An organic soil improver – an alternative to fertilizers
About this good practice
Soil improver is sold as product. Conditions and procedure for placing soil improvers on market are regulated by Fertilizers and Fertilization Act.Soil improver is placed on market on basis of permit issued by decision of minister responsible for agriculture.This document contains quality criteria for soil improvers and determines method of use and storage. According to national legislation, it is substance added to soil in order to improve its chemical, physical, physicochemical or biological properties or parameters, which must meet specific quality requirements. It is produced from selectively collected bio-waste coming mainly from parks, gardens, households such as grass, leaves, branches, fruit and vegetables. Soil improver is used in cultivation of ornamental plants and lawns, as well as potted, balcony and terrace plants. It is especially recommended for use in soil reclamation because it increases soil fertility by enriching it with organic nutrients, ie nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It has positive effect on improving physicochemical properties of soil, thus increasing yield and improving condition and quality of plants thanks to appropriate nutrients. Popularity of soil improver and its production are gradually growing, as alternative to increasingly expensive artificial fertilizers. In Świętokrzyskie, out of 6 Regional Waste Management Plants, 3 have decision of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to introduce soil improvers to market and produce it
Resources needed
Organic soil improvers are placed on market on basis of permit,which is issued,by decision of Minister responsible for agriculture.Document contains quality criteria,specifies method of use/storage.Issue of glass,metal or plastic arenot regulated,there are no official and legal regulations inPoland.
Evidence of success
Product that meets the following standards:
pH content in H2O (1:5), 7.5-9.0 % m/m
nitrogen (TN), min.0.50% m/m
phosphorus P2Os, min.0.15% m/m
potassium K2O, min.0.40% m/m
dry organic matter, min. 20.0%
constant form
Permissible value of contaminants per 1 kg of soil improver: chromium (Cr)-100 mg, cadmium (Cd)-5 mg, nickel (Ni)60 mg, lead (Pb)-140 mg,mercury (Hg)-2 mg. It must not contain live eggs of intestinal parasites (Ascaris sp.,Trichuris sp.,Toxocara sp.)and bacteria of Salmonella genus
Potential for learning or transfer
Positive:
- treatment of biowaste
- increasing the level of recycling of municipal waste
- fulfill the law requirements
- limiting the use of artificial fertilizers
Challenges:
- Improper waste segregation (bio-waste goes into a bag with mixed municipal waste, the bio-fraction is often contaminated with other types of waste)
- Collection of bio-waste in plastic bags
- Too low frequency of bio-waste collection in summer periods (especially in the case of rural communes and the rural part of urban-rural communes, where the frequency of bio-waste collection may be less frequent than once every two weeks)
- Complicated, long and expensive procedures for obtaining a certificate for soil improver or obtaining a decision from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to place an organic agent improving soil properties on the market.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
