NATO Deploys Grass to Clean War-Contaminated Soils

The NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme has launched a project to deploy giant miscanthus grass to regenerate war-contaminated soils in Ukraine, with a budget of $346,000. This initiative commenced in 2023 and is scheduled to run until 2027.

The project, led by scientists from Jan Evangelista Purkyn University in the Czech Republic, focuses on phytoremediation, a low-cost and scalable method using live plants to clean contaminated environments. Giant miscanthus is particularly suited for this task due to its ability to thrive in highly degraded land and develop extensive root networks that can trap dangerous trace elements, including heavy metals from military pollutants.

The research aims to improve soil organic matter and enhance carbon sequestration, contributing to climate restoration. Field trials are currently being conducted near Vorzel, close to Bucha, which was heavily impacted during the invasion.

Experts caution that biological soil cleanup is a slow process that may take years. The final data will provide a vital blueprint for post-war recovery operations and the deployment of eco-friendly phytoremediation technologies.