BALANCE - Treatment of low-contaminated soil with biochar produced from organic waste for sustainable resource use and circular economy

Amendments with biochar can reduce the risks of contaminated soils while improving soil quality. Treatment of soils on site has great potential to reduce the amount of soil masses deposited on landfills. The overall aim of BALANCE is to enable a large-scale use of this technology by developing a framework that includes methods for environmental and health risk assessment of biochar-treated soils. Environmental impact and resource use, with focus on circularity, are quantified using life cycle analysis, substance flow analysis and a newly developed framework for urban circularity. The duration of biochar treatment over a longer period of time (5-6 years) is studied in an on-going field trial. We will also carry out a new field trial where the potential of biochar to reduce the flux of volatile pollutants is investigated. The project provides a basis for a more sustainable use of land and waste resources and is a step towards a more circular economy.