Recovery　of　the　nitrogen　(N)　and　phosphorus　(P)　in　wastewater　would　help　to　minimize　eutrophication　and　their　reuse　would　lead　to　a　more　sustainable　society.　Sewage　sludge　and　fly　ash　were　used　to　fabricate　ceramsite　in　the　laboratory.　After　modified　with　alkali　or　lanthanum　it　was　shown　in　benchtop　experiments　to　effectively　recover　N　and　P　from　real　wastewater　treatment　plant　effluent.　The　N&P-adsorbed　ceramsite　was　then　applied　as　an　eco-friendly,　slow-release　fertilizer　to　promote　the　germination,　growth　and　blooming　of　Impatiens　commelinoides,　realizing　the　recycling　of　N　and　P　from　wastewater.　Emergy　analysis　shows　that　such　recycling　is　more　sustainable　than　the　current　two　approaches　(i.e.,　landfill　and　incineration)　for　sludge　disposal.　This　work　thus　demonstrates　a　sustainable　solution　combining　the　reuse　of　solid　waste,　effective　wastewater　purification　and　recovery　of　N　and　P　nutrients.　Applying　the　technologies　demonstrated　would　help　to　minimize　the　environmental　impact　of　wastewater　and　solid　waste.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.