INNOVATION
on
By Georgie Desailly
Home Soil
A world first project that has seen three local businesses collaborate to convert weed and waste products into high value soil additives has gained global traction for their circular economy principles and is now exporting their product internationally.
New ‘for purpose’ business venture, Atlas Soils, which launched in April, is striving to improve local soil health and resource efficiency by turning various urban waste products into humisoil©, a product that improves soil health, can extend landfill life, reduce the cost of waste disposal, and activate local jobs. “Atlas Soils licenses world leading technology from local biotech provider VRM Biologik Group and is the product of two local businesses – Ecocentric Services and Hannahbull Hydro Excavations – who are making low cost soil improvement products from local waste,” explains Jason Lange, who is one of the co-founders and Directors of Atlas Soils. “We are using billions of task specific microbes to rapidly break down various organic waste products, cotton and other waste materials into valuable products used globally in generative agriculture called humisoil© and XLR8 Bio®, which are soil additives that stimulate the local biological community to rebuild topsoil.” The blend is made entirely from local upcycled organics, with the waste and weed products, as well as the probiotics that are essential for the process, being sourced from local businesses in Townsville. Jason says the opportunity to apply circular economy principles and social enterprise action to organic waste in the city is the driving force behind their work. “Instead of local waste material being taken to landfill at a high cost and producing methane and other carbon emissions, it is brought to our Townsville based site where it is sprayed with the catalysts, covered and left to break down over a six-month period,” he says.
39
“We are also collaborating with the Endeavour Foundation to develop sustainable innovation around packaging and are working towards being able to break down the packaging so we can include it back in the production process.” Jason and his team have already saved the local community over $20,000 in waste disposal cost and engaged more than 20 businesses around Townsville. They are now exporting humisoil© internationally to places like Singapore, and are preparing to launch their first community ‘you fill’ day in August, where the public will have the opportunity to tour the local facility and fill up bags, buckets and trailers at low cost. “When waste goes to landfill, there is hardly any business activation at all, so our goal was also to activate jobs in the process and demonstrate that there is an economy in waste,” continues Jason. “The opportunity to export to international markets has been incredible but we are focused on activating local businesses, creating meaningful work and using the brilliant thinking that exists right here in Townsville to transform waste into healthy urban soils. “There is still lots to be done but we are proud to be part of the solution to this problem and play a role in helping our region and other parts of the world become more economically and environmentally sustainable.” 15kg Buckets of Activated Humisoil© are available from Addison’s Mitre 10.
Head over to BDMAG.COM.AU to read the full story!
There is still lots to be done but we are proud to be part of the solution to this problem and play a role in helping our region and other parts of the world become more economically and environmentally sustainable.
