium allowed in fertilizers
It was approved on new European regulation on fertilizers, whose goal is to offer unique rules and attentive to environmental issues. Among the main innovations, new maximum limits allowed for cadmium in fertilizers, heavy metal evaluated as toxic and carcinogenic from 2022.
Less cadmium in fertilizers
The new European regulation on fertilizers will enter in force in mid-2022 and aims to harmonize the current legislation. Approved after a long process that saw Federchimica-Assofertilizzanti as a protagonist, the legislation introduces several new features: the cadmium limit allowed in fertilizers is lowered, for example, raised to 60 milligrams per kilo.
Il cadmium it is a nephrotoxic and carcinogenic metal for humans and often comes from it the presence of agricultural products has been detected intended for human consumption, such as salads, tomatoes or potatoes. For some time the European Commission had proposed to lower the level of this metal in fertilizers, bringing it first to 60 mg / kg and then to 40 mg / kg and 20 mg / kg.
According to the Commission, gradually reducing the amount of cadmium in fertilizers is the only way to reduce its presence in the soil, where this metal has been shown to persist for very long periods of time.
The innovations introduced by the new legislation on fertilizers
In addition to cadmium, the regulation governs i maximum limits of other heavy metals which are toxic to humans and the environment such as Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, Nickel and Mercury. THE heavy metals accumulate in the soil, in the water, and in living organisms including man, in which they cause acute and chronic toxicity to different organs.
Furthermore, the spectrum of regulated fertilizers widens, opening the doors to the free circulation of organo-mineral fertilizers and biostimulants, products that previously could not be included among the EC ones. The new fertilizers will join the organic and inorganic ones already used. Particularly interesting are the biostimulants, compounds able to help plants assimilate nutrients more efficiently and increase the resistance of plants to stress. The use of biostimulants in agriculture could reduce the use of fertilizers up to 30%.
Another novelty of the regulation is theintroduction of the circular economy in the fertilizer sector. From the production waste of some industries, from urban wastewater or from the recovery of organic waste, it will be possible to extract substances to produce fertilizers to be used in crops. So a lot of waste will become a resource, for a more environmentally friendly agriculture.
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Tatiana Maselli
