Current Leading Substrates
Growing substrates are a major burden on our planet and contribute to many of the issues we experience in today’s environment. As the global population is perpetually expanding, demand for leading substrates concurrently increases, placing even greater strain on the environment.
Peat Moss
Peatlands are a type of wetland that are critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, minimizing flood risk, and ensuring safe drinking water.
- Peat is the largest consumed growing medium product in the world, responsible for 70% of product mined, transported, consumed, and disposed of each year.
- Degradation and overexploitation of peatland landscapes release huge quantities of greenhouse gasses.
- Globally, peat moss is a target by environmental protest groups and is being banned in many countries including parts of the EU by 2030.
- Avoided carbon emissions start at 55 tonnes CO2e/ha/yr for the first 20 years, and then 20 tonnes of CO2e/ha/yr after that.
- Peat soils contain more than 600 gigatonnes of carbon which represents up to 44% of all soil carbon. Areas of near-natural peatland (over 3 million km2) sequester 370 tonnes of CO2e per year.
Peatlands are a significant nature-based solution to combat climate change and achieve other sustainable development goals.
Super Peat, Hero or Villain?
Carbon Store
Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store.They store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined.
Carbon Emitter
Drained peatlands and degrading activities are estimated to release 1.9 gigatons of CO2e annually. This accounts for 5% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
Stone Wool
Stone wool is potentially worse for the environment and users than peat.
It is manufactured at over 2,000℃ through a process that heavily pollutes the environment and areas surrounding the manufacturing plants. Health concerns are relevant for those handling the product.
This product is a one-use-only product and does not break down in landfills, polluting the earth even further through its disposal.
Recycling options are also polluting, taking a product that is already bad for the environment and making it even worse.
www.toxicrockwool.com/pages/planned-toxic-emissions for more information
Coconut Coir
Manufacturing is destructive to the environment, as well as harmful to the people working in the manufacturing plants. The physical nature of coconut coir is inconsistent, will degrade with time and may contain salt and chemical residues from the manufacturing process.
Biochar
Recently, biochar has been hailed as a product that can significantly combat climate change while being used as a growing media supplement.
Although biochar is a good tool to fight climate change, at best, some biochars can be used to reduce the use of other growing mediums like peat moss by up to 20% before they become toxic to the plant.
Biochar is a byproduct of pyrolysis or gasification, a process of anaerobically burning organic materials and waste, typically for energy production. As a byproduct, the durability and chemistry of biochar varies depending on the front-end feedstock used to power the pyrolysis process. This inconsistency leads to varying qualities of biochar, and confusion in the growing industry.
Mixture By Volume < 20%
Inconsistent
Biochar is severely limited by its chemistry, physical makeup, and consistency
Phytotoxic
Biochar becomes toxic to plants at certain concentrations
Different
Biochar is not a solution for the displacement of peat, coconut coir, or stone wool
Inconsistencies
Soon-to-be legacy products are not consistent due to manufacturing practices or varying global feedstock. Inconsistencies lead to pests, disease, and greatly increase the risk of contamination.
Pure Life Carbon’s Advanced Carbons
Purpose-designed Advanced Carbons are manufactured from upstream primary product outputs
Absolute Carbon
Advanced Carbon Soil Augment for Turf Management or Blended Substrates which can be blended up to 40% by volume
Charged Carbon
A stand-alone growing substrate to replace current and legacy products like Peat Moss, Coconut Coir, and Stone Wool
Ecosystem Products
To enhance or support the use of Advanced Carbon products. New technologies such as containers, propagation mediums, and sensors
Unsolvable Problems – Solved
Pests
Charged Carbon reduces or eliminates crop loss from root-based pests.
Survivability
Our product is reusable indefinably with no end of life.
Transport
We can cut transport costs by up to 90%.
Environment
Our product is the only carbon-negative option available to growers.
QA/QC
3rd party certified for contaminants and consistency.
Pests & Bugs
Pests and bugs are one of the top crop killers in the world. PLC’s Advanced Carbon products drastically decrease the risks associated with bugs and pests.
