Could we not use more manure for fertilizer instead of mined and manufactured powders?
Is there downside to using composted human waste as fertilizer? Would seem to be a plentiful supply if could be safely handled. We use cow manure aplenty in Michigan.
With manure you need to be concerned about heavy metals when using on plants destined for human consumption. I would guess that would also apply to plants that will be fed to animals destined for human consumption.
While I'm sure that the metals could be processed out, I wonder about the economics of scaling up. The amount of fertilizer needed for agriculture in the US must be massive.
Personally I suspect the "evils" of phosphate/nitrogen fertilizers are greatly exaggerated. For example, if you live in an area with frequent lightning when it rains (Florida T storms) that lightning releases nitrogen from the air which is carried to the soil by the rain. It's not just the rainwater that greens up lawns during summer thunderstorm season.
The story was about phosphate being used in EV batteries and not fertilizer. I don't imagine Norway needs much fertilizer. I doubt that there is any agriculture on much of a large scale there.