Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The Canadian forest and agriculture sectors have roles to play in industrial ecology and climate change mitigation. Sustainable management in forestry and agriculture can be implemented by the use of industrial fertilizing by-products to increase productivity and economic benefits. Land application of fertilizing by-products from pulp and paper (P&P) and aluminum industries in forestry and agriculture is a promising option to consider in a perspective of industrial ecology, sustainable development and climate change mitigation. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop credible nature-based solutions through industrial symbioses on by-product management to implement the contributions of the Canadian forest and agriculture sectors to climate change mitigation by industrial ecology to develop a circular economy. The pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) is an organic by-product generated from the wastewater treatment in P&P mills; PPMS land application in silviculture and agriculture decreases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improves soil properties, carbon sequestration, stand regeneration and crop yields. Anhydrite (CaSO4) is a by-product from the aluminum industry originating from the production of aluminum fluoride; recycling options for anhydrite are under investigations and its integration with other industrial by-products is a promising practice. This program has two specific short-term objectives. The first (1) objective is to improve productivity in forestry and agriculture combined with increased carbon sequestration by 1.1) developing new fertilizer formulations with the combination of PPMS and anhydrite and by 1.2) determining and comparing the effects between the formulations of PPMS and anhydrite with conventional mineral fertilizers on the commercial boreal forest species and in agriculture for lowbush blueberry crop and their associated windbreaks. The second (2) objective is to determine the contribution of PPMS and anhydrite to climate change mitigation as nature-based solutions by 2.1) quantifying and comparing the carbon footprints between the baseline and project management scenarios for the use of PPMS and anhydrite as fertilizers applied in the afforestation and reforestation of the boreal forest and in agriculture and by 2.2) building GHG calculators to assist stakeholders in the industries and the provincial and federal governments for the management of PPMS and anhydrite with the least impact on climate change. Ultimately, this research program will concretize the contribution of the forest and agriculture sectors to decrease the GHG emissions in Québec and Canada, as well as to reach 2030 pledges through fertilization supported by decreased carbon footprints. Potential carbon offset credits could be generated from this by-product management and would consist of an additional income for the industries.