Turning Green Waste
Into Climate Action
A Municipal Guide to Biochar Solutions
By Warm Heart Worldwide
By Warm Heart Worldwide
Introduction
Why This Guide?
Local governments are on the front lines of the climate crisis. Parks departments, forestry teams, and public works crews deal daily with tons of green waste — and limited options for managing it. Most municipalities either burn it or haul it to landfills, creating pollution and wasting valuable resources.
This guide presents a smarter, proven solution: turning biomass waste into biochar. It’s clean, scalable, and can transform a city’s waste burden into a powerful climate and soil tool.
At Warm Heart, we’ve implemented biochar systems in Thailand, Kenya, Ghana, and the DRC. Now, we’re sharing what works so your community can take the lead in reducing emissions, protecting public health, and building environmental resilience.
This guide presents a smarter, proven solution: turning biomass waste into biochar. It’s clean, scalable, and can transform a city’s waste burden into a powerful climate and soil tool.
At Warm Heart, we’ve implemented biochar systems in Thailand, Kenya, Ghana, and the DRC. Now, we’re sharing what works so your community can take the lead in reducing emissions, protecting public health, and building environmental resilience.
“Cities already have the feedstock and the need. All they’re missing is the method. This guide provides it."
— Michael Shafer, Founder, Warm Heart Worldwide
— Michael Shafer, Founder, Warm Heart Worldwide
🟦 Section 1: The Municipal Biochar Opportunity
The Problem Municipalities Face
Every city, town, and local government generates massive amounts of green waste—fallen branches, storm debris, pruned tree limbs, dried leaves, and underbrush from parks, medians, and forests. This biomass piles up after every rainy season, storm, or maintenance cycle.
Traditional disposal methods--burning, dumping, or mulching—are not only expensive and inefficient, but they also:
The Problem Municipalities Face
Every city, town, and local government generates massive amounts of green waste—fallen branches, storm debris, pruned tree limbs, dried leaves, and underbrush from parks, medians, and forests. This biomass piles up after every rainy season, storm, or maintenance cycle.
Traditional disposal methods--burning, dumping, or mulching—are not only expensive and inefficient, but they also:
- Release tons of CO₂ and PM2.5 into the atmosphere
- Pose fire hazards in unmanaged piles
- Cost cities thousands in fuel, labor, and landfill fees
- Waste valuable organic material that could be put to use
Cities are searching for sustainable, affordable, and fast-to-deploy solutions.
Biochar is that solution.
Biochar is that solution.
What Is Biochar — and Why Should Cities Care?
Biochar is a clean, charcoal-like substance made by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment (a process called pyrolysis). The carbon in the waste is locked into a solid form, instead of released into the air.
Biochar is a clean, charcoal-like substance made by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment (a process called pyrolysis). The carbon in the waste is locked into a solid form, instead of released into the air.
Municipalities can use biochar to:
✅ Permanently sequester carbon from green waste
✅ Enrich soils in parks, urban forests, and community gardens
✅ Filter stormwater runoff and prevent erosion
✅ Replace fertilizers in landscaping programs
✅ Sell to farmers, landscapers
Biochar solves multiple problems with one solution:
Waste → Soil health → Carbon removal → Community value
Waste → Soil health → Carbon removal → Community value
How Big Is the Opportunity?
🌳 The average mid-sized city generates hundreds of tons of green waste annually.If converted to biochar instead of burned or dumped:
And unlike many climate solutions, this one:
🌳 The average mid-sized city generates hundreds of tons of green waste annually.If converted to biochar instead of burned or dumped:
- Thousands of tons of CO₂ could be prevented
- Significant savings in disposal and transport costs
- Revenue potential through carbon offsets and product sales
- Save thousands from funds otherwise wasted on chemical fertilizers.
And unlike many climate solutions, this one:
- Requires no high-tech infrastructure
- Can be implemented in months
- Starts making an impact immediately
- In Northern Thailand, communities cut smoke by 60% during burn season
- In Ghana and the DRC, biochar use increased crop yields and eliminated burning
- In California and Colorado, forest management programs are exploring biochar to reduce wildfire risk and store carbon
This is a solution that scales—from the village level to city-wide operations.
🟩 Section 2: What Is Biochar + How It’s Made
🔥 What Is Biochar?
Biochar is a solid, carbon-rich substance produced when organic material (biomass) is heated in a low-oxygen environment, a process known as pyrolysis. Instead of turning into smoke and CO₂, the carbon is “locked” into a stable form that can be stored in soil for hundreds to thousands of years.
