Turn you waste into Biochar and develop other revenue sources

Did you know you can transform your waste into biochar and generate revenue?. Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from organic waste through pyrolysis, not only addresses waste management challenges but also opens up new revenue streams.

We will explore the EBC positive list and see the different types of feedstock that can be used to create biochar. Most of the standards are based on this EBC positive list to specify the eligible feedstock eligible to make biochar. (puro.earth, riverse, global c-sink)

This article is a guide for industrial actors looking to innovate and capitalize on this sustainable venture. Whether you’re in agriculture, forestry, textiles, or another sector, discover how turning waste into biochar can benefit both your company and the environment.

 

Do you know EBC certification classes ?

In this article, some feedstocks must fulfill special requirements according to the intended use of the biochar. These are the EBC Certification classes. Here is a list with their end-use:

  • EBC-FeedPlus: meets all EU and EFTA regulations relevant for animal feeding and agricultural soil applications
  • EBC-Feed: Suitable for animal feeding but not for agricultural soil amendment due to stricter EU fertilizer regulations.
  • EBC-Agro: Compliant with new EU fertilizer product regulations, approved for agricultural use in several EU countries.
  • EBC-AgroOrganic: Meets EU regulations for organic production, with specific national certifications for agricultural applications.
  • EBC-Urban: Designed for urban applications like tree planting and park maintenance, preventing contamination of ground and surface water.
  • EBC-ConsumerMaterials: Intended for products with direct skin contact or food-grade items, ensuring no coal dust is released. 
  • EBC-BasicMaterials: Ensures safe use in basic industries like construction and electronics, not suitable for agriculture or soil applications.

For more information you can read the EBC Guidelines (v.10.3E of 5th April 2023)
Now let’s discover the eligible feedstock to make biochar

1 – Agriculture waste


Biomass from agricultural farms, including both residues and biomass deliberatly cultivated for biochar production.

Agriculture biomass ( sweet beets, sungflower) to make biochar

Annual & Perenial energy crops

Grown specifically for energy or material biomass use.

Wood biomass to make biochar

Woody biomass

From short rotation plantations. The amount of fertilizer used must be declared.

Make biochar with shrub biomass

Tree, vine and shrub pruning

Particular attention to be paid to heavy metals from crop protection spraying

make biochar with harvest residues

Harvest residues

Particular attention to be paid to heavy metals from crop protection spraying.

Make biochar with vegetables biomass

Vegetables

Only residual and waste materials that cannot or can no longer be used as animal feed.

Make biochar with seeds biomass

Seeds

Particular attention to be paid to heavy metals from crop protection spraying

2 – Forestry and wood processing


Natural bark and wood, untreated or mechanically treated, from forestry operations, sawmills or similar operations.

Make biochar with Sawdust

Sawdust, sawdust shavings

Only from certified, sustainable forestry. Approved are the FSC and the PEFC labels, others on request.

Make biochar with wood residues

Wood, wood residues from mechanical processing

(waste wood A1). Only from certified, sustainable forestry. Approved are the FSC and the PEFC labels, others on request

Make biochar with wood chips biomass

Wood chips only from mechanically treated wood

(waste wood A1). Only from certified, sustainable forestry. Approved are the FSC and the PEFC labels, others on request

make biochar with wood bark biomass

Bark

3 – Landscape Management


Residues generated by municipalities, landowners, landscaping contractors, NGOs active in nature conservation

make biochar with foliage

Foliage

No road wiping material. Special measures for checking leaves for contamination can be determined.

Make biochar with roots plants

Root Stocks

The soil content is considered an additive and must not exceed 10% of the DM

make biochar with Landscaping residues​

Landscaping residues

For EBC-Feed: only from defined, well documented sources, road-side biomass and biomass from municipal collection not allowed.

make biochar with biomass from nature

Biomass from nature conservation

For EBC-Feed: only from defined, well documented sources, road-side biomass and biomass from municipal collection not allowed

4 – Textiles

The content of synthetic fibers must not exceed 1% (10% for EBCConsumerMaterial and EBC-BasicMaterials, individual approval needed). For AgroOrganic, the fibers must not be dyed or otherwise chemically treated.

Make biochar with Cellulose

Cellulose

Make biochar with sisal

Sisal

Make biochar with coton

Coton

Make biochar with plant fiber

Plant fiber

Make biochar with hemp fiber

Hemp fiber

You want to know more about biochar ?

