Potential use of waste wool in agriculture: An overview

The review aims to compile the information on recycling of wool wastes in agriculture and to explore future research areas. Wool is a biodegradable fibre and readily recycled with significant benefits accruing from returning to the earth as a nitrogen and sulphur-rich fertilizer. Wool-waste produced in many forms beside shearing waste, carpet disposal, textile industries, wool scour sludge and very coarse wool that cannot be processed. These wool wastes are included in the present evaluation with relevant literature and focussed on applications and potential benefits of wool-waste as a soil amendment and to identify areas where there is insufficient knowledge to implement its usage. Along with growing public concern for the environment and costs of landfill in recent years, it is utmost urgent to look for alternative uses for inevitable wool-waste. Therefore, closed cycle processes without significantly producing waste are being developed for many products and materials, but rarely for fibre products. Recycling technologies are becoming increasingly important and there is clear need to identify an alternative use for this protein-rich product and its by-products.