Our Dirty Legacy #charcoal
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ROBERT W GILLETT
One obstacle to growing the biochar industry is the polluting and ecological damage rightly attributed to charcoal production. Higher standards are not enough by themselves. Monitoring and sanctions are necessary to maintain these standards. A new study using 3-D reflected light microscopy to identify origins of charcoal imported to Europe shows that the charcoal industry still needs to clean up their act. We need not only to differentiate biochar from charcoal, but also to effectuate and maintain an entirely cleaner and more sustainability-conscious culture and image. Biochar companies who merge with or rely on the charcoal industry supply chain should be wary of what they are getting and transparent in their product labeling.
Robert Gillett
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Frank Strie
Hello Robert Gillett and all, Example from South Africa: https://lesedins.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sod-Turning-Presentation_-2.pdf Example from Europe: http://www.biochar-industry.com/news BioChar goes REACH 11.08.2020 “A cooperation of REACHECK Solutions, the Leading Registrant of Charcoal, and EBI has brought a breakthrough for BioChar in Europe.
Regenerative Agriculture, Restorative Forest Management, Circular Bioeconomy, Education, Training, Design, Manufacturing and Logistics go together even with recreation. Brand Certification is included in all these as well. www.terrapretadevelopments.com.au
From: main@Biochar.groups.io <main@Biochar.groups.io> On Behalf Of ROBERT W GILLETT
Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 7:11 AM To: main@Biochar.groups.io Subject: [Biochar] Our Dirty Legacy
One obstacle to growing the biochar industry is the polluting and ecological damage rightly attributed to charcoal production. Higher standards are not enough by themselves. Monitoring and sanctions are necessary to maintain these standards. A new study using 3-D reflected light microscopy to identify origins of charcoal imported to Europe shows that the charcoal industry still needs to clean up their act. We need not only to differentiate biochar from charcoal, but also to effectuate and maintain an entirely cleaner and more sustainability-conscious culture and image. Biochar companies who merge with or rely on the charcoal industry supply chain should be wary of what they are getting and transparent in their product labeling.
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ROBERT W GILLETT
Frank,
Interesting that the registration of biochar in Europe now falls to the same outfit that registers charcoal. Given that the Nature article I cited and the study that it was based on covered the European charcoal industry, this is especially disconcerting. I wonder if this presages a takeover of the fledgling biochar industry by Big Charcoal. Robert
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ROBERT W GILLETT
Hi Frank,
To retain the original points I made in our conversation, I reverted to the original topic and copied your most recent response below. Thank-you for pointing out the EBC criteria. I found relevant aspects in paragraph 2.4: "If the climate neutrality of a forest is not ensured by the official LULUCF reports of the EU member states or by regional legislation, proof can also be provided by Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Otherwise, the forest wood is not accepted as biomass input for the production of EBC certified biochar. Accordingly, no EBC C-sink potential of biochar produced from that biomass can be certified." I heartily endorse this certification and your view on holistic management. Yet, the reality is, according to the report in Nature that many charcoal suppliers are sourcing feedstock from tropical and sub-tropical forests which makes their sustainability much more suspect and the majority of those in Belgium, Spain, Poland, and Italy do not have a sustainability certification. While that does not implicate the entire charcoal industry, it is bad PR and biochar producers are probably lumped together in the public mind with this dirty business. Hence, lending even more importance (than simply fitness-for-use) to differentiating biochar from charcoal and having the certification to back up claims of holistic environmental stewardship. Best, Robert Frank Strie Sep 22 #28266
Robert,
Holistic Decision Making and Policy Development Explained simply in less than 10 minutes! Be the change you want to see in the world.
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Kathleen Draper
Hello all -
I asked Harold Bier, Head of Office for the European Biochar Initiative to join this group and respond to this thread to provide context around why this was done. It might take a day or two but I think it is important to understand the rationale here. Cheers Kathleen
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Frank Strie
A very good move Kathleen, thank you.
From: main@Biochar.groups.io <main@Biochar.groups.io> On Behalf Of Kathleen Draper
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 1:11 AM To: main@Biochar.groups.io Subject: Re: [Biochar] Our Dirty Legacy
Hello all -
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Kevin Chisholm
Hi Robert
It has been said that “Every Biochar is different”. That would imply that “Biochar X” is beneficial to “Soil condition #1”, while “Biochar Y” would be beneficial to “Soil Condition 2”
Is there a way to differentiate the various properties of charcoal, so that they could be categorized as a “Type 1 Biochar”, a “Type 2 biochar”, etc, and then to connect them with “Soil Conditions where they would give the Grower best results”?
With such a “Categorization” “charcoal” would not be Biochar” until it was such designated. Thanks!
Kevin
From: main@Biochar.groups.io <main@Biochar.groups.io> On Behalf Of ROBERT W GILLETT
Sent: September 22, 2020 6:11 PM To: main@Biochar.groups.io Subject: [Biochar] Our Dirty Legacy
One obstacle to growing the biochar industry is the polluting and ecological damage rightly attributed to charcoal production. Higher standards are not enough by themselves. Monitoring and sanctions are necessary to maintain these standards. A new study using 3-D reflected light microscopy to identify origins of charcoal imported to Europe shows that the charcoal industry still needs to clean up their act. We need not only to differentiate biochar from charcoal, but also to effectuate and maintain an entirely cleaner and more sustainability-conscious culture and image. Biochar companies who merge with or rely on the charcoal industry supply chain should be wary of what they are getting and transparent in their product labeling.
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ROBERT W GILLETT
Kevin,
If a legacy charcoal company markets any of their product as biochar, they should be subjected to close scrutiny for the kinds of behaviors exposed in this breaking analysis of several European charcoal companies. 3-D reflected light microscopy may be the best way. They should also be FSC certified or equal. Meanwhile, the biochar industry should be aware of the environmentally detrimental baggage that accompanies any association (real or perceived) with the charcoal industry. Best, Robert
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Tom Miles
If you look at the 850,000 tons of barbecue charcoal traded in the US you will find different supply chains than Europe. There may be some similarities in the area of imported lump charcoal. We have many sources of imported carbonized materials.
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The major charcoal producers are well aware of the differences between charcoal and biochar. They have been in contact but Not engaged in Biochar markets until the last few years when briquette markets have declined and biochar markets have improved. There has also been consolidation in charcoal production in the last few years, especially in Missouri and Texas. T R Miles Technical Consultants Inc. tmiles@... Sent from mobile.
On Sep 24, 2020, at 7:05 AM, ROBERT W GILLETT <themarvalus.wabio@...> wrote:
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