From Pollution to Production: Assessing Hemp as a Brownfield Opportunity
(2026) TerraEnVision 2026 — Location: Germany (7.September.2026)
Files
terraenvision_slied.pdf
Open Access - Adobe PDF
- 0 B
Details
- Authors
- Abstract
- Brownfield soils often present substantial constraints for crop production, including coarse texture, low organic matter, limited water retention, reduced fertility and, in some cases, heavy metal contamination (Oliver et al., 2005). Within a phytomanagement framework, hemp cultivation may offer a promising option to limit pollutant impacts while providing an non-food economically valuable crop. Hemp contributes to carbon sequestration, and its rapid growth suppresses weeds. It requires relatively few inputs, making it well suited to low impact agricultural systems (Parvez et al., 2021). Its deep taproot, reaching up to 2 metres, enables access to large soil volumes and supports resilience under contrasting edaphic conditions (Amaducci et al., 2008). In addition, the recent rise in natural fibre prices strengthens the prospects of this emerging sector (Fagnant, 2025). This study assessed the feasibility of hemp (Cannabis sativa) cultivation using two cultivars (Santhica 27 (fibre oriented) and Futura 75 (biomass oriented) on three contrasting sites in Wallonia (Belgium) : an agricultural soil, an uncontaminated brownfield and a contaminated brownfield. Across sites, germination, plant survival and vegetative development were not significantly affected by industrial soil characteristics or heavy metal presence. Hemp grown at Sclessin accumulated only low metal levels, confirming its suitability as a safe non food crop on contaminated land. Yield differences were driven mainly by agronomic factors such as water availability, organic matter content, soil texture and C/N ratio. Fibre quality remained stable across soils, reflecting strong genetic control over cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contents, and shive composition showed no detectable influence of heavy metals. Overall, the contaminated Sclessin site appears suitable for hemp cultivation, whereas the extremely low organic matter content and high C/N ratio at Ottignies limit its potential without intervention. Achieving viable yields will require targeted improvements such as organic matter amendments, pH correction and enhanced water management. These findings also highlight that brownfield suitability depends not only on soil properties but also on pollutant level and mobility, which govern plant uptake and long term site behaviour.
- Affiliations
Citations
Regnier, N., & Lutts, S. (2026, September 8). From Pollution to Production: Assessing Hemp as a Brownfield Opportunity. TerraEnVision 2026, Germany. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/281873