Bio-solution · CR02 · Carbon removal
Biochar as a composting and manure additive, a feed additive and a low-cost sorbent for water and soil treatment — instead of coal-based activated carbon, chemical odour and ammonia binders, and part of clay toxin binders
Replaces
Coal- or fossil-based activated carbon for low-demanding sorption duties; chemical odour/ammonia control in litter and compost; part of the clay binders used in feed
Coal- or fossil-based activated carbon for low-demanding sorption duties; chemical odour/ammonia control in litter and compost; part of the clay binders used in feed
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Scope
Co-composting with poultry litter and manure; litter and slurry additive; feed additive (where legal); sorbent for wastewater polishing and contaminated-soil immobilization
Co-composting with poultry litter and manure; litter and slurry additive; feed additive (where legal); sorbent for wastewater polishing and contaminated-soil immobilization
Suppliers 4
| OR Recycling Park | Israel | active |
| Red Diamond Compost | Barbados | active |
| Green Lagoon Technology Sdn Bhd | Malaysia | active |
| Pascal Biotech Sdn Bhd | Malaysia | active |
Route into Russia / EAEU AGROCHEM
- Regulator
- Ministry of Agriculture (Minselkhoz)
- Typical time
- about 1-2 years incl. registration trials
- Legal basis
- Federal Law 109-FZ; Minselkhoz Order No. 327 (13.05.2025): application, registration trials, expert assessment, entry in the State Register
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product.
Proof 6 claims
Old process
Use of coal-based activated carbon for sorption, and conventional chemical binders or untreated manure management practices.
Use of coal-based activated carbon for sorption, and conventional chemical binders or untreated manure management practices.
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New practice
Use of biochar as an amendment in composting, manure storage, and wastewater treatment to reduce ammonia, odors, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Use of biochar as an amendment in composting, manure storage, and wastewater treatment to reduce ammonia, odors, and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Displaced at scale?
- no
- Caveats
- While biochar shows promise in research for manure management and wastewater treatment, there is no quantitative evidence of it displacing conventional coal-based activated carbon or chemical binders at a commercial scale. Most applications remain at the pilot or experimental stage.
- checked
- 2026-10-06
| A comparative analysis of a biochar-based reactive filtration system versus a coal-based activated carbon system in a wastewater treatment pilot showed that the biochar-based system had significantly lower environmental impacts, including a 99% reduction in global warming impact when the biochar was subsequently used as a soil amendment. “The comparative analysis results for 1-m3water treated are shown in Table2, demonstrating that the global warming impact may be reduced by almost 99% if biochar is added in the system and then used as a land application soil amendment.” USA · 2023 · pilot or niche | peer-reviewed ✓ onlinelibrary.wiley.com |
| Pilot-scale testing of non-activated biochar for swine manure treatment demonstrated ammonia emission reductions of 12.7–22.6% compared to control groups. “Significant reductions in emissions were observed for NH3 (12.7–22.6% reduction as compared to the control).” USA · 2017 · pilot or niche | peer-reviewed ✓ mdpi.com |
| In a study of pig slurry storage, a biochar-based mat treatment reduced ammonia emissions by an average of 32% compared to the control. “NH3 emissions were reduced by an average of 32% compared to the control, with a minimum reduction of 11% in the winter period and a maximum of 56% in the summer period.” Italy · 2023 · pilot or niche | weak (company, news, market research, other) ✓ charrimedio.crpa.it |
| Laboratory-scale testing of rice husk biochar in dairy bedding reduced ammonia emissions by 27% and 43% at 5% and 10% application rates, respectively. “Biochar application led to NH3 emission reductions of 27% and 43% and DMS emission reductions of 53% and 75% at 5% and 10% addition levels, respectively, with the most significant reductions observed within the first two weeks.” global · 2025 · pilot or niche | peer-reviewed mdpi.com |
| Global biochar production reached an estimated 520,810 metric tonnes in 2025, up from 180,150 metric tonnes in 2023. “Global biochar production reached an estimated 520,810 metric tonnes (mt) in 2025, up from 180,150 mt in 2023 — a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 70% 1.” global · 2023-2025 · not applicable | weak (company, news, market research, other) ✓ biochar-international.org |
| In the US, a 1% market penetration of the livestock manure management sector would require approximately 1.4 million tons of biochar annually. “Using a 1% market penetration and a 10% application rate by weight, there would be a need for 1.4M tons of biochar annually.” USA · 2023 · pilot or niche | weak (company, news, market research, other) ✓ www.metzlerforestproducts.com |
Details
Replaces (partial): coal-based activated carbon, chemical binders, some clay binders · Scope: compost, livestock, water · Evidence: medium–high (composting), medium (sorption), low–medium (feed)
The chemical problem#
- Composting and manure storage lose nitrogen as ammonia and N₂O (see LE02, NU03).
- Low-demanding sorption duties (odour, colour, residual organics) often use activated carbon made from coal.
- Feed mills use clay binders against mycotoxins (FD04), with limited range.
Product overview#
- Co-composting additive — 5–20 % biochar in compost piles with poultry litter or manure.
- Litter and slurry additive — reduces ammonia and odour in barns.
- Feed additive — small doses (around 1 % of diet) studied for gut health, toxin binding and emissions; authorization differs by country.
