New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science

ISSN: 0114-0671 (Print) 1175-8783 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tnzc20

Rockwool in horticulture, and its importance and

sustainable use in New Zealand

W. T. Bussell & S. Mckennie

To cite this article: W. T. Bussell & S. Mckennie (2004) Rockwool in horticulture, and its
importance and sustainable use in New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural
Science, 32:1, 29-37, DOI: 10.1080/01140671.2004.9514277

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/01140671.2004.9514277

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New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32: 29-37 29
0014-0671/04/3201-0029 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004

Review
Rockwool in horticulture, and its importance and sustainable use
in New Zealand

W. T. BUSSELL Keywords reuse; horticultural rockwool; review

School of Landscape & Plant Science
UNITEC Institute of Technology
Private Bag 92 025 INTRODUCTION
Auckland, New Zealand
email: wbussell@unitec.ac.nz Rockwool, a fibrous "wool" or flock material, was
first discovered occurring naturally on Mauna Loa
S. MCKENNIE volcano in Hawaii in 1850. It was first manufactured
Veg-Gro Supplies Ltd in c. 1935 for use as an insulating material for build-
10 Firth St ings. The manufacturing process involves melting
Drury, New Zealand forms of basaltic rock at temperatures of 1500°C,
incorporating additives and then feeding a stream of
the molten mixture onto a drum that is rotating at
Abstract A brief history of the beginnings of the great speed and which spins the molten mass into
use of rockwool in horticulture in overseas countries, fibres (Blaabjerg 1983; Smith 1987). Insulation
an outline of uses overseas of the current forms of rockwool contains additives which prevent the prod-
water absorbent and water repellent horticultural uct from absorbing water. Investigations into find-
rockwool, a summary of manufacturers of the prod- ing a suitable density of rockwool to grow plants in
uct, a consideration of some of its advantages and and into finding an additive (or leaving an additive
disadvantages, and a listing of the crops grown in out) to make rockwool water absorbent were com-
horticultural rockwool are given in this paper. An pleted in 1969 (Petersen 1994). These investigations
outline of the overseas experiences in both the dis- were the beginning of the use of water absorbent
posal of and the sustainable reuse of horticultural rockwool in horticulture.
rockwool is also given. A history of use in New The use in horticulture of water absorbent
Zealand of horticultural rockwool and the crops rockwool (and to a lesser extent water repellent
grown on the product are outlined. Options, which rockwool) has expanded in the past 30 years. This
are both within and outside horticulture, for the sus- expansion has been first, in the number of countries
tainable reuse of the relatively small volume (c. 300 where rockwool is used as a substrate for the propa-
m3/year) which becomes available for reuse in New gation and production of crops; second, in the
Zealand at present are described and discussed. number of crops grown in rockwool; and third, in
Many of these options may be applicable in other increasing numbers of product types to maximise
countries where the volume of horticultural crop potential.
rockwool used is relatively small.
The first aim of this paper is to give a summary
of pertinent aspects of rockwool (which is sometimes
referred to as stonewool) in horticulture overseas and
more detailed information of rockwool in horticul-
ture in New Zealand. The second aim is, using over-
seas information, to consider how the current range
of most widely used water absorbent slabs, blocks,
and plugs might be reused after their first use in New
Zealand. This consideration is likely to be of ben-
H03070; Online publication date 17 March 2004 efit for other countries with small populations using
Received 9 July 2003; accepted 19 September 2003 relatively small quantities of this material.
30 New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32

Fig. 1 Diagrammatic representa-

tion of the cycle of a tomato crop
grown in rockwool (drawings from
Grodan A/S leaflets).

p l a c e d oni-o
slabs, p l a n t f | f t In
(till pOb-ill-O-m until
crop andi.

