Phosphorous is an essential element for life. Every single living cell of every
ID: 297650 • Letter: P
Question
Phosphorous is an essential element for life. Every single living cell of every single living organism has significant quantities of phosphorus in it. We have on the order of a century of economically viable phosphorus resources left to exploit globally. Considering that the major uses of phosphorus are dissipative (fertilizer & animal feed):
a) Should policy makers think about this issue 100 years in advance?
b) If so, what should they do? If not, when and why is a longer planning horizon justified?
c) Should policy makers stay out of this altogether and let free market forces play out?
Explanation / Answer
a) Should policy makers think about this issue 100 years in advance?
Phosphate geological resources are available in nature for more than 200 years. Phosphate resources are renewable. But wasting of phosphate resources is not advisable. Policy makers must plan and make policies in protecting phosphate resources and minimising their use and not wasting them.
b) If so, what should they do? If not, when and why is a longer planning horizon justified?
Most of the phosphate mineral used as a nutrient for crop plants and used in animal feed. It is an essential elements for crops, animals and human beings. We are wasting phosphate while mining it. More than 50% of phosphate going as waste in low grade deposits. We should develop new techniques to minimise wasting of phosphate during its mining and processing.
Similarly we also search for alternative to phosphate used in fertilizers and animal feeds.
We have to develop recycling methods to extract phosphate from animal waste and plants.
c) Should policy makers stay out of this altogether and let free market forces play out?
No, policy makers shouldn’t neglect indiscriminate waste of phosphate resources. As it is a very essential element for life, Policy makers should make plans to utilize it judiciously to save its resources for present and future generations.
Phosphate element neither created nor destroyed. After consumption again it mixes with nature and available for reuse. So make policies to recycle to extract it from waste produced from plants, humans and animals. Collect phosphate from agricultural lands not allow to flow with run-off water. Make policies to utilize 100% of low grade phosphate deposit.
As per the estimates, phosphate deposits may available for another 300 to 400 years. But we shouldn’t waster them. Essential planning and policies required to use it judiciously.