It’s an ancient technique—used by Indigenous communities in the Amazon—and is now a modern solution to help municipalities reduce waste, sequester carbon, and improve soil and water systems.
🧪 How Biochar Is Made
The process is simple and scalable, using readily available green waste and affordable equipment.
The 3-Step Process
📍 1. BIOMASS
Yard trimmings, fallen branches, pruned trees, dried leaves, or forestry debris are collected from parks, medians, or dumps.
📍 2. PYROLYSIS
This material is burned in a low-oxygen container (such as a TLUD barrel, trough, trench, or cone kiln). The controlled burn chars the material without creating open smoke plumes.
📍 3. BIOCHAR
What’s left is biochar—a stable, porous material with immense environmental value.
⚙️ Scalable Methods for Municipal Use
| Method | Best For | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TLUD Barrels | Small pilot programs | Easy to build; low-cost; great for training |
| Trough Kilns | Medium-scale operations | Can handle several cubic meters of biomass |
| Cone Kilns | Mobile crews, storm debris | Simple design, widely used in forestry |
| Rotary Kilns or Retorts | Permanent facilities | Higher throughput, more automation |
💡 Good to know: Most systems can be operated by 1–2 trained staff or public works employees, and can be mobile or fixed.
✅ Key Advantages of Municipal-Scale Biochar
A simple kiln and training = you're ready to start!
- Low emissions (no open burning)
- Affordable startup costs
- Flexible scale for town size and waste volume
- Minimal labor or tech needs
- Fast results—you can see impact in your first season
- Biomass (your green waste)
- Municipal workers or green team
- A public space, maintenance yard, or waste station
A simple kiln and training = you're ready to start!
Next, we’ll explore how your city can put that biochar to work—in parks, storm drains, gardens, and beyond.
🟦 Section 3: How Cities Can Use Biochar
Biochar isn’t just a solution for what to do with green waste — it’s also a valuable resource cities can use to improve infrastructure, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals.
🌳 1. Parks and Public Landscaping
Cities spend thousands maintaining public green spaces. Biochar can:
🌧️ 2. Stormwater Filtration & Drainage
Biochar’s porous structure makes it a powerful natural water filter. Municipalities can:
🌿 3. Composting and Organic Waste Programs
Biochar accelerates composting and improves the nutrient profile of finished compost. Cities can:
🏙️ 4. Urban Greening Initiatives
Biochar supports climate resilience in city projects like:
🛠️ 5. City Partnerships with Farmers and Landscapers
Biochar produced by municipal crews can:
♻️ 6. Support for Citywide Carbon and Waste Goals
Biochar directly supports:
Biochar isn’t just a solution for what to do with green waste — it’s also a valuable resource cities can use to improve infrastructure, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals.
🌳 1. Parks and Public Landscaping
Cities spend thousands maintaining public green spaces. Biochar can:
- Improve soil health and water retention in lawns, tree pits, and medians
- Reduce need for chemical fertilizers and irrigation
- Help new trees and plantings establish stronger root systems
🌧️ 2. Stormwater Filtration & Drainage
Biochar’s porous structure makes it a powerful natural water filter. Municipalities can:
- Add biochar to bioswales and rain gardens to filter heavy metals, nutrients, and oils from runoff
- Use it in urban drainage systems to improve water quality before it reaches local rivers or treatment plants
🌿 3. Composting and Organic Waste Programs
Biochar accelerates composting and improves the nutrient profile of finished compost. Cities can:
- Add biochar to municipal composting operations to reduce odor and methane
- Offer or sell “biochar-enhanced compost” to residents or local farmers
🏙️ 4. Urban Greening Initiatives
Biochar supports climate resilience in city projects like:
- Green roofs: retain water, reduce temperature
- Tree planting campaigns: improve survival rates
- Vacant lot restoration: remediate poor soils affordably
🛠️ 5. City Partnerships with Farmers and Landscapers
Biochar produced by municipal crews can:
- Be distributed to peri-urban farms as part of environmental partnership programs
- Be sold to landscapers, golf courses, or organic gardening centers
- Create job training programs in biochar production and application
♻️ 6. Support for Citywide Carbon and Waste Goals
Biochar directly supports:
- Zero-waste policies (by upcycling biomass)
- Emissions targets (via carbon sequestration)
- Wildfire risk reduction (by clearing and converting fire-prone biomass)
Every ton of biochar locks away up to 3 tons of CO₂ equivalents.
