Based on this, we at SoilSteam contribute to developing a Norwegian Standard for heat-treated soil. This standard will ensure that buyers of soil can be confident that the soil is heat-treated and therefore free of harmful organisms and weeds. Steamed soil is becoming increasingly popular among landscapers, and here we explain why:

One of the biggest challenges for landscape gardeners is weeds that compete with plants, creating extra costs and additional work. By using steam-treated soil, this problem is largely avoided. It also reduces the need for chemical pesticides. In addition, the use of steam-treated soil leads to more satisfied customers.

Weeds grow quickly and controlling it throughout the season requires regular maintenance, including weeding at least once a month. In a hectic summer season, this can be difficult to achieve in practice, which often results in planting areas that look poorly maintained. By using steam-treated soil, this problem is avoided. The soil will generally remain weed-free without incurring maintenance costs. This makes the slightly higher price of heat-treated soil justifiable, as it results in happier customers and lower long-term maintenance costs.

For landscape gardeners who aim to deliver high-quality results with minimal maintenance and no use of pesticides, steamed soil is the right choice.

What do you think? Will you use steamed soil in your next project? Contact us to learn more about steam-treated soil.

The post Why Landscape Gardeners Choose Steamed Soil for Park and Garden Projects appeared first on SoilSteam International.

Why Steam Treatment?

When soil is moved during construction or agricultural projects, it can carry harmful organisms that spread to new areas. Traditionally, this has led to strict restrictions, including prohibitions on relocating contaminated soil. Now, heat treatment is considered a solution that ensures soil quality while protecting the environment from the spread of unwanted species.

Soil heat treatment involves heating the material to temperatures that kill seeds, plant pests, and microorganisms. This process, which is expected to become part of the Norwegian Standards framework, can potentially revolutionize the handling of problematic soil in Norway.

Picture: Norwegian authoroties have now opened up to recycle biological contaminated soil after heat/steam treatment.

Benefits for the Environment and Society

This initiative represents a win-win situation for both the environment and society:

1. Waste Reduction: Instead of disposing of contaminated soil, it can be cleaned and reused.
2. Preservation of Topsoil: Soil is a valuable resource, and reuse contributes to sustainable resource management.
3. Prevention of Environmental Damage: Heat treatment prevents the spread of harmful species that can threaten biodiversity and agricultural productivity.

The Way Forward

For this method to succeed, collaboration between public agencies, contractors, and technology developers is crucial. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority highlights the importance of planning and thorough mapping before project initiation, as well as the need for permits when moving contaminated soil.

This is encouraging news for stakeholders in construction and agriculture, demonstrating that Norway is taking concrete steps to address future challenges sustainably. Heat treatment of soil could become an example for other countries seeking to combine environmental protection with efficient resource use.

We now look forward to the implementation of a Norwegian Standard for soil heat treatment – a vital step towards a greener future!

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Challenges in Soil Quality
One of the biggest concerns today is the declining quality of arable soil. Globally, around 33% of soil is degraded due to erosion, pollution, salinization, or nutrient depletion. This degradation is mainly caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, heavy use of chemicals and fertilizers, and harmful organisms in the soil. These practices lead to a loss of soil biodiversity and a decline in essential soil organisms that help break down organic matter and cycle nutrients.

Loss of Volume and Soil Sealing
Urbanization has also led to increasing soil volume loss. As urban areas, roads, and industrial zones expand, large land areas are covered with asphalt, concrete, or other impermeable materials, known as soil sealing. In Europe, an estimated 890 km² of soil is sealed annually, reducing arable land and the soil’s ability to absorb water, increasing flood risks, and lowering water storage capacity.

Focus on Sustainable Soil Management
There is a growing trend toward sustainable soil management methods, such as agroforestry, regenerative agricultural practices, and minimal soil tillage (plowing). These methods aim to restore soil structure and organic content, helping to increase soil fertility, water retention, and carbon storage capacity. Sustainable management can also help slow down erosion and reduce soil volume loss in the long term.

Innovative Technologies and Solutions
Technological advancements play a vital role in preserving soil quality and volume. Numerous innovative solutions have been introduced, such as digital soil monitoring, the use of drones to analyze nutrient and moisture levels, and the development of machinery that can clean contaminated soil and reclaim arable land. An example is our SoilSaver, which effectively combats harmful microorganisms without polluting the soil with chemicals. It also removes seeds and plant parts from invasive species, which would otherwise require the disposal of large volumes of soil.

