Export of upgraded biosolids to emerging markets in Asia
Ugland, T.1 and Nguyen, V.2, 1HØST Valuable Waste AS, Norway, 2HØST Asia Ltd, Vietnam
(free)
Currently sixty seven percent of the sewage sludge produced in Norway is used as organic fertilizer or for
landscaping purposes. However, the situation might rapidly be changed. The Norwegian authorities are
preparing a new legislation where the Phosphorus level in soil and sludge will play a major role and reduce
available land for disposal of sewage sludge. Norway import around 60% of the food for consumption, and an export of processed organic waste back to its origin as an industrialized fertilizer is a good recycling and meet the growing demand for organic fertilizer in the South East Asian markets. IVAR IKS and HØST AS established in 2011 the fertilizer producing company Minorga Vekst AS, that produce organic and mineral organic fertilizer based on biosolids and small amount of waste from the fish farming industry. Minorga Vekst has chosen South East Asia as the main marked for the export of its pelletized tailor made fertilizer and are currently sending 20 containers every month to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The paper discusses the background of the export decision to Vietnam, the challenges, and the key successful factors; and the recommendations to WWTPs that want to explore the export opportunities of their products to the Far East.
