The LIFE AgriSed project aims at demonstrate the suitability of dredged sediments used with no intervention or co-composted with green waste to produce innovative technosols usable for the reconstitution of degraded land and brownfields and as innovative growing media for plant nursery.
The performance of the innovative sediment-based growing media and of reconstituted soil will be compared with the traditional land reconstitution approaches and traditional growing media used for producing ornamental plants with high added value. The sediment/green waste co-composting process will produce growing media with better fertility, structure, water holding capacity, aeration, and biological activity than peat and coir pith.
Demonstration trials will be conducted growing plants with high added value for the European market: Photinia x fraseri Red Robin and Viburnum tinus.
The LCA analysis and an economic analysis of the reuse of dredged sediments for the two production processes will be assessed to bring the innovative growing media for professional plant nursery and amendments for soils restoration close to the market.
The LIFE AgriSed specific objectives are:
- To demonstrate the suitability of sediments reclaimed with a co-composting process, to perform as fertile ingredient for growing ornamental plants
- To guarantee transferability and replicability of dredged sediment and use, by providing technical training and supporting tools for the case-to-case identification and implementation of the best technique and by using all media available to actively transfer knowledge at all levels, local,
national and European - To highlight the current legislative and technical reasons for hindrance in the re-use of dredged sediments as raw materials for creating technosols and as ingredients of plant growing media, and will produce guidelines for their safe. To contribute to the current revision of the European fertilizer legislation, which will also include growing media and soil amendments
- To increase awareness and support plant nursery and soil sectors providing cost-effective solutions that include more efficient techniques that may also improve profitability
- To identify and involve all relevant stakeholders related to plant nursery and soil sectors issues. This in turn will aim to integrate social, environmental and economic components of the sediments, plant nursery and soil sectors
