This research concerned the possibilities of the natural management of ash, which is a waste product obtained in the process of burning wood chips in a bio-heating plant. The basis of the research was a pot experiment, which was carried out in a greenhouse of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. This experiment dealt with the influence of increasing doses of wood biomass ash added to soil on selected soil properties. The soil used for the pot experiment was taken from the arable layer (0–25 cm) of the soil. It was characterized by acidic reaction, low salinity, and an average content of total carbon (TC). The test plant was corn. Soil analysis after plant harvest showed an increase in pH and a significant improvement of soil sorption properties, without causing an excessive increase in soil salinity. In addition, a significant increase in the content of available K, P, and Mg was observed, which at the highest dose of WBA reached: 121.9; 109.3, and 41.33 mg kg⁻¹ of soil, respectively. The content of trace metals: iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), chrome (Cr), and nickel (Ni) in the soil was quite varied but did not exceed the permissible values for agricultural soils. The content of available forms of these trace metals at the highest dose of WBA was, respectively, 1004, 129.9, 8.70, 2.08, 5.54, 0.195, 1.47, 0.97, and 1.92 kg⁻¹ of soil. The results confirmed the significant fertilizing potential of wood biomass ash.

Illegal landfills should be continuously monitored to avoid such risks and become part of an environmental risk management strategy. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the impact of an illegal landfill on the microbiological, biochemical, and physicochemical status of the soil as a function of land use and the distance of soil c ollection around the landfill. The study area from which the soil samples were taken was an illegal landfill in central Poland (Central Europe). The impact of the illegal landfill on the condition of the soil was assessed on the basis of the microbiological and biochemical indicators and the physicochemical properties of the soil. It was found that the illegal landfill significantly affects the soil environment, which was confirmed by the values of microbiological, biochemical, and physicochemical soil properties. The factors that affected the soil properties were the type of land use and the distance of the soil samples from the landfill, which significantly affected the microbiological and biochemical properties of the soil. Microbiological, biochemical, and physicochemical indicators of the soil in the vicinity of an illegal landfill can be very useful in predicting risks to the environment and human health. The studies presented can be used for planning sustainable waste management.