The Way Forward
Ensuring the quality and volume of soil requires collaboration between agriculture, the technology sector, and governments. World Soil Day provides an opportunity to reflect on how we can better care for our most valuable resource. Supporting sustainable management practices, increasing the use of innovative technologies, and engaging society in soil conservation may be the key to maintaining productive soil for future generations.

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The Critical State of Soil

According to the UN, about 33 percent of the world’s soil is moderately to severely degraded due to erosion, compaction, acidification, and construction, where vast amounts of soil are transported to landfills annually. In Europe alone, an estimated 970 million tons of soil are lost each year due to erosion. This means we are losing topsoil much faster than it can naturally regenerate. Such a loss not only threatens food security but also weakens soil’s ability to regulate water and carbon. Without healthy soil, it will be impossible to produce sufficient food in the long term. Several EU countries have now implemented high taxes on soil disposal, and some have even banned it.

EU Law – Soil Protection on Par with Water and Air

In July 2023, the EU Commission announced a legislative proposal that would give legal protection to soil, just as water and air quality have been regulated over the past decades. This is a significant step forward, as soil resources in many countries have previously been managed in a fragmented manner or without clear rules for long-term conservation.

The proposed law will likely include measures to combat soil degradation and erosion while promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing the loss of organic matter in the soil. It will also focus on reducing pollution from chemicals, excessive fertilizers, and other contaminants that harm soil structure and the life within it. Additionally, there will be no more room for disposing of soil when it is unnecessary. In the Netherlands/Belgium and the UK, concepts such as soil hotels and soil hospitals are now being discussed.

Why Stricter Regulations Are Necessary

• Food Security: The degradation of topsoil threatens our ability to grow enough food for a growing population. Healthy soil is essential to ensure we have nutritious food in the future.
• Biodiversity: Soil is home to a vast ecosystem of microorganisms and small animals that are crucial for plant growth and ecosystem health. When soil degrades, these life forms are threatened, which can have cascading effects throughout the food chain.
• Climate Crisis: Soil plays a central role in carbon storage. Well-maintained soil binds carbon and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When soil degrades, the carbon is released, contributing to climate change.
• Erosion and Disasters: Without protection, soil becomes more vulnerable to erosion. This not only leads to the loss of topsoil but also increases the risk of floods and other natural disasters, destroying land and communities.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

The EU’s initiative represents a paradigm shift in how we view and treat soil. By introducing stricter regulations for soil protection, the EU is laying the foundation for a more sustainable future where agriculture, nature, and climate can coexist. This is crucial in a time when we are facing a global food crisis and growing environmental challenges.

However, it is also important that countries outside Europe follow suit. Soil is not an infinite resource. It must be treated with respect and care, and we need international cooperation and guidelines to ensure we protect this resource for future generations.

Call to Action

Consumers, farmers, and policymakers must all play their part in protecting soil. Farmers can adopt more sustainable practices such as regenerative agriculture, while consumers can support local products and demand that soil resources are properly managed. At the same time, we must all push for politicians to implement and enforce legislation that ensures soil is treated with the same care as water and air.

Rethink Food published an excellent article on this topic a few months ago.

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For those of us living around the Oslo Fjord (Norway), have experienced the Pacific oyster. Where we used to be able to walk barefoot on the beaches just a few years ago, it is now densely populated with razor-sharp Pacific oysters. Without natural predators, it has spread rapidly.

The plants that largely affect, reduce, and threaten biodiversity and ecosystems are called invasive alien plants. These plants are often introduced to new ecosystems by human activities, and this has become a significant ecological concern globally. It could be, for example, someone bringing a plant home from vacation, or seeds hitching a ride on a truck from Europe and falling off elsewhere. These species that do not naturally belong here can outcompete and displace native vegetation, leading to a range of negative effects on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and even human activities. The importance of combating invasive plants lies in preserving the delicate balance in ecosystems, maintaining biodiversity, and ensuring the services these ecosystems provide. All plants have a role in nature, and it can have significant consequences if species are wiped out in this way.

When “invasive plants eradicate local” plants, biodiversity is reduced. Biodiversity in nature is important. Humans on Earth depend on sustainable biodiversity to survive on the planet.

The most common alien plants in Europe are Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Canadian goldenrod, and Himalayan Balsam, but there are 41 different species on the EU’s list of invasive alien plants that are prohibited from importing or spreading. The list is constantly growing. Norway, which may be the furthest along in this work globally, currently has 107 plants on the list of invasive alien plants posing a very high risk.

If these species are allowed to spread freely, they will quickly take over vast areas, and many of today’s species will be wiped out. See how Japanese knotweed has spread in Europe in recent years here.

