Environment

Nitrogen fertilisers are made from ammonia used as a feedstock for all other nitrogen fertilisers. Some bacteria can also produce nitrite, a process termed nitrification. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, oxidize nitrite to nitrate, which is extremely mobile in soils and is a major cause of water pollution from agriculture.

In addition, >20% of global agriculture’s GHG (greenhouse gases) are attributed to synthetic nitrate production.

The EU Nitrates Directive aims to protect water quality across Europe, by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface water. There are currently 1,000 groundwater sampling sites in the EU and 27,000 surface water station; 15% of ground water stations found water above the limit of 50 mg/l (in the UK).

Nitrogen pollution has high cost implications; in Europe €150 to €740 per capita a year, meaning in the EU a total cost of up to 320 billion per year.