ROCKWOOL IN OVERSEAS Joergen Jensen pers. comm.), Great Britain (Smith

HORTICULTURE 1987), Israel in 1989 (Hans Joergen Jensen pers.
comm.), and the United States (Hanan 1983; Ingram
History et al. 1993; Nelson 1998). Rockwool is now used in
Initial experiments on growing horticultural crops on over 50 countries including New Zealand. Rockwool
rockwool started in 1971 in Denmark. This first in horticulture in New Zealand will be discussed later
commercial use was in Scandinavia in 1971-72 in this paper.
growing cucumbers, followed by tomatoes (1974)
and nursery crops (1972-77) (Wikesjø 1974; Jorgen Uses and forms of water absorbent rockwool
Blaabjerg pers. comm.). By the late 1970s it was The main use of water absorbent rockwool in horti-
being used commercially in Holland (Verwer 1976; culture is as a propagation and growing substrate in
Sonneveld & Voogt 1980; Verwer & Welleman its own right (Smith 1987). For this purpose the
1980; Blaabjerg 1983). Rockwool was first used material is almost exclusively formed into plugs,
during the 1980s in other countries such as Australia blocks, or slabs. Plants of most crops are propagated
(Hanger 1982; Donnan & Biggs 1984; Ellyard et al. in small plugs or cubes (Fig. 1) until transplanting
1985), Canada in 1982 and France in 1980 (Hans stage when they are then transferred into blocks
Bussell & McKennie—Rockwool in horticulture 31

(Fig. 1). These blocks are then placed onto slabs (Fig. consistent. Dimensions and other details of some of
1), where plants grow on to maturity. A few crops, the slabs, blocks, and loose substrates currently
e.g., cucumber, are sown directly into blocks, which available are given in Tables 1 and 2 . Further de-
are later placed onto slabs. tails are available on rockwool manufacturers'
A wide range of blocks and slabs are currently websites, e.g., Grodan (http://www.grodan.com) and
manufactured and they differ in density, fibre ori- Cultilene (http://www.cultilene.nl).
entation, fibre diameter, size, and shape. They are Water absorbent rockwool is also formed into
also either wrapped in plastic or not wrapped. Slabs flock or granulate in coarse (having the highest pro-
have either a low density of rockwool fibres and a portion of large particle sizes), medium, or fine
short life (single use slabs) or a high density of grades. Further details about these grades are avail-
rockwool fibres and a longer life (more year slabs). able on rockwool manufacturers' websites. The
The fibre orientation in rockwool slabs is either major use of all grades of granulate is as a compo-
vertical or horizontal. Slabs with horizontal fibres nent of growing substrates. Water absorbent granu-
and of dual density (the top third having a high den- lates may be used alone or mixed with water
sity, the remainder a lower density) have superior repellent granulate and other materials. An alterna-
water holding capacity and aeration when compared tive use for coarse water absorbent granulate is as a
to slabs with vertical fibres. The fibre orientation in soil conditioner both in the greenhouse, where, for
rockwool blocks is more variable, but densities are example, the water holding capacity of a sandy soil
can be greatly increased, and in the field.

Uses and forms of water repellent rockwool

Water repellent rockwool used in horticulture is
formed only as flock or granulate in coarse, medium,
Table 1 Physical details of commonly available
and fine grades. Coarse grade water repellent
rockwool slabs (adapted from Smith 1998). (Most rockwool may occasionally be used as a soil condi-
commonly used sizes in New Zealand are in bold.) tioner in the greenhouse. The main use of all grades
of water repellent rockwool is in container mixes
Length (cm) 80, 90, 100, 120, 133 also comprising water absorbent rockwool flock or
Width (cm) 15, 20, 25, 30 other substrates such as peat, bark, and soil. Nurs-
Depth (cm) 7.5, 10 ery, house plants, hydroponic herbs, and commer-
Finish wrapped, unwrapped cial cut flower crops are grown in containers with
Density normal, low, standard, and dual densities these mixes.

Table 2 Physical details of commonly available rockwool blocks and loose substrates (adapted from Smith 1998).

Dimensions (cm)
Common name Brief description length X width X depth How sold
Blocks
Plugs (Kiem plugs) Cylindrical profile 2 X 2 X 2.7 240/polystyrene tray
Multiblocks Cubes joined at the 2.5 X 2.5 X 4 200/mat
(A/O cubes) top to form mats 3.6x3.6x4 98/mat
5x5x4 50/mat
Propagation blocks Individually wrapped blocks 7.5 X 7.5 X 6.5 or (10) 384 (256)/carton
with or without grooved bases 10 x 10x6.5 216/carton
10 X 15 X 6.5 (2 holes) 144/carton
Loose substrates 10 X 20 X 6.5 (2 holes) 108/carton
Grocubes For pot plant or cut flower production lxlxl 1100 litres/pallet
Granulates For sole use or incorporation Small, medium, or per 20 kg bale
into substrate large granules
32 New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32

