soil-remediation

Fiber hemp variety Bialobrzeskie remedy for brownfields

Fiber hemp has many interesting applications. They are present in the food cosmetic, textile, construction, energy and biocomposite sectors, among others. Nowadays, with environmental aspects in mind, attention has turned to their new function as a remedy in the remediation of brownfields. In response to this relatively "fresh" need comes the 90-year experience and potential of the Poznan Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants National Research Institute. It is this unit that in 2012-2018 implemented a project entitled. "New technology for the reclamation of degraded areas in the area of KWB Konin with the use of fiber hemp cultivation - EKOHEMPKON with the participation of the LIFE+ financial instrument of the European Union and subsidized by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

EKOHEMPKON project

The site of the project was the post-mining areas of the "Konin" lignite mine in the Kazimierz Biskupi municipality, Greater Poland province. The main objective of the project was the agricultural reclamation of areas after an open-pit lignite mine and the creation of a model method for the reclamation of post-industrial areas. The reclamation was carried out on an area of 25 hectares and consisted in the cultivation in rotation of two plants, i.e. fiber hemp of the Białobrzeskie variety, yielding a large mass of straw (about 10-12 t of biomass on an area of 1 hectare) and alfalfa, characterized by the ability to fix free nitrogen. All of the organic matter produced went into the soil through annual mowing and plowing of the cultivated crops. The resulting biological composite system stimulated the restoration of the humus layer, increased nutrient abundance, improved water-air relations and created conditions for the proliferation of soil microorganisms without whose presence the soil cannot be fertile.

The project set and achieved the following goals:

Advantages of fiber hemp of the Białobrzeskie variety
used in soil reclamation in the EKOHEMPKON project:

History and use of the fiber hemp variety Białobrzeskie

The Białobrzeskie fiber hemp variety is a Polish variety owned by the Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants - National Research Institute. It was registered and has been cultivated since 1968 and is characterized by high biomass. Since its registration, Bialobrzeskie has been grown mainly for textile purposes due to the height of the plant and the highly valued parameters of the extracted fiber. The shive was also a valued raw material, although in this case its use has been evolving until today. Originally not very appreciated, used for the production of clapboards, they are now the main component of the so-called hemp concrete, which now fascinates and finds many enthusiasts among representatives of the ecological construction sector.

Hemp hurds of the Białobrzeskie variety are now a sought-after product used in the form of horse bedding and raw material for composites. Białobrzeskie, especially in the eastern regions of Poland, surprises with its height (some individuals grow up to almost 6 meters), which can be a challenge to harvest. The institute has various types of machinery at its disposal and supports Polish farmers in this regard. This institute variety does very well in our climate and soil conditions. It develops a deep, taproot system, so it tolerates drought better by drawing water from deeper parts of the soil.

Bialobrzeskie is also of interest for a new application of hemp biomass and namely in energy. The variety can yield 26.8 tons per hectare of whole-plant biomass and about 8-10 tons per hectare of straw dry matter when harvesting grain. Białobrzeskie within the framework of the IWNIRZ-PIB Hemp Program has been commercialized in many countries, including the USA, Canada, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Germany, the UK.

We offer full support in the implementation of soil remediation activities using fiber hemp, among others: