Circular economy in action: Transforming textile waste into sustainable soil additives - Physicochemical properties and biodegradability

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in soil additives used in environmental ecosystems. Currently, most soil amendments are produced from synthetic materials. Some synthetic amendments break down into microplastics, which persist in the environment and can be ingested by soil organisms, affecting soil health and biodiversity and the chemicals they contain can leach into groundwater. At the same time, the number and availability of biodegradable technologies are limited, and the aspects related to their biodegradation in soil are not sufficiently known. The study developed a sustainable water-saving and vegetation-supporting technology in the form of a biodegradable water-absorbing geocomposite (BioWAG). BioWAGs were produced using biodegradable materials derived from animal and plant waste, such as waste wool, jute, and linen. In a three-year field experiment, their physicochemical properties in the soil were analysed. These were characterized using a.o. Surface weight, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and FTIR. The results indicate that the degree of biodegradation of materials used in BioWAG depended on the raw material and production technology. Needle-punched nonwovens underwent intensive biodegradation just 6 months after being buried in the soil, while stitched nonwovens retained their mechanical properties even for three growing seasons. In the case of seamed non-woven fabrics, a decrease in selected physical parameters was observed. The addition of wool-based soil additive, a decrease in surface mass was observed by 85% after 6 months, 88% after 18 months and 90% after 30 months. Regardless of the waste materials used, BioWAGs provided plants with continuous access to water and nutrients. The work indicates a sustainable method of managing textile waste and analyzes its properties in the soil, which enables the development of technologies based on natural fibers for applications such as geotextiles, mulches and controlled-release fertilizers. The technology was developed in line with the principles of a circular economy and can improve soil quality, mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce environmental pollution. • Over 10 million plastics enter the environment annually. • Biodegradable materials can replace synthetics in up to half of applications. • Textile waste offers alternative for the production of biodegradable technologies. • Textile biodegradable waste was used to produce a new type of soil additive. • Understanding degradation processes is key to using sustainable technologies effectively.