British Hemp Alliance talk Hemp at CMGA
At the recent CMGA Entrepreneurial Event in Cornwall, the British Hemp Alliance (BHA) Technical Director Nathaniel Loxley delivered a compelling pitch that positioned industrial hemp as a powerful, nature-based solution to one of the UK’s most persistent environmental challenges: heavy metal contamination in mining-affected soils.
Cornwall, with its long mining history, provided a fitting backdrop for a discussion that bridges environmental remediation, sustainable construction, and regenerative land use. Nathaniel’s presentation explored how industrial hemp can play a transformative role in restoring contaminated land while creating tangible economic and environmental value.
The Challenge: Heavy Metal Pollution in Post-Mining Landscapes
Historic mining activity has left many sites across the UK contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. These pollutants persist in soils for decades, posing risks to:
Human health
Water quality
Biodiversity
Land usability and economic redevelopment
Traditional remediation methods—such as soil removal or chemical treatment—are often expensive, carbon-intensive, and disruptive to ecosystems. As pressure grows to deliver sustainable, cost-effective remediation strategies, attention is turning toward biological solutions.
Industrial Hemp and Phytoremediation
Nathaniel highlighted a growing body of research showing that industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has significant potential in phytoremediation—the use of plants to stabilise, extract, or immobilise contaminants from soil.
Key attributes of industrial hemp include:
Deep and fast-growing root systems, improving soil structure
High biomass production, enabling efficient uptake of contaminants
Tolerance to polluted soils, allowing growth where other crops fail
Carbon sequestration, contributing to climate mitigation goals
Research indicates that hemp can absorb and stabilise heavy metals without entering the food chain when grown for industrial, non-consumable applications—making it particularly suitable for contaminated sites.
From Remediation to Regeneration
A central theme of the pitch was that hemp remediation should not be viewed as a standalone environmental intervention, but as part of a regenerative land-use strategy.
Rather than leaving remediated land idle, hemp enables a circular model where contaminated sites can be:
Stabilised and improved through phytoremediation
Used to grow industrial hemp crops
Converted into non-food, non-textile products, such as construction materials
This approach transforms environmental liability into productive, climate-positive land use.
Hemp Construction: Building with Purpose
Nathaniel also spoke about the role of hemp-based construction materials, particularly hempcrete, as a downstream application of industrial hemp grown on remediation sites.
Hemp construction materials offer multiple advantages:
Carbon-negative or carbon-storing building solutions
Excellent thermal and moisture regulation
Non-toxic, breathable, and durable properties
Alignment with low-carbon building regulations and retrofit needs
While hemp grown on contaminated soils would not be suitable for food or wellness markets, it can be safely used in construction and industrial composites, ensuring materials are diverted into appropriate, regulated uses.
Research, Evidence, and the Road Ahead
The pitch emphasised the importance of robust research partnerships to further quantify hemp’s remediation potential across different soil types and contamination profiles.
Areas of ongoing and future research include:
Uptake rates of specific heavy metals
Soil health improvements over successive growing cycles
Best practices for biomass handling and end-use
Integration with land restoration and planning frameworks
By grounding advocacy in evidence, the BHA aims to support policymakers, landowners, and industry partners with credible, scalable solutions.
Seeking Partnerships: An Invitation to Mining Site Owners and Operators
A key outcome of Nathaniel’s presentation was a call for collaboration.
The British Hemp Alliance is actively seeking partnership opportunities with:
Owners of historic or inactive mining sites
Operators managing contaminated land
These partnerships would explore pilot projects, data-sharing initiatives, and long-term strategies to remediate land while generating environmental and economic returns.
A Natural Solution with National Relevance
As the UK looks to address legacy pollution, meet climate targets, and unlock sustainable construction pathways, industrial hemp offers a rare convergence of solutions.
