Background Despite EU environmental and agricultural policy/ measures to significantly reduce the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture, the use of urea is still the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizer – favoured by farmers because it delivers the largest amounts of nitrogen at the lowest costs. Costs are obviously a fundamental factor in decision-making in agriculture in an increasingly competitive environment. Even as the use of nitrogen organic fertilizers becomes more widespread, it seems unlikely they will completely substitute chemical fertilizers. One possibility explored by the UNIZEO project is to combine the two types of fertilizer using a newly-developed technology: coating the urea-based nitrogen fertilizer with zeolite (particularly efficient in holding and slowly releasing valuable nutrients to plants) in order to reduce the overall nitrogen used per hectare. In this way, the UNIZEO project plans to contribute to EU policy to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and to protect groundwater and aquifers against nitrates pollution from agricultural activity. Objectives The UNIZEO project aims to demonstrate that coating urea-based nitrogen fertilizer with zeolite is a technically and economically viable technology to allow the slow release of fertilizer (depending on the demands of a specific plant) to significantly reduce the release of unused nitrates into the environment. This should avoid in particular, groundwater pollution, but also reduce air pollution from ammonia emissions. The zeolite coated urea-based fertilizer offers a sustainable solution to the persistent and excessive use of high quantities of nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture. Developed at a pilot plant, the project will also promote the widest possible application of its new product. To this end, it will integrate capacity building measures into the project planning. In addition, it will involve public administrations in the demonstration and transfer of the technology developed. It will also contribute to the development and demonstration of innovative technologies that facilitate the implementation of EU environment policy, in particular the objectives of the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC). Expected results A fully operational pilot plant with a production capacity of 1 000 tonnes/ year; Zeolite coated fertilizer tested on agricultural lots and on a golf course over a total 2 500 ha, with 800 ha in control group; 30-40% reduction of use of urea on the tested farmland; Significant reduction of nitrates in groundwater and aquifers in the test sites; 45%-50% of reduction of loss of nitrogen into the atmosphere and leaching; 50% reduction in use of fertilizer, compared with potash; and 35% reduction in use of phosphor, due to the zeolite component; Crop yield in the pilot lots increased compared with that of crops using chemical fertilizers; Increased knowledge and awareness among a target group of growers on water and air pollution by nitrates and the advantages of the new product.