Skip to main content
search

Nutrient Neutrality

Nutrient Neutrality (NN)

 

According to Natural England UK:

 

“Nutrient neutrality is a legislative means of ensuring that a new development or project does not add to existing nutrient (N and P) burdens within natural catchments, so there is no net increase in nutrients as a result of the plan or project. Where neutrality measures are needed, the purpose of mitigation measures is to avoid impacts to the designated sites, rather than compensating for the impacts once they have occurred. ”

The scheme was announced by the UK Government in July 2022 following in the footsteps of the Dutch Nitrogen Case in which the Dutch government introduced legislation to limit the use of fertilizers in farms in Holland which lead to massive protests from local farmers.

Adherence to Nutrient Neutrality is a way for developers to show that new projects won’t increase nutrient pollution in river/lake catchment areas as well as river/sea deltas.

Mitigation measures to achieve nutrient neutrality include: 

  • On-site measures

    These include installing efficient wastewater treatment facilities (that remove BOD, SS, N and P) and/or SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) which reduce the volume of run off as well as remove SS (Suspended Solids), N and P from rain water . If you are a farmer, there are measures you need to take to make sure that your use of soil Fertiliser is controlled or in case of animal farming, manure needs to be stored/treated properly. 

  • Off-site measures

    These include nature-based projects like creating wetlands, reedbeds, swales, or woodlands, or restoring peatlands, seagrass, or salt marshes. Algae and Mussel farms are another Nature Based Solution which removes N and P from sea water. 

  • Nutrient credits

    Developers can purchase nutrient credits from centralized resources like the Solent Nutrient Market, Poole Harbor and the Tees catchment area. These credits can then be used in planning applications for areas covered by the nutrient neutrality legislation. 

  • Buffer zones

    These can be created along rivers and other watercourses. 

Nutrient pollution is a major cause of poor river/lake/sea water and habitat quality which can harm wildlife  and natural environments. The main nutrients that cause this pollution are nitrogen and phosphorus. When these nutrients increase, the oxygen levels in the water decrease, which can lead to eutrophication (death of Oxygen breathing species) resulting from increased plant/algae growth. Ofcourse heavy metals too wash off from roads during rain events due to tyre wear pollution.

Nutrient Mitigation Schemes

Based on the principle of Polluter Pays, Natural England is funding environmental improvement projects by offering Nutrient credits to developers. Read more about this on this link:

https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/tag/nutrient-neutrality/

How to remove N and P from water to achieve nutrient neutrality?

Sewage treatment plants must be upgraded to reduce effluent levels of Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus to near Zero. Sewage treatment plants need to nitrify (convert Ammonia to Nitrate) then denitrify their effluent (Convert Nitrate to Nitrogen gas). P removal is achieved through precipitation, biological P removal or binding on certain specialized aggregate materials.

Any runoff from a development site must be treated to remove N and P through technologies like SUDS. Basically plants and trees love N and P which are essential nutrients for their growth.

Kremesti Environmental Consulting can advise on these highly technical issues.

 

Tools and resources for calculating nutrient neutrality

Guidance and calculators for working out nutrient budgets for proposed developments in 27 specific affected geographies are provided by the UK government for different UK catchment areas.

Click on the link below to review:

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nutrient-neutrality-update

 

European/American Best Practices

To mitigate flooding and Nutrient leaching into groundwater as well as catchment areas around cities, developed EU countries use the concept of the Sponge City. Basically housing projects and urban areas are developed in such a way that water has the means to infiltrate the soil locally or even be harvested for dry season irrigation. I personally saw a large green house in Switzerland in Nussbaumen which collects all its rain water in large tanks for irrigation.

The Dutch have taken farming to the next level and per hectare, can produce the largest most efficient harvests than most countries in the world by using agricultural technology and remote/in situ sensing/cameras/drones. Sensors can measure levels of N and P in the soil for example or cameras can detect the green shades of crops and dose fertiliser accordingly.

The USA’s EPA and USDA publish Best Management Practices for Nitrate and Phosphate leaching management.

 

Market Impact

Developers in the UK are crying foul because the permits of hundreds of thousands of projects have been put on hold pending NN reviews. Ofcourse we are lucky to have legislation in place that protects the environment.

This however has opened up a niche market for consultants, landscape architects and technology providers to offer solutions for NN.

Sustainable and Circular construction is possible and is the sought after ideal where there is Zero Waste.

 

Technology/Consultancy Providers

Water treatment companies like Veolia, Suez, Ovivo, Xylem, Hager El Sasser, Evoqua can offer solutions for waste water treatment plants.

SuDS technology providers include companies like ACO, Wavin, Hydro.

Consultancy Providers include companies such as Fiver Rivers and Nutrient Neutral and the large water consultancies such as RSK, WRC, Arcadis, Ricardo, SWECO, Stantec, Waterman etc.

 

For More information on Nutrient Neutrality technical and market aspects, please contact us for a consultation.

 

Rami Elias Kremesti M.Sc., CSci, CEnv, CWEM

 

Kremesti Environmental Consulting

2 Westfield Walk

High Wycombe HP123JN

UK

Close Menu