TY - JOUR

T1 - The trade-off between phosphorus recycling and health protection during the BSE crisis in Switzerland: A "disposal dilemma"

AU - Lamprecht, Heinz

AU - Lang, Daniel

AU - Binder, Claudia R.

AU - Scholz, Roland W.

PY - 2011/6

Y1 - 2011/6

N2 - Phosphorus (P) is an essential, finite resource whose geological, economic, and geopolitical accessibility may become critical in the future. Because P losses from agriculture, sewage and waste have serious environmental impacts such as eutrophication, it would be desirable to close P cycles. However, there may arisedilemmas due to trade-offs with other issues. For instance, recycling of animal bones – containing relatively high amounts of P – was prohibited in Switzerland after the BSE crisis (1989 to 2000) due to perceived health risks. Our analysis indicates that the greatest potentials for closing the P cycle in Switzerland are to reduce P losses in agriculture and to increase P recovery from sewage andwaste. Whereas in agriculture significant improve ments have been made, the disposal dilemma of animal bones led to diminishing amounts of P being recycled from waste. Based on their risk percep tion, the involved stakeholders prioritized preventing poten tial harm to (human) health over maximiz ing P recycling.

AB - Phosphorus (P) is an essential, finite resource whose geological, economic, and geopolitical accessibility may become critical in the future. Because P losses from agriculture, sewage and waste have serious environmental impacts such as eutrophication, it would be desirable to close P cycles. However, there may arisedilemmas due to trade-offs with other issues. For instance, recycling of animal bones – containing relatively high amounts of P – was prohibited in Switzerland after the BSE crisis (1989 to 2000) due to perceived health risks. Our analysis indicates that the greatest potentials for closing the P cycle in Switzerland are to reduce P losses in agriculture and to increase P recovery from sewage andwaste. Whereas in agriculture significant improve ments have been made, the disposal dilemma of animal bones led to diminishing amounts of P being recycled from waste. Based on their risk percep tion, the involved stakeholders prioritized preventing poten tial harm to (human) health over maximiz ing P recycling.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - agent analysis

KW - animal bones

KW - bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

KW - disposal dilemma

KW - material flow analysis

KW - resource management

KW - Switzerland

KW - non-renewable resources

KW - phosphorus

KW - Agent analysis

KW - Animal bones

KW - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

KW - Disposal dilemma

KW - Material flow analysis

KW - Non-renewable resources

KW - Phosphorus

KW - Resource management

KW - Switzerland

KW - Sustainability Science

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960025670&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.14512/gaia.20.2.8

DO - 10.14512/gaia.20.2.8

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 20

SP - 112

EP - 121

JO - GAIA

JF - GAIA

SN - 0940-5550

IS - 2

ER -