Recycled newspaper is being spread on fields in East Anglia following a novel processing technique that enables it to be used as a soil conditioner without locking up nitrogen.

Paper crumble from a recycling plant at King’s Lynn is being applied at rates of up to 50t/ha (20t/acre) as a cost-effective way of boosting organic matter and improving soil structure on arable land across north-east Norfolk.

Spreading the blue-grey crumble leaves fields looking as though they are carpeted in lavender. Local interest in the practice has boomed since farmers in the area started spreading it just a few months ago.

The crumble is a by-product of the nearby paper processing industry. It consists of odourless woody fibres that cannot be reused and other safe biological material from the recycling process.

Farmer Steve Kilham, of agricultural contractors Greenworld, said: “I don’t like the term waste because it sounds like it’s something bad. It’s an amazingly consistent product almost as if it has been manufactured for agriculture.”

Mr Kilham, who also recycles garden waste on behalf of the local council, said he expected to spread up to 80,000 tonnes of paper crumble and green compost on local farms this year.

Until now, some growers have shied away from applying crumble, worrying that it locks up nitrogen in much the same way as chopped straw. But the inclusion of biological material in the mix looks to have overcome this problem.

Applications are authorised by the Environment Agency, which considers the crumble to have an agricultural benefit. On lighter land, it improves water and nutrient retention. On heavier soils, it improves workability.

Farmacy agronomist Ed Stevens said: “It’s a useful product because it can be spread easily and unlike some other bio-products there’s no need to incorporate or inject it into the soil. It’s also very low in potentially toxic elements.”

At current application rates, there were no signs of any nitrogen lock-up, due to the crumble’s low carbon to nitrogen ratio, Mr Stevens added.