Guidelines for Specifications of Biochars for Use in Soils FINAL ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

12and particulate emissions, and the transport of goods. Relevant to local and internationalregulatory compliance, biochar producers should follow the two recommendations listed below:345678910A biochar producer should provide a relevant material safety data sheet (MSDS) for thefinal output of its particular biochar production process. Brief outlines of MSDSdocument creation are available from numerous online sources, including MSDS Search,the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the US Department ofLabor Occupational Health and Safety Administration.Biochar should be tested to address the potential for self-heating and flammabilityduring storage and transportation. Documentation of the results of this testing shouldbe appended to the MSDS.1112131415While the IBI may not require these practices as part of its definition and certification of biocharsince they do not relate directly to product quality, they are important considerations in goodbusiness practice and responsible industrial production. The majority of nations providedetailed guidelines, expectations, and regulations governing the manufacturing sector and willhave relevant information available to industrial operators.1617181920212223244 Biochar Material Test Categories and CharacteristicsAs described in this section, biochar materials shall be characterized according to a defined setof test categories intended to provide increasing levels of physical and chemical propertyreporting. Feedstocks are differentiated into two types: unprocessed and processed, withdifferent test requirements. An optional test category for advanced analysis and soilenhancement properties is also included. Increasing levels of physical and chemical propertytesting and reporting do not correspond to increasing levels of biochar performance; rather, thecategorization structure is designed to:25262728293031Provide a uniform presentation format by which a biochar user would be able to fairlycompare and assess the reported properties of different biochar materials.Provide a set of required tests for basic biochar utility and an optional set of additionaltests for measuring advanced analysis and soil enhancement properties.Require toxin reporting appropriate to the potential risks associated with bothunprocessed and processed feedstocks. Additional tests are required to attain qualityassurance for processed feedstocks, which carry a higher potential risk of contamination.32333435Each test category was developed according to an assessment of the relevant parameters forbiochar qualities, characteristics, and safety, balanced against cost and accessibility.These Biochar Guidelines identify four categories of tests for biochar materials. All biocharsmust be tested for Category A and Category B characteristics; only biochars made fromInternational Biochar Initiative – Guidelines for Specifications of Biochars for Use in Soils 10
1234567891011121314151617181920212223processed feedstocks must be tested for Category C characteristics. All tests in Category D areoptional. The four categories of tests are:Test Category A – Basic Utility Properties: Required for all biochars. This set of testsmeasures the most basic parameters required to assess the utility of a biochar materialfor use in soil.Test Category B – Basic Toxin Reporting: Required for all biochars. This series of testsanalyzes potential toxins that are not feedstock-dependent that can be produced duringthe production of biochar, including: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), dioxin,and furan. Tests for vegetative and invertebrate vigor are also required under TestCategory B.Test Category C – Supplemental Toxin Reporting for Processed Feedstocks: Required forall processed feedstocks. This category tests for additional toxins and elements thatmay be found in processed feedstocks, including heavy metals, other metals, andpolychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). All processed feedstocks must meet category A, B,and C test requirements.Test Category D – Advanced Analysis and Soil Enhancement Properties: Optional for allbiochars. Biochar may be tested for advanced analysis and enhancement properties inaddition to meeting test requirements for Category A, B, and C, depending on thefeedstock type. All tests in Test Category D are optional. Producers may report on all,some, or none.Further details on each of the test categories are provided in the following subsections. Anillustration of the interrelationships between the test categories for both unprocessed andprocessed feedstocks is given in Figure 1, below.International Biochar Initiative – Guidelines for Specifications of Biochars for Use in Soils 11
Page 1 and 2: 1234567Guidelines for Specification
Page 3 and 4: 123456789101112IBI relied upon the
Page 5 and 6: 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Page 7 and 8: 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Page 9: 1234567891011Residence Time: The ti
Page 13 and 14: 12Table 1: Test Category A Characte
Page 15 and 16: 1234Table 3: Test Category C Charac
Page 17 and 18: 12345678910111213145 Product Labeli
Page 19 and 20: 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Page 21 and 22: 123456VanZwieten, L., Kimber, S., M
Page 23 and 24: SUPPLEMENTAL TOXIN ASSESSMENT:Polyc
Page 25 and 26: 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Page 27 and 28: 123456789101112Appendix 3 - Regulat
Page 29 and 30: 123456789101112131415161718192021Ap
Page 31 and 32: 12345678910111213Appendix 5 - The U
Page 33 and 34: 12345678910111213141516171819202122
Page 35 and 36: 12USDA - United States Department o
Page 37: 12345678910111213Producer and/or Ma

Guidelines for Specifications of Biochars for Use in Soils FINAL ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?