Proper tank clean-out is a key aspect of avoiding herbicide injury, but the waste water created from tank cleaning needs to be handled responsibly to avoid unwanted plant injury or water contamination. Using a biobed — essentially a clay-lined, dedicated area rich in microbes where tank water is emptied for further degradation by microbes — has been gaining attention in Sweden and other European countries.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s spraying guru Dr. Tom Wolf, based at Saskatoon, Sask., spoke with RealAgriculture.com about how biobeds can work in Canada and how to deal with the full life-cycle of the material. The technology still requires more research to ensure it’s a viable technology for Canada’s production systems and weather, and regulatory approval has not yet been hammered out. In this video, Tom outlines how the biobed works and work that’s yet to be done on the topic.
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