🚀 Next Steps for Municipal Use
- Start small: Use biochar in one park or stormwater system
- Measure results: Compare water use, soil health, and runoff
- Scale up: Add biochar to green infrastructure and waste management planning
Biochar is one of the few tools that can reduce emissions, restore land, and save money — all at the same time.
🟩 Section 4: Case Studies – Municipal Biochar in Action
“Seeing how other towns did it helped our council finally say yes.”
— Community Sustainability Coordinator, Mae Chaem District
These real-world examples show how cities and communities—some with very limited resources—successfully implemented biochar systems, reduced emissions, and created measurable public benefit.
🌿 Case Study 1: Mae Chaem, Northern Thailand
Challenge:
Seasonal crop waste burning led to dangerous air pollution (PM2.5), poor soil fertility, and respiratory illness spikes every dry season.
Solution:
With guidance from Warm Heart, the community created a shared biochar kiln and trained farmers to convert corn cobs into biochar.
Impact:
🌿 Case Study 2: 137 Pillars Hotel, Chiang Mai
Challenge:
A growing biomass pile from regular garden maintenance created a waste problem and cluttered the grounds of this luxury boutique hotel.
Solution:
The General Manager contacted Warm Heart, who trained the hotel’s gardening staff to produce biochar using simple TLUD kilns. The biomass was turned from waste into a valuable, versatile resource.
Impact:
“Seeing how other towns did it helped our council finally say yes.”
— Community Sustainability Coordinator, Mae Chaem District
These real-world examples show how cities and communities—some with very limited resources—successfully implemented biochar systems, reduced emissions, and created measurable public benefit.
🌿 Case Study 1: Mae Chaem, Northern Thailand
Challenge:
Seasonal crop waste burning led to dangerous air pollution (PM2.5), poor soil fertility, and respiratory illness spikes every dry season.
Solution:
With guidance from Warm Heart, the community created a shared biochar kiln and trained farmers to convert corn cobs into biochar.
Impact:
- 60% reduction in open burning during the first year
- Healthier soils led to 30% higher yields in pilot plots
- Biochar sold to nearby farmers funded youth internships
Community Involvement:
🌿 Case Study 2: 137 Pillars Hotel, Chiang Mai
Challenge:
A growing biomass pile from regular garden maintenance created a waste problem and cluttered the grounds of this luxury boutique hotel.
Solution:
The General Manager contacted Warm Heart, who trained the hotel’s gardening staff to produce biochar using simple TLUD kilns. The biomass was turned from waste into a valuable, versatile resource.
Impact:
- Biomass waste eliminated and repurposed into high-quality biochar
- Biochar used in landscaping to improve soil and water retention
- Activated biochar now used in rooms and kitchens for deodorizing
- Guests can purchase packaged biochar as a sustainable keepsake
🟨 Section 5: Implementation Roadmap
“We already had the waste. Biochar just gave us a way to turn it into something valuable.”
— Deputy Mayor, Small Town Pilot Program
Adopting biochar at the municipal level doesn’t require large budgets or outside consultants—it starts with a committed team and a smart, staged approach.
This roadmap outlines how your city or town can go from green waste challenge to climate-smart solution.
🛣️ Step 1: Assess Your Waste Streams
Conduct a quick inventory of where and how green waste is produced:
“We already had the waste. Biochar just gave us a way to turn it into something valuable.”
— Deputy Mayor, Small Town Pilot Program
Adopting biochar at the municipal level doesn’t require large budgets or outside consultants—it starts with a committed team and a smart, staged approach.
This roadmap outlines how your city or town can go from green waste challenge to climate-smart solution.
