The new product, called Pro-Grow Rockdust, has been selected to meet the diverse needs of every grower from the window box and patio tub gardener, to allotment holders and community gardeners and schools, to commercial growers, local authorities and landscape gardeners, and provides an organically approved way to increase healthy plant growth, and accelerate natural composting processes.
The new product comes from a little used by-product of the quarrying industry and is based on basic silicate rocks that have been scientifically shown to capture up to 25 percent of their weight in carbon dioxide when integrated with soil and compost. With an overall carbon footprint of significantly less carbon than other fertiliser and soil improver products, it is currently the only one to permanently capture the carbon. It does this by using the enhanced rock weathering process that takes carbon from the unstable biological cycle, and moves this into the stable geological cycle, a process which has been verified by Newcastle University who review the independent scientific analysis of Pro-Grow's supplies on a regular basis.
Users to date have found that the Pro-Grow Rockdust improves soil health and organic growing, as it contains all of the recognised macro and micro minerals and trace elements required for healthy soil. This also boosts the life in the soil, from bacteria to worms and supports the Nitrogen fixing bacteria that also capture organic carbon as they grow.
As it does not require the energy and carbon intensive processes needed to produce nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) based plant foods, the new Pro-Grow Rockdust product will help growers by providing a natural solution for improving their soil. The resultant healthier plant growth, by using the rock dust, has also reduced the need for pesticides and herbicides according to reports from leading gardeners. Both the Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers have approved the Pro-Grow Rockdust for use on their certified growing systems.
Being launched at the UK Horticulture Four Oaks Trade Show on September 3-4th , the Pro-Grow Rockdust product will be available in a range of sizes including 500g tubes for window boxes and patio growers, to 10kg bags for gardeners, and 0.5 tonne and 1 tonne bulk bags for professional growers.
This innovation illustrates Veolia's ability to maintain its decarbonisation trajectory. In fact, a few months after the launch of its new strategic GreenUp program, which plans to accelerate its decarbonisation trajectory, Veolia has taken a significant new step in its climate strategy by obtaining the validation of its objectives by the Science Based Targets initiatives (SBTi), the international reference in this field. The SBTi notably praised the Group’s net-zero ambition, which was recognised as the most ambitious among those it tracks.
Furthermore, the international rating agency Moody’s also analysed and recognised the quality of Veolia’s transition plan, awarding the company an overall score of NZ-2 (on a scale of NZ-1 to NZ-5), and praising the ambition and solidity of its short-term implementation. This is based, in particular, on the use of proven technologies by the Group, such as Veolia’s ProGrow Rockdust product.
At the heart of Veolia’s performance model, decarbonisation is a powerful driver and a source of value creation for the Group and its clients in the long term. Veolia thus becomes the first company to obtain double validation of its climate commitments by two leading international organisations.
Donald Macphail, Chief Operating Officer - Treatment, at Veolia, said: "Thanks to Veolia's innovative strength and in line with the objectives of the GreenUp Plan, Veolia's launch of Pro-Grow Rockdust provides an ideal opportunity for gardeners and horticulturists to improve their soil health through the use of this natural material that boosts biological processes. Not only will it encourage healthier plant growth but it will enable all gardeners to accelerate the decarbonisation of their practices and to contribute to countering climate change by removing carbon dioxide.
"This is another example of how Veolia is taking action, with its GreenUp plan, to regenerate resources and accelerate the decarbonisation in order to achieve ecological transformation at every scale."
