What is the difference between different types of fertilizers? Do you classify your product as a fertilizer?
Basically, there are two categories for classifying agricultural aids: fertilizers and pesticides (also known as plant protection products). Whether chemical or organic, every product must be classified into one of the two main categories. This has consequences for the products’ claimed effects: A product in the fertilizer category may not claim any direct effects from the pesticide category – and vice versa.
Pesticides are also subject to strict storage and trading regulations. Within the fertilizer category, in which we have registered our products in all countries where we are active, there are – depending on the country – a whole range of subcategories: mineral, organic, complete fertilizers, plant strengtheners, adjuvants, etc.
In addition, in a few countries, there is also the category of biostimulants. This category also exists at the EU level according to the “new” (2019) EU Fertilizer Regulation. According to the definition set out therein, our products would fit into this category like almost no other product on the market – apart from the fact that biostimulants, in the true sense of the term, have stimulating effects on plants, both in terms of plant growth and yield and in terms of the systemic resilience of plants against diseases and pathogens – and thus, in terms of their indirect effects, they actually fall somewhere between the two categories of fertilizers and pesticides.
However, due to the strong lobbying of the major players who dominate the market and thus define the market, this EU regulation also requires that biostimulants can only claim effects in the fertilizer sector.
We have to approve our products according to national regulations in the individual countries. In the EU, the general rule of mutual recognition of an approval in an EU country applies – unfortunately, this is not implemented in all countries in the fertilizer sector.
Is your product intended for degraded soil? Or can it also be used on healthy soil?
Our products are soil, plant health and growth enhancers. We want to make it clear that these are products that stimulate both the soil and the plants growing on it, in a variety of ways. And, of course, this happens on or in healthy soil as well as in degraded soil. Our products can be used in any type of agriculture, conventional, organic, or regenerative.
Of course, they have different or varying degrees of effect depending on the soil or soil quality on which they are used. But they work everywhere. The most astonishing effects, however, are seen when used on the poorest soils: in Africa, we see increases in yields of various crops of 50 to 400%! This is because the soils there are consistently in a deplorable state.
Can you describe the process of regenerating degraded soils and how long such a process takes?
Here, we need to differentiate a little regarding the definition of degraded soils.
Firstly, we are talking about agricultural land that has been degraded for a variety of reasons and to varying degrees. These are generally soils where the microbiome has been destroyed by the excessive use of agrochemicals and therefore no longer functions or functions inadequately.
This results in the consequences for the plants mentioned above. But the soil structure also changes: the soils harden, dry out, become impermeable, no longer retain moisture, erode, and biodiversity declines drastically. Of course, there are other causes for this, too, such as soil compaction due to the use of machinery, deforestation and subsequent erosion, and much more.
Many soils are also simply contaminated by the excessive use of agrochemicals, and this eventually seeps into the groundwater. By using our products, this can be changed and healed: the microbiome is reactivated and begins to interact again in symbiosis with the soil and the plants growing on it. This not only stimulates the plants, but also changes the soil itself. It changes its structure, becomes porous again, allows water to permeate and can store it. CO2 from the air is captured and stored in the soil as humus, and nitrates are also bound in the soil. Biodiversity increases. Organic pollutants (from agrochemicals) are broken down.
This doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time, depending on the degree of degradation of the soil in question. However, the development can be tracked quite quickly and, above all, is quickly visible on the plants.
Furthermore, degraded soils also include industrially contaminated sites that are organically (e.g., with mineral oils) or inorganically (usually with so-called heavy metals), or even both. If the contaminants are “only” organic, we can use our bioleaching technology – InnoBioTech® – to remove them in-situ, i.e., on-site in their “built-in” state. Depending on the type and severity of the contamination, the bacteria need a few weeks to do this, or in the worst case, 1-2 years or more. However, if the contaminants are inorganic, the contaminated soil usually has to be dredged and treated with bacteria on a secure site, either in a heap or in a tank. This is because the bacteria do not remove the heavy metals, but dissolve them. And they would then enter the groundwater in-situ. This also takes varying amounts of time, but in most cases, we are talking only weeks.
Which part of the process for obtaining the “EU Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)” was the most challenging for you, and what practical benefits did this award bring you?
“Challenging” is certainly the wrong word. We applied for this certification; it was advertised at the time by EIT RawMaterials, an arm of the EIT – European Institute for Innovation and Technology. And we were fortunate enough to be selected. The next step was to convince the responsible laboratory or certification body of our process… but then it was quite straightforward and quick.
The ETV award wasn’t given out often. In our category, we were one of perhaps only 15 companies in the EU to receive this certificate – and we are very happy and grateful for that. This certificate is like a seal of quality for our technology and the products based on it. It makes us unique and builds trust with customers and partners. And in many cases, it has already helped us overcome one or another hurdle, be it with approvals, registrations or project applications.
