Study Shows Hemp Can Be Used for Both Soil Cleanup and Textile Production

According to the latest report from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources on soil pollution levels, land in 31 settlements across the country is classified as hazardous or moderately hazardous. The main issue is the high concentration of heavy metals (such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, and others) in the soil, which have accumulated due to industrial activity.

The danger of these metals in the soil lies in the risk of them entering the human body through food—either vegetables grown in contaminated soil or meat from animals fed with polluted feed. In addition, heavy metals are a source of secondary air pollution near the ground. As a result, living in areas contaminated with heavy metals is harmful, and producing safe food there is extremely difficult.

This problem is relevant in other countries as well, and in some cases, it is even more acute—few nations have vast expanses of land to spare. Therefore, finding solutions for soil cleanup has always been important. One such solution is phytoremediation using hemp—planting industrial hemp varieties on contaminated land. The idea is that hemp grows quickly, so it can help clean the soil relatively fast (depending on the level of contamination).

Unfortunately, this practice has not been widely adopted, largely because it was unclear how to use the harvested hemp afterward (simply discarding it would not be economically viable). However, researchers from Ghent University recently published a study showing that at least one use for such hemp does exist.

To prove this, the scientists grew hemp on a plot located 500 meters from the Metaleurop Nord metallurgical plant in northern France. This site was chosen because it is considered one of the most heavily contaminated areas with heavy metals in Europe. The results showed that for two varieties—USO 31 and Bialobrezskie—the concentrations of lead and cadmium in the fibers were 0.59 mg/kg and 1.6 mg/kg, respectively. According to the researchers, these levels are acceptable for use in the textile industry.

Therefore, it makes sense for Russian hemp growers and metallurgists to form mutually beneficial partnerships—the former gain a source of raw material, while the latter can not only reduce their carbon footprint but also help restore the soil.