Pests & Bugs
Organics in soil or soilless growing mediums are food for pests
Pests & Bugs
The physical environment of growing mediums are friendly and comfortable for them to live in
Pests & Bugs
Pests target plant roots within growing medium
Advanced Carbons
Advanced Carbons do not contain an accessible food source for pests
Advanced Carbons
The glass-like and sharp surfaces of the interior cavities of PLC’s Advanced Carbons create a dangerous environment for pests to live in or move through while attempting to feed on plant roots
Advanced Carbons
Plant roots are inaccessible to pests in Advanced Carbons
Charged Carbon VS. Peat
60M+ cubic meters of peat is consumed by the agricultural industry on an annual basis.
Replacement
Currently, there is no commercially viable, environmentally responsible replacement for peat through farming, mining, or manufacturing processes
Reduction
Growers will typically see a minimum 33% reduction of the required growing substrate when using Charged Carbon vs. peat
Volume
A plant that requires 3L of peat to grow will only use 2L of Charged Carbon
Reusability
Peat and other growing substrates are single use products
End-of-Life
Charged Carbon gets supercharged with microbes, nutrients, water, and air, making it an ideal product for re-use. There is no known end-of-life due to its durability
Top-up
Approximately 15% by volume is required as a ‘top-up’ when re-using the product in a controlled environment. Reducing product needs by 85% on re-use
Certifications
Clean & Contaminant Free
- Products are clean and free of chemicals, pests, and bugs
Consistency
- PLC's Advanced Carbons are specifically manufactured to be consistent in chemistry and quality. Each batch comes with a certificate of analysis, backed by 3rd party testing
The Advantage
Increases
- Cost competitive or cheaper than soon to be legacy products.
- Product consistency produces plants with consistent production rates.
- Quicker crop cycles, removing the need for transplants in most commercial crops.
- In most cases increased production due to simplified growing methods and a rootzone.
Reductions
- Reduced crop loss through the reduction of pests, disease, and algae.
- Reduced labor through convenient packaging, less handling, less maintenance, and removed disposal.
- Reduced volume of medium used compared to legacy products, reducing transport and environmental damage from mining and manufacturing.
- Reduced risk from 3rd party validation of product quality.
Advanced Carbon Products
Pure Life Carbon’s Advanced Carbons are specifically manufactured to be consistent in chemistry and quality. Each batch comes with a certificate of analysis, backed by 3rd party testing.
“Absolutely Just Carbon”
ABSOLUTE CARBON is made from a premium horticulture grade bamboo feedstock. It is highly stable, low in density, and very porous.
[ Safety Data Sheet ]
THE ADVANTAGE: Consistent, clean, durable, increased production, reduced water & nutrient requirements, healthier plants, and permanent carbon store.
- Sustainable
- Renewable
- Horticulture Grade
- Clean and free of chemicals, pests and bugs
USES: Blended Substrate (up to 40% by volume), Turf Management, Urban Landscaping, Vine Crops, Orchards, Field Crops, Animal Supplement, Water Filtration.
Absolute Carbon is used as a soil amendment and as raw material to create Pure Life Carbon’s flagship product, Charged Carbon.
Charged Carbon
“READY TO GROW”
THE SAME OR BETTER YIELD AS COMPARED TO ALL OTHER STERILE GROW MEDIUMS
[ Safety Data Sheet ]
THE ADVANTAGE: Reusable, consistent, clean, durable, reduced growing risk, quicker crop cycles, decreased loss, reduced labor, reduced water & nutrient requirements, healthier plants, lower production costs, and permanent carbon
CHARGED CARBON is designed to be a porous container to hold nutrients, water, and beneficial microbials, helping plants grow in much smaller volumes of substrate.
- Increases crop yields and consistency
- Improves general plant health
- Vigorous and healthier root systems
GROWERS typically see a minimum 21% reduction of the required growing substrate when using Charged Carbon vs. Peat Moss.
- Clean and free of chemicals, pests, and bugs
- Reusable in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
- pH balanced and charged with Phosphorous
USES: Soilless Growing Medium, Soil Amendment
Market Tested
- Currently, Charged and Absolute Carbon are being sold to growers who historically used peat, coconut coir, and stone wool products.
- Our Absolute Carbon is being used by landowners and golf courses.
- Advanced R&D, focused on new uses and market segments will continue into 2023.
- In 2023, Carbon Gel, a clean alternative for propagation, will be released to the market.