The nitrogen surplus is calculated by subtracting the amount of nitrogen input (including in the form of concentrates and fertilisers) from the amount of nitrogen fixed in animal (meat, milk, eggs) and plant products (arable crops and horticultural crops), and the nitrogen removed outside agriculture (exports, manure processing, private use). Nitrogen surplus is the part of nitrogen that is not utilised. Through agriculture, nitrogen is partly lost to the soil (and then partly washes out to ground and surface water), while some is dissipated to the air in the form of ammonia (NH3), which originates from manure, and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The latter are mainly emitted during combustion processes, for example heating greenhouses and operating mobile machinery. These combustion processes are included in the climate sectors of Energy and Mobility. The nitrogen released from these processes thus falls outside the nitrogen surplus presented in this news release.
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