Horticultural rockwool manufacturing or pH) requirements delivered by the irrigation to

around the world the root zone of a hydroponic crop. Smith (1998)
The first manufacturer of water absorbent rockwool outlines some of the changes made to the charac-
for horticultural use was the Danish company teristics of rockwool slabs to improve crop produc-
Grodania A/S, now Grodan A/S which is the horti- tion. Further improvements continue to be made,
cultural marketing subsidiary of Rockwool Interna- with the latest information on manufacturers'
tional A/S, the largest rockwool manufacturer in the websites.
world. Over the years this company has developed
different products in flock or granulate, block or Disadvantages of rockwool
plug, and slab form. Water absorbent rockwool prod- A perceived disadvantage of rockwool use is find-
ucts are the major part of Grodan's production. The ing an acceptable and sustainable second use after
current range of Grodan rockwool (stonewool) prod- its first use. We consider this matter in more detail
ucts is described on the website: http:// later in this paper. Health concerns, particularly in
www.grodan.com. relation to some lung cancers, had been expressed
Other manufacturers of water absorbent rockwool (Drent et al. 2000). However, in 2001 the Interna-
for horticultural use who, like Grodan A/S, also sell tional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) con-
product in New Zealand include: Cultilene cluded a re-evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of
(France—http://www.cultilene.nl)—this company airborne man-made vitreous fibres including all
produces propagation plugs, cubes, blocks, slabs, mineral wool fibre products such as rockwool. As a
and granulate (flock); Growool (Australia)—this result of this re-evaluation these products are now
company primarily produces horticultural propaga- classified as non-carcinogenic to humans (IARC
tion cubes, blocks, slabs, and granulate (flock); and 2001—http://www.iarc.fr/pageroot/PRELEASES/
Vacroc (Slovak Republic)—this company, previ- pr137a.html, IARC monographs programme re-
ously produced a product known as Isotone, pro- evaluates carcinogenic risks from airborne man-
duces cubes, blocks, and slabs. made vitreous fibres).
There are many other manufacturers of horticul-
tural rockwool throughout the world. Details of most Crops grown in rockwool
of these are available on Internet search engines. The major food crops grown in rockwool are tomato,
pepper (capsicum), cucumber, melon, climbing green
Advantages for crop production beans, egg plant (aubergine), lettuce, and strawberry.
in the rockwool manufacturing process Descriptions of cultural practices for these crops,
The high temperatures used in the manufacture of which are mostly grown on slabs or in blocks, are
rockwool ensure that the material is essentially ren- given in a number of publications including Smith
dered chemically and biologically inert, making it (1998), websites of rockwool manufacturers, and
free of any potential pests, diseases, and weed seeds. websites of extension and advisory organisations.
This high degree of sterility is a major advantage Other food crops (including asparagus, citrus, grape,
over some alternative substrates used in greenhouse loquat, olive, and yard long bean) have been grown
crop production. on rockwool, mostly for propagation only.
Other advantages of rockwool include a manufac- The major ornamental and nursery crops grown
turing process that produces a very consistent prod- in rockwool are rose (grown on slabs), gerbera
uct and that some products are able to be sterilised (grown on slabs, blocks, and grocubes), and
for reuse. However, losses in productivity and mar- cymbidium orchid (grown in granulate). Descrip-
ginal economics see only small volumes being steri- tions of cultural practices for these crops are given
lised for reuse. in a number of publications including Smith (1998)
Rockwool slabs and blocks can be watered and websites. Other ornamental and nursery crops
frequently as they drain freely and can thus be grown on rockwool include anthurium, Australian
managed to provide an optimum ratio between air native plants, big trees in shopping malls, bouvardia,
and water for crop production through the season. bulbs, camellia, carnation, chrysanthemum,
These products do not modify or restrict nutrient euphorbia, hibiscus, lily, pelargonium, pine and
availability, with more than 98% of the water and other timber trees, poinsettia, rhododendron, and
fertiliser applied being readily available for uptake snapdragon (Ellyard et al. 1985; Hansen 1988;
by the crop, and they can quickly respond to changes Contrisciano & Holcomb 1993; Hansen et al. 1993;
in liquid feeding (i.e., electrical conductivity (EC) Heiskanen 1994; Smith 1998).
Bussell & McKennie—Rockwool in horticulture 33