- Sorbent — for wastewater polishing, stormwater filters and immobilizing metals or organics in contaminated soil (RM02).
Active ingredient / Composition#
- High-surface-area biochar (often activated or produced at higher temperature for sorption); food/feed grade requires certified clean feedstock and contaminant testing.
Key facts#
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Composting | Adding biochar to composting poultry litter increased nitrogen retention and lowered greenhouse-gas emissions in trials |
| Feed | Reviews report mixed but often positive effects on weight gain, feed efficiency and toxin binding; evidence quality varies |
| Sorption | Effective for many metals and organic contaminants; performance depends on biochar type and contaminant |
| Regulation | Feed use needs feed-material or feed-additive status (e.g. EU feed-material catalogue entry for plant charcoal); sorbents follow water-treatment rules |
Advantages#
- Same product as CR01, with higher-value outlets.
- Lowers nitrogen losses and odour at the source.
- Renewable, lower-footprint alternative to coal-based carbon for many duties.
- The carbon still ends up in soil when compost or manure is applied — removal value is kept.
Mode of action#
- Porous surface adsorbs ammonia, odour compounds and organic molecules; surface functional groups bind metals.
- In compost, biochar improves aeration and moisture, shifting microbial processes and lowering N₂O formation.
- In the gut, adsorption of toxins and changes in microbial fermentation are proposed mechanisms.
Application#
| Situation | Target | Method, timing and specifics |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry-litter or manure composting | N retention, emissions | 5–20 % biochar mixed at pile set-up |
| Barns | Ammonia, odour | Biochar in litter or slurry (with LE02 measures) |
| Feed mills (where authorized) | Gut health, toxin binding | Certified feed-grade biochar at low inclusion; test against the specific toxin |
| Effluent polishing, contaminated soil | Sorption | Biochar filters or soil amendment, chosen per contaminant |
Limitations#
- Feed use: authorization status varies, and quality control of feedstock and contaminants is essential.
- Sorption is contaminant-specific; high-performance activated carbon is still needed for demanding duties.
- Effects in compost and manure vary with dose and system.
Evidence of displacement — D1: works, adoption not proven#
Verified figures (the number is in the quoted sentence and the sentence is on the source page):
- performance — A comparative analysis of a biochar-based reactive filtration system versus a coal-based activated carbon system in a wastewater treatment pilot showed that the biochar-based system had significantly lower environmental impacts, including a 99% reduction in global warming impact when the biochar was subsequently used as a soil amendment. (USA, 2023; peer-reviewed: onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- performance — Pilot-scale testing of non-activated biochar for swine manure treatment demonstrated ammonia emission reductions of 12.7–22.6% compared to control groups. (USA, 2017; peer-reviewed: mdpi.com)
- performance — In a study of pig slurry storage, a biochar-based mat treatment reduced ammonia emissions by an average of 32% compared to the control. (Italy, 2023; weak: charrimedio.crpa.it)
- performance — Global biochar production reached an estimated 520,810 metric tonnes in 2025, up from 180,150 metric tonnes in 2023. (global, 2023-2025; weak: biochar-international.org)
Suppliers — real products and services (from the vendor index)#
Active vendors whose own card shows biochar for compost, growing media, sorbent or carrier uses.
| Company | Region · Country | What the index shows | Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| OR Recycling Park | Africa/ME · Israel | Earth Biochar (biochar and activated carbon); biochar-based growing media; sludge compost | card |
| Red Diamond Compost | LatAm · Barbados | compost, worm castings and biochar products | card |
| Green Lagoon Technology Sdn Bhd | Asia · Malaysia | biochar among products made from solid waste (with partners) | card |
| Pascal Biotech Sdn Bhd | Asia · Malaysia | biocontrol product using vermiculite and biochar carriers | card |
Honest finding: no card shows a feed-grade biochar product or a biochar sorbent sold for water treatment. Those uses depend on authorized, certified grades that this index does not yet hold.
Government funding signals#
Scanned 2026-10-02 (OpenAIRE + NSF + USDA); candidates reviewed by hand.
Signal: Moderate. Czech TA ČR TH02030925 (effect of biochar addition on compost properties), FWF I 3133 / GA ČR GF17-33820L (biochar and fungicides in soil) and the NWO “BIOCHAR” project (CE.02.012); the 2018 USDA-NIFA project on biochar in anaerobic digestion, livestock odour control and phosphorus capture (20181000828616, $1.47 M) is the closest US match.
Scientific evidence#
- Agyarko-Mintah E, Cowie A, Singh BP, et al. (2017). Biochar increases nitrogen retention and lowers greenhouse gas emissions when added to composting poultry litter. Waste Management 61: 138–149.
- Schmidt HP, Hagemann N, Draper K, Kammann C (2019). The use of biochar in animal feeding. PeerJ 7: e7373.
- Ahmad M, Rajapaksha AU, Lim JE, et al. (2014). Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review. Chemosphere 99: 19–33.
Bioeconomy value#
These higher-value outlets improve the economics of every biochar plant in CR01, and they connect to the feed, livestock emissions and remediation rubrics.
Cross-links: CR01 biochar; LE02 manure; NU03 compost; FD04 mycotoxins; RM02 remediation.