🛣️ Step 1: Assess Your Waste Streams
Conduct a quick inventory of where and how green waste is produced:
- Park and roadside trimmings
- Forest management debris
- Storm cleanup
- Municipal dumps or drop-off sites
🛠️ Step 2: Choose a Biochar Method
Pick the right approach for your team, volume, and space
| Scale | Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small | TLUD barrels | Great for parks departments and pilots |
| Medium | Trough kilns, trench kilns | Ideal for public works and maintenance yards |
| Large | Permanent kiln or retort system | Consider if centralizing or scaling long-term |
✅ Goal: Select a method your team can operate safely with basic training
👷 Step 3: Train Your Team
Train 2–4 public works or forestry staff to:
Train 2–4 public works or forestry staff to:
- Operate the system
- Understand safe biochar production
- Cool, store, and apply biochar properly
- Training videos
- Operation manuals
- On-site or virtual guidance (Contact us for pricing)
📍 Step 4: Launch a Pilot Project
Start small, measure, and iterate. Common pilot options:
✅ Goal: Document benefits, savings, or reduced waste costs
Start small, measure, and iterate. Common pilot options:
- Apply biochar in one park, tree line, or bioswale
- Process a limited set of debris (e.g., tree trimmings from one district)
- Distribute to a small farm group for testing
✅ Goal: Document benefits, savings, or reduced waste costs
🔄 Step 5: Monitor and Evaluate
Track:
Track:
- Biochar produced (volume)
- CO₂ diverted (basic calculator)
- Soil or plant performance improvements
- Cost comparison vs. previous waste disposal
🔁 Step 6: Expand and Integrate
Once results are in, you can:
✅ Goal: Make biochar a core part of your city’s sustainability, landscaping, and waste systems
Once results are in, you can:
- Add new sites or departments
- Offer workshops or school involvement
- Partner with local farmers, gardens, or eco-businesses
- Seek carbon credit certification if scaling
✅ Goal: Make biochar a core part of your city’s sustainability, landscaping, and waste systems
Municipal Scaling Pathways
| Size of Municipality | Pilot Focus | Long-Term Plan |
|---|---|---|
| <10,000 people | Park or composting pilot | Mobile team with shared kiln |
| 10,000–100,000 | Public works yard kiln | Neighborhood-scale drop-off program |
| 100,000+ | Centralized processing hub | Carbon credit, stormwater, green roof integration |
Pick the right approach for your team, volume, and space
| Scale | Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small | TLUD barrels, cone kilns | Great for parks departments and pilots |
| Medium | Trough kilns, trench kilns | Ideal for public works and maintenance yards |
| Large | Permanent kiln or retort system | Consider if centralizing or scaling long-term |
🧰 Section 6: Tools & Resources
“We didn’t have to reinvent the wheel — Warm Heart gave us the tools, we just had to start turning them.”
— Public Works Director, Pilot Community
Whether you're a small village or a regional capital, the success of a municipal biochar program depends on access to the right tools and guidance. This section compiles free and low-cost resources to help you take action, build capacity, and track your progress.
🔧 Technical Guides & Training Materials
Available from Warm Heart Worldwide:
“We didn’t have to reinvent the wheel — Warm Heart gave us the tools, we just had to start turning them.”
— Public Works Director, Pilot Community
Whether you're a small village or a regional capital, the success of a municipal biochar program depends on access to the right tools and guidance. This section compiles free and low-cost resources to help you take action, build capacity, and track your progress.
🔧 Technical Guides & Training Materials
Available from Warm Heart Worldwide:
- 📘 How to Build a TLUD Barrel Kiln (Step-by-step PDF with photos)
- 📹 How to Weigh Biochar in the Field (Short training videos)
- 🔥 Field Guide for Safe Biochar Production (standard operating procedures)
- 🧪 Biochar Quality Basics (how to test moisture, carbon, porosity)
📊 Impact & Monitoring Tools
Offered by Warm Heart and Global Partners:
- 📈 Biochar CO₂ Offset Calculator
Estimate CO₂e removed based on weight and type of biomass used - 📋 Pilot Project Data Template
Track:- Volume of biomass processed
- Amount of biochar produced
- Estimated CO₂ offset
- Use cases (soil, stormwater, partnerships)
- Cost savings vs. disposal
- 🧾 Biochar Use Logs
For staff reporting and community transparency
Offered by Warm Heart and Global Partners:
- 📍 Site assessment for kiln suitability
- 🧑🏫 Virtual or in-person staff training
🌐 Recommended Organizations & Networks
Warm Heart Worldwide
Training, project support
warmheartworldwide.org
Biochar Life
Carbon Credit Production
biochar.life
IBI (Int’l Biochar Initiative)
Global biochar research & standards
biochar-international.org
Verra
Carbon credit certification
verra.org
Global Biochar Marketplace
Equipment & distribution
biochar.market
Warm Heart Worldwide
Training, project support
warmheartworldwide.org
Biochar Life
Carbon Credit Production
biochar.life
IBI (Int’l Biochar Initiative)
Global biochar research & standards
biochar-international.org
Verra
Carbon credit certification
verra.org
Global Biochar Marketplace
Equipment & distribution
biochar.market
🧭 Checklist: Are You Ready to Launch?
✅ We have biomass we currently pay to dispose of
✅ We have staff or partners willing to learn
✅ We have a small space (or mobile team) to start production
✅ We’ve identified at least one use for the biochar (e.g., soil, stormwater, partnerships)
✅ We want to take action on waste, emissions, or sustainability goals
If you checked 3 or more… you're ready to start your pilot.