5 – Water vegetal

For EBC-Feed: only from aquaculture or dedicated collection of aquatic plants to strictly avoid impurities. Special attention must be taken in regard to contaminated water. Systems with no direct control of water quality need a special permit from CSi and proof of origin.

make biochar with Aquatic plants​

Aquatic plants

Make biochar with algae

algae

6 – Wastewater

Make biochar with wastewater sludge

Sludge from municipal wastewater treatment ("biosolids")

Includes untreated, aerobically stabilized and/or anaerobically digested municipal sewage sludge. Regular analysis of the feedstock (heavy metals, chlorine etc.) may be specified in the operating manual.

Make biochar with sludge

Sludge from other wastewater treatment

Individual approval required upon application to CSi. For this purpose, a dossier must be submitted on the origin and composition of the sludge, as well as any contaminants it contains

7 – Recycling economy

Residual biomass, organic residues and wastes from industrial processes (« defined source ») or from collection/separation by specific recycling companies

Make biochar with waste wood

Waste Wood

Waste wood A1,A2,A3 & A4 are eligible. Conditions depends according the type of waste wood

Make biochar with waste paper

Waste paper

Make biochar with organic waste

Municipal organic waste

Plastic contamination must in total not exceed 10%. More frequent analysis on PCDD/F and heavy metals may be specified in the operating manual if necessary.

Make biochar with industrial biomass

Residues from industrial biomass processing organic waste

Each individual feedstock needs to be evaluated by the EBC, and a special permit issued regulating additives, processing, controlling.

8 – Animal by-products

Pyrolysis conditions must exceed 500 °C for 3 min at minimum to eliminate biological hazards and micropollutants.

EU: If the feedstock is still an animal by-product according to Regulation : it did not already pass an end-point, the pyrolysis unit must be approved as an end point for animal by-products.
Non-EU: National annex to the EBC may define further criteria, otherwise a dossier on national regulation on handling of animal by-products must be provided.

Make biochar with animal bones

Bones

Make biochar with animal manures

Manures

Make biochar with animal by-product

Other animal by-products

9 – Food processing residues on vegetable basis

from food industry and manufactures, food wholesale, supermarkets, convience stores etc.

Make biochar with food residues

Food residues

Molasses residues - Residues from potato, corn or rice starch production - Fruits - Tea & coffee grounds etc.

Make biochar with food process residues

Food process residues

manufacturing canned food residues (only pure vegetable residues) - Material from washing, cleaning, peeling, centrifuging and separation processes

Make biochar with alcohol process residues

Alcohol process residues

Fruit, grain and potato mashes, alcohol distillery residues - Malt spent grains, -germ, and dust from beer production

10 – Anaerobic Digestion

Make biochar with Plant-based digestate

Plant-based digestate

Digestate from anaerobic digestion of deliberatly produced biomass, agricultural residues and/or well-defined, non-contaminated residues from biomass processing

Make biochar with anaerobic digestion

Manure digestate

Pyrolysis conditions must exceed 500 °C for 3 min at minimum to eliminate biological hazards and micropollutants. EU: When manure digestate is still considered an animal by-product, the pyrolysis unit must be approved as an end point for of animal byproducts

Make biochar with Animal by-product

Animal by-product digestate

Pyrolysis conditions must exceed 500 °C for 3 min at minimum to eliminate biological hazards and micropollutants. EU: If the digestate is still considered an animal by-product, the pyrolysis unit must be approved as an end point of animal by-products. Non-EU: National annex to the EBC may define futher criteria, otherwise a dossier on national regulation or the handling of animal by-products must be provided.

Make biochar with digestate from secondary plant biomass

Digestate from secondary plant biomass

Feedstock may contain organic fractions of municipal waste, secondary biomass from public collection places, etc. but must not contain sewage sludge. Contamination of the digestate by plastic must not exceed 1%

To resume : all the feedstocks

 

Infographic with the different eligible feedstocks for creating biochar.

Act now before your competitors

 

Making biochar is an opportunity for your company to become a leader in the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) ecosystem. According to a recent study by BCG, this market is expected to be valued at $500-1000 billion by 2050. If your organization generates any of these compatible waste types, you can transform them into biochar and develop new revenue sources while contributing to environmental sustainability. For more information or to start your biochar project, contact us to explore how we can help you set up your biochar production facility.

 

Generate a new revenue stream with biochar

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