In order to become popular among farmers, there should be no doubts about the safety of bio-based fertilisers. The most common concerns towards the use of NRSS in food production are related to drug residues - often antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. As partners in Lex4bio, we will produce information on the antimicrobial resistance dissemination potential of bio-based fertilizers. We will study how the fertilizers influence on soil microbiome and how to optimise the safety of raw materials during manufacturing processes. We will use the gathered information to evaluate the risks of bio-based fertilisers related to antimicrobial resistance and to soil microorganisms. We believe that if the risks associated to the agricultural use of NRSS are assessed and the materials are found to be safe, the interest towards their use will increase

Manures and sewage sludges are the main underutilized nutrient-rich side-stream (NRSS) in agriculture while nutrient losses deteriorate water quality in many EU regions. Optimising the use of bio-based fertilisers in agriculture, produced from NRSS, decreases the dependency on mineral fertilisers and provides farmers with greater variations for site-specific fertilisers. LEX4BIO evaluates both organic and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers by taking into consideration climate and soil characteristics in different growing conditions across the EU, e.g. variation in soil nutrient status and organic matter content. Site specific recycled fertilisers will be recommended for reaching the optimal yield in a given region. Furthermore, recommendations are based on ensuring food and feed safety and human health and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation recommendations are based on actual crop requirements. For nitrogen fertilisation, satellite data is further utilized during the growing season, providing an option to supplement nitrogen during the growing season and to maintain high yield potential as well as to avoid overfertilisation, ensuring the best economical return from the field. Optimising the use of bio-based fertilisers will not only increase the economic return for the farmers but it also provide tools to prevent nutrient losses, improve soil health and achieve good water quality.