Clothing waste turned into biochar soil boost

LONDON, ONTARIO — Researchers in Canada are piloting a new way to turn non-resalable clothing into biochar for use as a soil amendment, aiming to cut textile waste and sequester carbon.

The collaboration brings together Western University, its Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR), Fanshawe College and Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes to convert textile donations that cannot be sold in stores into a charcoal-like material that improves soil structure and water retention.