Recycled paper can help stabilize topsoil

A new product made of recycled office paper and absorbant polymers is now being used to restore topsoil damaged by forest fires. The polymers, encased in the paper, bond with positive ions in the soil, forming clumps. These clumps break up the hard surface that can form following a fire and causes water runoff and therefore soil erosion. The product, called Pam 12, also absorbs water, encouraging plants that will stabilize the soil and prevent erosion in the long run. Overall, areas that have been ravaged by fire can recover more quickly and become again a habitat and a carbon sink.

Pam 12 can also be used in lawn products at home. When mixed with soil, the polymers are strongly attracted to each other and attach as if magnetically, creating a net in the ground. This net will help prevent water runoff (so you can water less and conserve water) by helping the soil absorb water better. Luckily, it is environmentally friendly and doesn't wash away.

I think this new technology is a great thing for the environment. It helps us conserve water, and encourages plant growth. It rehabilitates wildfire sites and prevent further disasters in the form of mudslides and flooding. Hopefully it will also slightly lower the world's CO2 emissions.

Check out the original article and video at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0709-growing_greener_lawns.htm




These are some polymers that have soaked up water and inflated.