Disposal of rockwool Research on the reuse of rockwool has been and

Disposal of used horticultural rockwool in a landfill continues to be conducted by rockwool manufactur-
has been carried out in all countries where crops have ers, particularly Grodan A/S and Grodan BNF. The
been grown on rockwool. Such a disposal method Grodan studies to date are summarised in the
is either increasingly less available or regarded as "Grodan solutions" listed in Table 3. Two of these,
inappropriate or unsustainable. However, it is still solutions 1 and 5, are now used widely in the United
sometimes the best solution to handling used Kingdom and Holland. In both countries nearly all
rockwool when an analysis of the total environmen- of the used rockwool from crops is now collected
tal impact (including costs of transport to central together and processed at large facilities (Anon.
collecting depots and costs of alternative solutions) 2000; Neefjes 2001). Within these large facilities the
through a product life-cycle analysis is taken into used slabs and blocks are ground with their plastic
account. At present used rockwool is commonly sleeves still on them. The ground material is left to
disposed of in a landfill in many developing coun- weather for a period so the root material partially
tries, in the United States and other developed coun- decomposes. Plastic and rockwool is then separated
tries where appropriate sites, e.g., disused quarries, easier. The majority of the ground rockwool from
are readily available, or in situations where the vol- these facilities is made into bricks for houses or
ume of rockwool used is small. remanufactured into both horticultural and insulation
rockwool.
Research has been conducted, using many species
of ornamental plants, on the incorporation of ground
SUSTAINABLE REUSE OF ROCKWOOL used rockwool into potting mixes containing com-
IN OVERSEAS COUNTRIES post or other substrates ("Grodan solutions" 3 and 4
Reasons for investigating sustainable reuse of hor- in Table 3) in Poland (Strojny 1997) and Korea
ticultural rockwool in overseas countries now in- (Jeong 2000; Kim et al. 2000; Shin & Jeong 2000;
clude: in Europe a general waste regulation has led Lim & Jeong 2000; Jeong & Hwang 2001; Kim &
to soil amendment with "good" wastes (including Jeong 2003). The other substrates have included
rockwool) being abandoned in many countries due peat, bark, perlite, rice hull, pinewood chips, and
to the difficulty of distinguishing good from "bad" chestnut woodchips. Rockwool incorporation into
wastes such as "sewage sludge" containing heavy compost or other substrates results in improved aera-
metals; landfill costs are becoming increasingly tion and increased water holding capacity of the
expensive or landfill sites are becoming increasingly mixture (Fonteno & Nelson 1990; Choi et al.1999,
unavailable in some countries; rockwool has fewer 2000). The Korean research has emphasised the need
cultural demands and generally produces more re- to grind rockwool and other components of the mix-
producible results than other substrates used in com- tures to a suitable grade, to have certain substrates,
mercial greenhouses (Pieters et al. 1998), and particularly bark and wood chip, weathered or
therefore use is increasing; and rockwool manufac- soaked to remove chemicals harmful to plant growth,
turers are increasingly wishing to contribute to a and to steam sterilise ground used rockwool during
good image for their product. the preparation of mixtures.

Table 3 Means of re-using rockwool investigated and ROCKWOOL IN NEW ZEALAND

reported by Grodan A/S. HORTICULTURE
Solution no. Title of solution History
1 Recycling to rockwool factory Horticultural rockwool, in the form of the product
2 Soil amendment Growool manufactured by Bradford Insulation Ltd
3 Mixing into other substrate, e.g., peat in Australia, was first introduced to New Zealand at
4 Mixing into compost a Vegfed Conference in Christchurch in the 1980s.
5 Brick production New Zealand greenhouse growers did not take up
7 Landfill cover Growool then. The growers instead began using
8 Mining cover/recultivation nutrient film techniques, sawdust modules, or bags
9 Mushroom casing in soilless culture. It was felt that Growool was
34 New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32

