LIFE AgRemS03il. Technology for agricultural soil disinfection

The presence of pesticides in soil is a major environmental problem, which is aggravated by the large amount of pesticides and the absence of large-scale remediation technologies. Life AgRemSO3il (LIFE17 ENV/ES/000203) is a project that will develop a new technology for agrochemical decontamination of agricultural farm soils by combining solarization and in situ ozonation.  

Project objectives

The overall objective of the project is to test and demonstrate the technical, economic and ecological feasibility of this innovation, for which there is no alternative available on the market, through a prototype in commercial cultivation on a real production scale. Through this innovative technology, the aim is to achieve the decontamination of soils that present accumulation derived from the use of pesticides for years. The project was carried out in Murcia (Spain) for a duration of 4 years (2018-2022).

Project technologies

Ozonation generates hydroxyl radicals with the help of light radiation to attack and destroy any organic molecule to CO2, H2O and mineral salts. Solarization is based on the placement of a transparent plastic on the soil during the summer months, when the temperature and light radiation is more intense. The project provides a new cost-effective solution to support soil functions as part of a wider ecosystem and the impact on food and feed, with its consequent effects on human health, and proposes to enable the integration of environmental objectives into the Common Agricultural Policy, promoting the convergence of EU agriculture and environmental policies. The LCA and economic evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the project’s objective of achieving a broad implementation of the system, including a governance approach in relation to legal and financial instruments.

Partners

European project coordinated by IMIDA (Instituto Murciando de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario), with Novagric (Novedades Agrícolas, S.A.), Idioconsortium, S.L., and CEBAS-CSIC as partners.

Financing

Project co-financed by the European Union under the LIFE climate action and environment program. More information: Agremso3il.eu