Veolia introduce Pro-Grow Rockdust
Innovative new quarry waste product for plant growers absorbs carbon dioxide and boosts soil health
NEXT week, global resource-management company Veolia will be launching a new natural rock dust product that will boost soil health and help counter climate change by capturing inorganic carbon dioxide.
The new product, called Pro-Grow Rockdust, has been selected to meet the diverse needs of every plant grower – from the window box and patio tub gardener, to allotment holders, community gardeners and schools, to commercial growers, local authorities and landscape gardeners – and provides an organically approved way to increase healthy plant growth and accelerate natural composting processes.
The new product comes from a little used by-product of the quarrying industry and is based on basic silicate rocks that have been scientifically shown to capture up to 25% of their weight in carbon dioxide when integrated with soil and compost. With an overall carbon footprint of significantly less carbon than other fertilizer and soil improver products, Veolia say it is currently the only one to permanently capture the carbon.
It does this by using the enhanced rock weathering process that takes carbon from the unstable biological cycle, and moves this into the stable geological cycle, a process which has been verified by Newcastle University who review the independent scientific analysis of Pro-Grow's supplies on a regular basis.
Users to date have found that the Rockdust improves soil health and organic growing, as it contains all the recognized macro and micro minerals, and trace elements, required for healthy soil. This also boosts the life in the soil, from bacteria to worms and supports the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that also capture organic carbon as they grow.
Donald Macphail, chief operating officer - treatment at Veolia, commented: ‘Thanks to Veolia's innovative strength and in line with the objectives of [the company’s] GreenUp plan, Veolia's launch of Pro-Grow Rockdust provides an ideal opportunity for gardeners and horticulturists to improve their soil health through the use of this natural material that boosts biological processes.
‘Not only will it encourage healthier plant growth, but it will also enable all gardeners to accelerate the decarbonization of their practices and contribute to countering climate change by removing carbon dioxide. This is another example of how Veolia are taking action, with their GreenUp plan, to regenerate resources and accelerate decarbonization in order to achieve ecological transformation at every scale.’