To meet the challenge of invasive plants, various control and management methods are used. This includes mechanical methods such as cutting and pulling, chemical methods such as the use of pesticides, and biological control by using natural enemies of the invasive species. Often, combating invasive alien plants leads to large amounts of soil being deposited as soil masses contain or may contain seeds or plant parts from the plant. It is paradoxical that in such cases, one must deposit an important resource and part of nature to protect biodiversity in nature. This can be avoided by heating the soil masses to a temperature that the species cannot tolerate for a certain period. SoilSteam, along with research partners like Nibio and others, has found these critical temperatures and developed machines that make it possible to combat these species. At the same time, the soil masses can be reused.

References: Simberloff, D., Martin, J. L., Genovesi, P., Maris, V., Wardle, D. A., Aronson, J., … & McGeoch, M. A. (2013). Impacts of biological invasions: what’s what and the way forward. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 28(1), 58-66. Vilà, M., Espinar, J. L., Hejda, M., Hulme, P. E., Jarošík, V., Maron, J. L., … & Pyšek, P. (2011). Ecological impacts of invasive alien plants: a meta-analysis of their effects on species, communities, and ecosystems. Ecology Letters, 14(7), 702-708. Mack, R. N., Simberloff, D., Lonsdale, W. M., Evans, H., Clout, M., & Bazzaz, F. A. (2000). Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences, and control. Ecological Applications, 10(3), 689-710.

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SoilSteam’s technology for steam treatment of biologically infected soil is highlighted as a good alternative to the removal and disposal of soil masses. Managing Director of SoilSteam, Oddbjørn Bergem, is pleased that the report emphasizes sustainable development: “Road construction in Europe is unfortunately a significant contributor to the degradation of valuable farmland. The fact that CEDR is now focusing on this and promoting technology and methods that preserve our farmland is very positive. From a commercial perspective, this is of course also important for SoilSteam. We have significant international ambitions with our technology, and we are constantly experiencing increasing interest from major players from both Europe and the USA. Being highlighted in such publications strengthens our position as a leading player in our field.”

 Using an image of the SoilSaver 20 and the cover of the report.

Learn more about CEDR here

Learn more about SoilSaver here

See SoilSaver in action here

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To address this challenge, it is essential to focus on the recycling and reuse of topsoil while avoiding the use of chemicals. This is not only important for sustainability and food security but also to maintain the soil’s ability to sequester CO2 and preserve valuable biodiversity. Failure to act now could result in food shortages, high food prices, and potentially lead millions of people into hunger and poverty, argues FAO leader, José Graziano Da Silva.

The Importance of CO2 Sequestration and Soil Microorganisms in the soil

Soil plays a crucial role in the fight against climate change, as it sequesters more CO2 than all the world’s plants and trees combined. Effective CO2 sequestration in the soil can be a crucial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, new technology supporting sustainable soil management is needed in the future.

More than 50% of the world’s organisms exist in soil ecosystems, making healthy and fertile soil crucial for food supply, biodiversity and climate. Research shows that better soil management can significantly increase carbon sequestration and the potential gain surpassing annual emissions from the global transportation sector.

SoilSteam’s Contribution to Sustainable Soil Treatment

SoilSteam is an innovative player in the agricultural and construction sectors, developing machines that use steam to treat soil. The goal is to reduce harmful microorganisms, insects, nematodes, as well as seeds and weed roots while maintaining soil productivity.

SOILSAVER™ – Sterilization for Reuse

Soilsaver™ aims to sterilize soil in construction projects where invasive plants plant such as Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed are present in the soil masses. This enables the reuse of soil that would otherwise be degraded to landfills. The clean soil can be reused in areas with existing natural soil, allowing the native microorganisms in the surrounding soil to establish themselves in the clean masses.

FIELDSAVER™ – Sustainable Soil Treatment

Fieldsaver™ operates on agricultural land, steaming the soil where it is. It uses hot steam to heat the soil and combat negative microorganisms and weeds without the use of chemicals. Precision steaming allows local treatment around the planting site, providing effective results while keeping energy usage low.

Effect on Microorganisms and Crop Yield

Although steaming affects soil microorganisms, international research and experience show that healthy soil life quickly re-establishes itself. Minimizing temperature and exposure time is a crucial factor in minimizing the drawbacks of soil steaming. SoilSteam, in collaboration with NIBIO, Vegvesenet, and other stakeholders, has conducted research to study the criteria that must be set depending on the diseases or pests present in the soil. It is important to emphasize that soil steaming is a treatment method, where the alternatives are either deposition or treatment with harmful chemicals. Healthy and pest-free soil should not be steamed.

Effects observed on plant life and vegetables after steaming are positive, resulting in faster establishment, higher yields, and increased durability.

