Insights emerging from the Belgian Regional Cluster

Flanders is a livestock-intensive and highly regulated region, where agriculture, wastewater treatment, industry, and energy systems are closely interconnected. Strict nutrient policies, including the implementation of the Nitrates Directive and permitting frameworks, strongly shape how nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are managed across sectors. At the same time, the region has a well-developed infrastructure for waste treatment, manure processing, and bioenergy production, creating both constraints and opportunities for nutrient circularity.

The workshops organised within the Belgian Regional Cluster focused on the sectors most relevant for nutrient recovery and reuse, including agriculture, other primary sectors, water and waste management, energy and transport, and industry.

A key feature of the Belgian approach was the integration of the workshops within existing cluster and governance structures, particularly through Nutricycle Vlaanderen.

Discussions across the workshops highlighted several Belgium-specific insights, consistently reflected across sectors:

Wastewater treatment and manure processing infrastructures were identified as key leverage points for nutrient recovery, supported by mature technical systems but constrained by regulatory complexity.
Strong interest in bioeconomy and biorefinery pathways, including green and blue resources, as practical routes to valorise nutrient-rich side streams.
Regulatory frameworks were recognised as both drivers and barriers: while policy ambition is high, permitting procedures and legal uncertainty can limit the scaling of solutions.
Stakeholders emphasised the need for continued coordination between agriculture, utilities, industry, and policymakers to move from pilot initiatives to deployable, region-wide solutions.

The activities brought together a broad and diverse group of regional actors, including researchers, public authorities, sectoral organisations, industry representatives, technology providers, and practitioners. Almost 90 participants took part in the workshops, and 23 stakeholders formally joined the Cluster, confirming their interest in remaining involved in the next phases of the project.

Together, these outcomes make the Belgian Regional Cluster a key reference within NPower for advancing nutrient recovery, governance alignment, and circular bioeconomy strategies in highly regulated contexts