✅ We have biomass we currently pay to dispose of
✅ We have staff or partners willing to learn
✅ We have a small space (or mobile team) to start production
✅ We’ve identified at least one use for the biochar (e.g., soil, stormwater, partnerships)
✅ We want to take action on waste, emissions, or sustainability goals
If you checked 3 or more… you're ready to start your pilot.
Appendix
📘 Glossary
Term and Definition
Biochar
A stable form of carbon produced by heating organic waste in a low-oxygen environment (pyrolysis)
Biomass
Plant-based material such as wood, leaves, or crop waste used to make biochar
Pyrolysis
The process of heating biomass without oxygen to prevent combustion and form biochar
CO₂e
Carbon dioxide equivalent; a way of measuring greenhouse gas emissions in comparable units
Bioswale
A landscaped element designed to manage stormwater runoff and filter pollutants
TLUD
Top-Lit Up-Draft kiln; a small, efficient design for producing biochar
Retort
A more advanced kiln that recirculates heat to improve efficiency and control emissions
📘 Glossary
Term and Definition
Biochar
A stable form of carbon produced by heating organic waste in a low-oxygen environment (pyrolysis)
Biomass
Plant-based material such as wood, leaves, or crop waste used to make biochar
Pyrolysis
The process of heating biomass without oxygen to prevent combustion and form biochar
CO₂e
Carbon dioxide equivalent; a way of measuring greenhouse gas emissions in comparable units
Bioswale
A landscaped element designed to manage stormwater runoff and filter pollutants
TLUD
Top-Lit Up-Draft kiln; a small, efficient design for producing biochar
Retort
A more advanced kiln that recirculates heat to improve efficiency and control emissions
□ Sample Pilot Budget – Small Town Setup
| Item | Quantity | Unit Cost (USD) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| TLUD barrels or cone kilns | 2 | $150 | $300 |
| Biomass collection tools | 1 set | $100 | $100 |
| Training session (local or virtual) | 1 | $250 | $250 |
| Protective gear + fire tools | 4 sets | $40 | $160 |
| Storage bins for biochar | 3 | $35 | $105 |
| Printed materials / signage | – | $50 | $50 |
| Estimated Startup Cost | $965 | ||
⚠️ Costs can vary by location and existing resources. Many municipalities already own trucks, safety equipment, or tools that reduce startup needs.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is biochar production legal in my area?
A: In most cases, yes — especially if you're using clean biomass and contained kilns. Always check local ordinances or fire regulations first. Warm Heart can help you prepare a safety protocol.
Q: What types of biomass work best?
A: Dry, non-treated organic waste like branches, pruned trees, rice straw, corn stalks, and leaves. Avoid painted or chemically treated wood.
Q: How do we use biochar once it’s made?
A: Mix it into soil (at 10–30%), blend with compost, or use it as a filtration media. It’s a flexible tool for parks, gardens, or stormwater.
Q: What’s the risk of fire or pollution?
A: Minimal if proper techniques are followed. Pyrolysis is controlled and generates far less smoke than open burning. Safety gear and training are important.
Q: How long does biochar last in soil?
A: Hundreds to thousands of years — it’s one of the few tools that truly locks away carbon over the long term.
Q: Can we earn carbon credits?
A: Yes, if you produce and apply biochar at scale. Several protocols (like Verra) exist for certification. Start with tracking your impact locally.
Q: Is biochar production legal in my area?
A: In most cases, yes — especially if you're using clean biomass and contained kilns. Always check local ordinances or fire regulations first. Warm Heart can help you prepare a safety protocol.
Q: What types of biomass work best?
A: Dry, non-treated organic waste like branches, pruned trees, rice straw, corn stalks, and leaves. Avoid painted or chemically treated wood.
Q: How do we use biochar once it’s made?
A: Mix it into soil (at 10–30%), blend with compost, or use it as a filtration media. It’s a flexible tool for parks, gardens, or stormwater.
Q: What’s the risk of fire or pollution?
A: Minimal if proper techniques are followed. Pyrolysis is controlled and generates far less smoke than open burning. Safety gear and training are important.
Q: How long does biochar last in soil?
A: Hundreds to thousands of years — it’s one of the few tools that truly locks away carbon over the long term.
Q: Can we earn carbon credits?
A: Yes, if you produce and apply biochar at scale. Several protocols (like Verra) exist for certification. Start with tracking your impact locally.