SoilSteam’s soil treatment not only contributes to maintaining soil health and supporting sustainable agriculture but also provides tangible solutions for circular mass management, helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and preserves valuable topsoil for future generations. This is a significant step towards a more sustainable and responsible use of the Earth’s resources.

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“It is urgent that we think differently if we are to achieve the sustainability goals of 65% reuse of masses by 2035. By adopting this technology, we want to contribute to developing tomorrow’s solutions to save arable land while improving our existing products,” says Jakob Årsvold of Bergknapp.

Long-term innovator

Bergknapp has a clear ambition to be forward-thinking and do what makes sense for the environment. They are a company that thinks long-term and contributes to making cities greener and more sustainable. With solid ownership, curiosity about new solutions, and a willingness to lead the way in the industry, they make a significant difference on the path to a more sustainable future. “We have the ambition to be at the forefront when it comes to sustainable soil management, both for the company’s development and to be an inspiration for others,” says Jakob, owner and founder of Bergknapp.

Positive development in the soil industry

Bergknapp experiences that more of their industry colleagues also have sustainability high on their agenda now, which he finds very positive. “There have been significant changes in the industry in recent years,” says Jakob. He explains that it forces a more circular mindset and sustainable solutions. There is a greater focus on reuse and recycling than ever before. “The market leaders are now looking at investments in machinery and equipment that contribute to more reuse, and we are proud to be early adopters of SoilSaver, ends Jakob.

Sustainable mass management has been central to Bergknapp’s production for several years. Now, they are taking their sustainability efforts to new heights by using SoilSaver. By treating the soil with steam, this sterilization process will neutralize invasive alien species such as Japanese Knotweed and plant diseases. Bergknapp is now developing production lines to effectively reuse soil that would otherwise be lost. In this process, both eliminating weeds that would otherwise create significant problems and creating the potential to blend in different types of masses that do not function adequately as soil, can be achieved. In the long run, large quantities of soil masses can be delivered for sterilization at Bergknapp in Sandnes near Stavanger. The machine is also mobile and can be placed wherever desired in the future. In larger projects, this means huge amounts of transportation can be saved by treating the soil locally.

Professional partnership

Jakob says that he immediately found SoilSaver exciting when he first heard about the machine last autumn. Since then, the two companies have maintained close contact. The companies have complementary expertise on both sides. “The partnership with SoilSteam is a win-win: we get a Norwegian professional partner with competent expertise in mass management, and they get an industrial partner that is serious about sustainability,” says Jakob.

Soil is a valuable resource that is the fundament for more than 90% of the food we eat. For way too long it has been polluted and degraded to landfills. Now we have developed a machine that can stop some of this degradation. It is great that we have innovative customers like Bergknapp that adopt new technology and take the industry in a more sustainable direction says Hans Kristian Westrum, CGO and founder of SoilSteam.

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‘Despite being a relatively small technology company, we have clear international ambitions,’ says CEO Oddbjørn Bergem. ‘We currently have a strong and competent board made up of skilled and experienced members. When our present chair, Einar Abrahamsen, decided to step down after being heavily involved during the early stages of the company, it was only natural for us to look for someone with the competence and network to take us further out into the world.’

The post went to the current chair of the European Innovation Council (EIC) board, Professor Mark W J Ferguson

‘Mark is a senior European innovation expert with extensive industrial competence and a network few others can match. After visiting us in Sandefjord and meeting both the board and our employees, he said “yes” to the job,’ says Bergem with a smile.

Ferguson himself has great belief in the company’s work with soil technology

‘I’ve worked a lot with large companies and organisations in recent years,’ says Ferguson. ‘I’ve also learned a lot about scaling innovation companies and start-ups in Europe. The stage SoilSteam is currently at, is one of the most important for such a company. I’ve been inspired by how SoilSteam has built itself up and is leading the way in improving topsoil without chemicals. I know that in every country good topsoil is essential for our future and its importance is rapidly growing – so it’s exciting to be part of the team. I like what SoilSteam is doing and I’m pleased to be working closely with the board and CEO,’ Ferguson concludes.

SoilSteam’s technology can reduce topsoil erosion

Topsoil has been taken for granted for far too long. In recent years, more people have been starting to realise that topsoil is not a renewable resource and we must take better care of it. The EU is currently drafting legislation that will give soil equal priority with water and air. It’s claimed that more than 60% of the topsoil in the EU is of poor quality. Topsoil is also disappearing due to surface runoff or desertification. ‘We cannot allow soil, which can be treated and recirculated, to just drain away,’ says Silje Eftang, Sustainability Manager at SoilSteam.

