Ragn-Sells: Pilot project to produce soil from residual waste
Ecogain is currently conducting a pilot project together with Ragn-Sells where they have developed recipes for soil from residual products from the paper industry. The trials started during the autumn in Nordmaling and the aim of the project is to create soil types that are in demand by companies in the infrastructure and mining and rock material industries that want to create nature when constructing green areas, so-called ecological finishing. The pilot trial started in late fall 2019 on Ragn-Sell's land in Nordmaling in Västerbotten.
Ragn-Sells has long handled residual products from the paper industry for which it had no use. We have now started tests where we can mix these materials to produce soil suitable for different types of nature. There is demand from the mining industry, for example, which often has a shortage of the right kind of soil to restore closed mines. This is a good example of how to work in a circular way
- Sara Carlsén, Project Manager at Ecogain.
In 25 test plots, plants have been planted in different soil mixtures and the test will last for five years and hopefully lead to new business opportunities for Ragn-Sells."Ragn-Sells is constantly working to find new circular solutions and if we could find a good way to return materials that are not needed to nature, it would be fantastic"
- Marcus Åberg, Market Area Manager at Ragn-Sells.
The aim of the project is to find an optimal soil mixture for the re-establishment of, for example, pine forest with reindeer lichen or meadows. These habitats are often sought because they can provide both reindeer grazing and biodiversity in the ecological rehabilitation of mining areas.
