A safety risk that outlives the growing season
THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM
Some fertilisers today are coated in plastic to control how nutrients are released. But once that job is done, the coating doesn't disappear — it stays in the soil, breaking into fragments that build up year after year, posing risks to soil health, water and the people who depend on them.
A coating with a long afterlife
Polymer-coated fertilisers release an estimated 8,000 tonnes of non-biodegradable plastic in EU soils every year. This residue can persist for decades, long after it's stopped performing its function.
A risk beyond the field
Plastics break down into smaller fragments (microplastics), contaminating waterways and entering the wider food chain, with impacts that are still being investigated.
A changing regulatory landscape
From October 2028, EU rules are introducing biodegradability requirements for certain polymers used as coating agents in fertilising products. This regulatory shift is increasing the need for alternatives that combine agricultural performance with environmental responsibility.
Safe by design
From the materials selected to the way the fertilizer performs in soil and water, safety is put first so that crops can grow without adding unnecessary pressure to the environment.
Built to dissolve, not to remain
RELEASAFE is developing fertiliser coatings designed to do their job, then return to nature. It targets 90% degradation within 12 months and complete bio-degradation within 24 months.
A circular, EU-compliant alternative
RELEASAFE transforms underused resources (lignin, reclaimed starch and wood residues) into bio-based fertiliser-delivery systems designed to be the building bricks of future regulations.
Unearthing the hidden potential of controlled-release fertilizers
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
RELEASAFE targets 90% biodegradation in soil within 12 months, with no persistent microplastic fragments above detection thresholds.
Bio-based feedstocks
Black liquor, reclaimed potato starch and wood residues are transformed into bio-based materials for biodegradable controlled-release fertiliser systems.
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From prototypes to validation
Ten controlled-release fertiliser prototypes are assessed, out of which three selected formulations move forward to pilot-scale production, greenhouse testing and field trials.
Days of nutrient release
The formulations are designed to provide tuneable nutrient-release profiles that match nutrient availability with crop needs.