Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy
Soil is a non-renewable natural resource. However, the current rates of soil usage and degradation have led to a loss of soil for agriculture, habitats, biodiversity, and to ecosystems problems. Urban and former industrial areas suffer particularly of these problems, and compensation measures to res...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/8/3432 |
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| author | Debora Fabbri Romeo Pizzol Paola Calza Mery Malandrino Elisa Gaggero Elio Padoan Franco Ajmone-Marsan |
| author_facet | Debora Fabbri Romeo Pizzol Paola Calza Mery Malandrino Elisa Gaggero Elio Padoan Franco Ajmone-Marsan |
| author_sort | Debora Fabbri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil is a non-renewable natural resource. However, the current rates of soil usage and degradation have led to a loss of soil for agriculture, habitats, biodiversity, and to ecosystems problems. Urban and former industrial areas suffer particularly of these problems, and compensation measures to restore environmental quality include the renaturation of dismissed areas, de-sealing of surfaces, or the building of green infrastructures. In this framework, the development of methodologies for the creation of soils designed to mimic natural soil and suitable for vegetation growth, known as constructed soils or technosols, are here reviewed. The possible design choices and the starting materials have been described, using a circular economy approach, i.e., preferring non-contaminated wastes to non-renewable resources. Technosols appear to be a good solution to the problems of land degradation and urban green if using recycled wastes or by-products, as they can be an alternative to the remediation of contaminated sites and to importing fertile agricultural soil. Nevertheless, waste use requires analysis to ensure the salubrity of the starting materials. Moreover, materials produced on site or nearby minimize the cost and the environmental impact of transport, thus the involvement of local stakeholders in the urban land management must be encouraged. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:25:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7962ea9b2acc4a52a8fbb3be951ae305 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:25:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-7962ea9b2acc4a52a8fbb3be951ae3052023-11-21T15:08:07ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-04-01118343210.3390/app11083432Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular EconomyDebora Fabbri0Romeo Pizzol1Paola Calza2Mery Malandrino3Elisa Gaggero4Elio Padoan5Franco Ajmone-Marsan6Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Turin, via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, ItalySoil is a non-renewable natural resource. However, the current rates of soil usage and degradation have led to a loss of soil for agriculture, habitats, biodiversity, and to ecosystems problems. Urban and former industrial areas suffer particularly of these problems, and compensation measures to restore environmental quality include the renaturation of dismissed areas, de-sealing of surfaces, or the building of green infrastructures. In this framework, the development of methodologies for the creation of soils designed to mimic natural soil and suitable for vegetation growth, known as constructed soils or technosols, are here reviewed. The possible design choices and the starting materials have been described, using a circular economy approach, i.e., preferring non-contaminated wastes to non-renewable resources. Technosols appear to be a good solution to the problems of land degradation and urban green if using recycled wastes or by-products, as they can be an alternative to the remediation of contaminated sites and to importing fertile agricultural soil. Nevertheless, waste use requires analysis to ensure the salubrity of the starting materials. Moreover, materials produced on site or nearby minimize the cost and the environmental impact of transport, thus the involvement of local stakeholders in the urban land management must be encouraged.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/8/3432constructed soilsland degradationremediationwaste recyclingorganic biowastes |
| spellingShingle | Debora Fabbri Romeo Pizzol Paola Calza Mery Malandrino Elisa Gaggero Elio Padoan Franco Ajmone-Marsan Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy Applied Sciences constructed soils land degradation remediation waste recycling organic biowastes |
| title | Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy |
| title_full | Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy |
| title_fullStr | Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy |
| title_short | Constructed Technosols: A Strategy toward a Circular Economy |
| title_sort | constructed technosols a strategy toward a circular economy |
| topic | constructed soils land degradation remediation waste recycling organic biowastes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/8/3432 |
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