2023-06-252023-06-25https://tore.tuhh.de/handle/11420/16553The North Sea region is an area of intensive farming characterised by rapid soil degradation. Therefore, the demand for soilimprovers such as quality composts for these intensively utilised soils exist. Barriers to meet this urgent need of soil improvement are a lack of suitable and stabilized soil amendments, the absence of an alignment in demands and risks in European and national regulations, and a lack of information. The project involves researchers, compost and horticultural producers and regional authorities from five North Sea Region countries—Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, and United Kingdom—to study local, regional, and trans-European needs and barriers. SOILCOM aims to improve the transformation of waste to quality compost, and its application to support carbon storage, water and nutrient use efficiency, productivity of horticultural and compost enterprises, and pesticide reduction. Furthermore it aims to support EU policy on circular economy.The North Sea region is an area of intensive farming characterised by rapid soil degradation. Therefore, the demand for soilimprovers such as quality composts for these intensively utilised soils exist. Barriers to meet this urgent need of soil improvement are a lack of suitable and stabilized soil amendments, the absence of an alignment in demands and risks in European and national regulations, and a lack of information. The project involves researchers, compost and horticultural producers and regional authorities from five North Sea Region countries—Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, and United Kingdom—to study local, regional, and trans-European needs and barriers. SOILCOM aims to improve the transformation of waste to quality compost, and its application to support carbon storage, water and nutrient use efficiency, productivity of horticultural and compost enterprises, and pesticide reduction. Furthermore it aims to support EU policy on circular economy.