A vital solution for the Earth’s future

The UN has already declared soil a finite resource and predicts catastrophic losses in the next 60 years if agriculture isn’t completely overhauled. There are already places in the world that have lost all their topsoil.

Soil is essential to life. As growth in the population explodes, the food supply, clean drinking water and biological diversity are under increasing pressure. Alongside this, climate change is also having a big impact on the shortage of soil:

• Soil contains more than three times the amount of carbon as there is in the Earth’s atmosphere and four times as much as in all living plants and animals combined (source: Columbia Climate School).

SoilSteam is entering a very exciting period

‘We’ve set ourselves the goal of helping save the world’s topsoil. It may sound rather ambitious, but that’s what we’re doing. For every machine we deliver to the market, that’s several thousand tonnes of soil recirculated every year,’ says co-founder and chief growth officer of SoilSteam, Hans Kristian Westrum.

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1. Soil steaming makes it possible to care for and recycle topsoil.
2. Soil steaming removes pests from the soil without the use of chemicals.

We feel confident that the world needs an alternative, chemical-free way to kill unwanted weeds and harmful organisms in soil. All macro trends point in the same direction. The first draft of a new soil law in the EU will be published in 2023. Topsoil should not be taken for granted, and it is rising higher and higher on the agenda. Topsoil supports 90% of our food production. For far too long, we’ve taken it for granted. Now the warning lights are flashing, and the world is taking topsoil seriously.

We have tested our equipment in cooperation with partners in Norway, Spain, and the USA. The reality we face is dramatic. The authorities want to reduce the agricultural use of chemicals, but farmers have become dependent on these products. On top of that, the world needs to significantly increase food production to feed an ever-growing population. How can it be possible to satisfy all these needs at the same time? No one has yet discovered a definitive answer, but it’s probably reachable by taking many small steps. Two of these steps are taking care of the topsoil and making sure that it is of the highest possible quality. We know that Soil Steam can play an important role in this area.

From concept to testing in 2022

We have built an impressive robot that we called FieldSaver. This is a machine that combines our expertise in steam and biology with modern robotic technology. It is the first machine in the world to offer precision steaming. This means that we only use steam exactly where the plants or vegetables will stand. In this way, we reduce energy consumption and cost by up to 75% and increase speed accordingly. An important question is whether steaming of limited areas is sufficient. We’ve tested that out. Precision steaming has been tried out with some of the leading fruit and vegetable producers in the world – and it works! Now we are working on further adaptations to produce the best possible machine for precision steaming. The potential is huge!

In 2022 our SoilSaver went through long-term testing. First, it was tested for three months right outside our warehouse. Now, for the past four months, it has been tested in the field by our partner Lindum. The results of the long-term testing are so good that we decided to start a series production of the machine. The first machines have been sold to Envir and are currently under production. This is a huge milestone in Soil Steam’s history!

The SoilSaver is also important from an environmental perspective. The machines Soil Steam will deliver in 2023 will have the capacity to process 20 tons of soil per hour. This means that each machine can process up to 50,000 tons of soil a year. That’s the equivalent of 2,500 truckloads! The landfill is the only alternative for the soil that our machines can now process. Landfilling of soil involves a lot of heavy transport and takes that soil out of the cycle. This is not sustainable given that it takes more than 500 years for nature to make one centimeter of new topsoil. Our machines will be able to prevent enormous amounts of valuable soil from ending up in the cemetery. It is with good reason that we call the machine SoilSaver.

Thank you to everyone who made a difference in 2022

We need to say a little about the market and the situation in the world as well. The turmoil in the world has affected many sectors by causing delays in the deliveries of products and parts. It has also affected us but to a small extent. Here, our skilled employees should be praised for good planning and follow-up. We are also thankful for everyone who has helped us during this period of turbulence in the financial markets. Many start-ups have a very difficult time raising capital in today’s market. We are very pleased to have a strong board of directors and predictable, long-term investors cheering us on. We are proud to have just finished raising capital of NOK 40 million without the help of financial brokerage. This both shows great trust from our owners and demonstrates that we are a strong organization worthy of that trust.

HOWEVER, there’s one group we really are dependent on: our employees. Without them, SoilSteam would be nothing. Our employees are the heart and lungs of our company. In a startup, you must be able to put on several hats and go the extra mile every time it’s needed. All the employees take on everything they are asked to and are willing to go above and beyond. You, the heart of the Soil Steam family, are the reason why SoilSteam will have a role in taking care of the world’s topsoil. Thank you so much! You guys are making a difference. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Let us hope for peace in the world next year and for soil to be high on the agenda.

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