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Can soil organic carbon be enhanced by using construction wastes as a soil amendment?
Author(s) -
Guerin Turlough F.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
remediation journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.762
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1520-6831
pISSN - 1051-5658
DOI - 10.1002/rem.21682
Subject(s) - amendment , environmental science , mulch , waste management , cardboard , environmental engineering , soil water , soil carbon , environmental protection , soil science , engineering , agronomy , political science , law , biology
Many soils are low in organic carbon as is the case in Australia. The current study identified the risks from applying shredded end of life packaging materials (EOLPM) to soil at a utility scale solar energy plant, assessed its impact, and mitigated the residual risks. Its purpose was to determine if the EOLPM would pose a potential risk to human health and/or the environment if placed as a amendment incorporated into the surface soil (as a surface‐incorporated mulch) to increase soil carbon. A qualitative risk assessment showed effective controls and risk treatments from the potential risks from combustion, dust generation, and on‐site and off‐site littering (from cardboard pieces), were possible and reduced these residual risks to low (and acceptable) when the EOLPM was shredded and incorporated into the surface soil as an amendment (soil improver).