From Waste to Wealth: Reviving Europe’s Soils with Circular Innovation

What if the key to saving Europe’s endangered soils lies in turning biowaste into a resource? In dialogue with farmers, policy makers, and other stakeholders, the bioSOILUTIONS Living Labs have already gathered key insights on needs and expectations regarding circular soil improvers.

Across Europe, the ground beneath our feet is quietly deteriorating—over 60% of soils are now considered unhealthy. According to the European Commission, erosion, pollution, and the loss of organic matter and biodiversity threaten not just crops, but the ecosystems and economies they support.

In response, the EU has introduced key initiatives such as the EU Soil Health Law and the Mission Soil programme, which aim to ensure that all soils are healthy by 2050. Alongside these, the Clean Industrial Deal reaffirms circularity as a core focus of the European Union.

The bioSOILUTIONS project bridges these policy streams by co-developing bio-based circular soil improvers that regenerate soil and respond to the practical needs of farmers. These products offer a promising alternative to conventional fertilisers by closing nutrient loops and restoring and enhancing soil vitality.

To drive this work forward, Living Labs have been established in the regions of Valencia and Murcia (Spain) and Flanders (Belgium). These Living Labs convene multiple times a year and bring together farmers, soil improver developers, researchers, and policymakers. They provide a space for ongoing dialogue, hands-on testing, and collaborative innovation already during the product design phase—laying the groundwork for solutions that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and aligned with EU soil and circular economy goals.

While each Living Lab operates within its own distinct agricultural setting, shared perspectives are emerging that shed light on the broader landscape of circular soil improver adoption. Stakeholders across all sites show an openness to using these bi-based products—so long as their effectiveness is proven in practice.

Circular soil improvers should be compatible with existing farming systems, including farming approaches, machinery and crop rotation schedules. Considering the context-specifics of soil structure and health, the composition of the soil improvers should also be adapted to local circumstances.

From an economic standpoint, cost-effectiveness and affordability remain key barriers. While there is market demand for circular soil improvers, uptake is limited due to financial constraints and perceived risk.

Farmers and stakeholders have also voiced concerns regarding a lack of clarity in current regulations on circular soil improvers and have noted that current European legislations present challenges regarding the uptake of circular soil improvers.

Ethical considerations have also emerged, particularly in relation to using animal blood as a feedstock for the circular soil improvers. Stakeholders have raised concerns about the acceptability of such inputs in food systems and potential negative reactions of end-consumers. This highlights the need to build trust in circular soil improvers over time. Including relevant stakeholders in the design and development process of circular soil improvers, as is being done in the bioSOILUTIONS Living Labs, can be one of the key ways to achieving that.

During the upcoming project phase, the developed soil improver prototypes will be field validated by farmers in all three Living Lab locations, providing additional direct feedback to the developers on the usability and effectiveness of the products.

Discover how bioSOILUTIONS is turning biowaste into sustainable soil improvers — from lab to market. Stay informed and be part of the journey by following the project on LinkedIn!

For further questions, please contact Livia El-Khawad.