SoilSteam Takes the Next Step into North America
We are proud to announce an important milestone in SoilSteam’s journey. Our first SoilSaver20 has now been sold to North America and will be delivered to Headlands Environmental in British Columbia, Canada.
This is far more than the sale of a single machine. It marks SoilSteam’s entry into the North American market – a region facing significant environmental challenges and a growing demand for sustainable solutions for the treatment and recovery of biologically contaminated soil.
A Strategic Partner with a Clear Vision
Headlands Environmental is a leading environmental contractor on Canada’s West Coast and has made significant investments in technologies that enable soil to be recovered rather than disposed of.
The company has recently commissioned a state-of-the-art soil washing plant for the treatment of chemically contaminated soil. By investing in the SoilSaver20, Headlands can now also treat soil contaminated by invasive plant species, plant pathogens and other biological contaminants.
Even more importantly, the company will be able to process soil containing both chemical and biological contamination—a combination that has traditionally resulted in valuable soil being sent to landfill.
By combining soil washing with SoilSteam’s thermal treatment technology, Headlands will be able to offer one of the most comprehensive soil recovery solutions available in the Canadian market.
Japanese Knotweed – A Growing Challenge
One of the main reasons Headlands Environmental chose to invest in the SoilSaver20 is the increasing challenge posed by Japanese knotweed.
Recognised as one of the world’s most invasive plant species, Japanese knotweed has become a major issue throughout both Europe and North America. In Canada, it creates significant challenges for infrastructure projects, construction sites and urban development.
Whenever soil contains rhizomes or plant fragments from Japanese knotweed, it is often classified as biologically contaminated. In many cases, the only available option has been to transport this valuable soil to landfill because no practical treatment solution has been available.
With the SoilSaver20, Headlands will be able to thermally treat contaminated soil, eliminate biological contaminants without the use of chemicals, and return the treated soil to productive use instead of disposing of it.
A Small Step – But an Important One
Every year, millions of tonnes of soil are sent to landfill simply because they contain seeds, roots or other biological contaminants. At the same time, equivalent quantities of new soil must be excavated to replace the discarded material.
We believe this is not a sustainable way to manage one of our most valuable natural resources.
Healthy soil is a limited resource. If it can be safely treated and reused, it should be.
The delivery of the SoilSaver20 to Headlands Environmental will not solve this global challenge on its own. However, it represents another important step towards a more circular approach to soil management.
Every project that chooses soil recovery instead of landfill helps reduce the extraction of virgin materials, lowers landfill volumes and contributes to a more sustainable construction industry.
SoilSteam’s First Machine in North America
For SoilSteam, this delivery represents a major milestone.
Over the past few years, we have successfully established our technology in Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. With this first installation in Canada, we are now entering the North American market.
Canada faces many of the same challenges as Europe. Invasive species continue to spread, environmental regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, and both public authorities and private contractors are looking for solutions that reduce landfill while enabling valuable soil resources to be recovered.
We believe North America represents a significant long-term market for SoilSteam and look forward to developing our partnership with Headlands Environmental.
This Is Just the Beginning
From the very beginning, SoilSteam’s vision has been to transform biologically contaminated soil from a waste problem into a valuable resource.
The delivery to Canada demonstrates that this vision is gaining momentum beyond Europe.
We would like to thank Headlands Environmental for their trust and partnership, and we look forward to working together for many years to come.
The first SoilSaver20 is now on its way to North America. We hope it will be the first of many.