comparatively too expensive and there was a hint of These crops are grown on one or more of the fol-
quality variability and collapse during use, which has lowing rockwool products manufactured by
since been eliminated. Individual growers undertook Grodan—slabs, grocubes, granulates, kiem plugs,
a few trials but it failed to be generally accepted. blocks, and A/O cubes. The rockwool products are
Bradford Insulation also failed to appoint an appro- either wrapped in plastic or not wrapped.
priate agent in New Zealand and therefore their prod-
uct was neither adequately nor at all aggressively Reuse of rockwool in New Zealand
marketed. There have been no formal studies to date on the
The horticultural rockwool product Grodan has reuse (2nd use) of rockwool in New Zealand. A pi-
been commercially distributed in New Zealand since lot study involving placing used slabs (with the plas-
1996. Before a few growers had imported a small tic sleeves removed) as a mulch around avocado
amount of Grodan more year slabs on their own trees has been conducted. The mulch has success-
account. The volume of Grodan rockwool used has fully suppressed weed growth for 2 years and crop
increased considerably since it became commer- growth has not been affected. New tree roots have
cially available and is likely to continue to increase. grown into the slabs causing breakdown of the slabs.
In the year to March 2003, 17.5 ha of the c. 250 ha Mulching of avocado and other tree crops (e.g., cit-
of crops in greenhouses were grown on Grodan rus) with surface roots may be a worthwhile and
rockwool. Single use slabs (which comprised 95% appropriate reuse (2nd use) of rockwool in New
of the slabs imported in the year to March 2003) Zealand. A second crop in the now widely used
rather than more year slabs are likely to be the most single use slabs is unlikely except for cucumbers,
widely used slabs in New Zealand in future. This is where three crops could be grown in the same green-
because single use slabs are pest and disease free for house in a calendar year. The disadvantages of
the start of a crop, they are homogeneous from slab reusing single use slabs include being broken more
to slab, and EC and water content can be controlled easily when moved than more year slabs, the possi-
with greater accuracy. bility of incomplete steam sterilisation between
crops and the occurrence of variable amounts of root
Crops grown on rockwool matter in used slabs making water content and EC
The vegetable crops currently grown on rockwool control much more difficult than in new slabs. The
in New Zealand are tomato, capsicum, cucumber, volume of rockwool available for reuse, namely all
egg plant, lettuce, and herb vegetables. The orna- of the slabs and c. 10% of the blocks and plugs used
mental crops are rose, gerbera, and orchid. Seedlings each year, is relatively small and will always be
and cuttings of many species of cutflower and nurs- small compared to some countries.
ery plants, plants which have been tissue cultured, We can examine possibilities for sustainable use
and aquatic plants are also grown on rockwool. of a product by conducting a life cycle analysis

Table 4 Patents for uses of waste from insulation rockwool having possible
application in the reuse of horticultural rockwool in New Zealand.

Brief patent title Patent application

Treatment of waste rock wool JP 89-180809 19890712 (1991)
CN 95-10070 19950106 (1996)
Fibrous mats for pressing FR 90-15279 19901206 (1992)
Method for treating waste rock wool CN 95-10070 19950106 (1996)
Manufacture of artificial soil from JP 95-199224 19950712 (1997)
waste rock wool
Mineral wool waste cement US 85-789691 19851021 (1987)
Asbestos-free, fibre reinforced DD 89-329861 19890622 (1990)
composite cement products
Fillers for bituminous mixtures, US 95-568791 19951207 (1997)
especially asphalt mastic
Adhesive mastic SU 85-3928669 19850716(1987)
Bussell & McKennie—Rockwool in horticulture 35

Assumptions: New Zealand Grodan recycling system

Master 1 Year SLAB

Dimensions: I (6OOkg/m3) '

1000 x 200 x 75 mm = 0.015m3/slab |
(66.666 slabs/m3)
Fibre (55.33kg/m3) = 830g/slab|
Plastic sleeves (2.399kg/m3) = 36g/sleeve

- De-sleeving
-Granulating
- Screening

Fig. 2 Proposed rockwool recycling system for New Zealand.

(LCA), the objective of which is to provide a quick The detail of preparing rockwool for reuse and
and reliable insight into the environmental profiles how it might be reused may become quite specific
of a crop production system throughout its "life for New Zealand. It is likely that some of the
cycle". The parts include extraction of raw materi- "Grodan solutions" (Table 3) and some of the other
als, processing and manufacture of a product (in this current European means of reuse, e.g., brick mak-
instance rockwool), distribution of the product, crop ing, will not be immediately applicable for New
production in the product, and finally the discard- Zealand. Further clues for the reuse of horticultural
ing or reuse of waste material. A stylised partial LCA rockwool in New Zealand may be provided by some
for rockwool in New Zealand, including assumed of the patents developed (Table 4) for the use of
volumes, is given in Fig. 2. It starts at the point of waste from the manufacturing of insulation
sale in New Zealand (since there is no manufacturer rockwool. These matters await further investigation.
here) and ends at the point of granulation and reuse
(using incorporation of the used slabs by a compost
manufacturer as an example of a reuse option).
The three key people in the life cycle of rockwool ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
in New Zealand are: wholesaler/distributor, who We thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
sells the product(s) to the grower; grower, who pur- Sustainable Farming Fund; Tomato Sector, VegFed; Veg-
chases the product, wraps it (if not ordered and sold Gro Supplies Ltd; and Grodan A/S for financial support.
pre-wrapped), carries out the cultural practices of
hydration, planting, production (which adds water,
fertiliser, and root matter from the plant to the sys-
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