For Improved Plant Growth, Simply Incorporate Ground Glass

Glass-fragment waste usually ends up in landfills, but that might not always be necessary. A recent study suggests that mixing ground glass particles with soil can create a plant growth medium that outperforms soil on its own.

While larger glass items can be recycled into glass of the same color, small, mixed-color glass fragments are too difficult to efficiently sort for recycling. Consequently, despite ongoing efforts to address this issue, significant amounts of these tiny pieces often end up being discarded.

Investigating Fungus Growth

The likely reason for the faster growth rate is that all pots with 100% soil developed a growth-stunting fungus, which did not appear in any pots containing glass particles. The researchers are currently investigating why this is the case.

Regardless of the reason, if recycled glass can be used commercially in farm soil, it may reduce the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides, which can be problematic.

Chemistry graduate student Andrea Quezada, who presented the team’s findings at the American Chemical Society’s fall meeting, emphasized the importance of minimizing harmful chemical use. “If we can reduce chemical usage and help the community by collecting recyclables, we can improve people’s quality of life,” she said.

The impact of glass particles on factors such as yield and taste will be assessed when the plants are harvested.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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