RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL (gatherers for removing stone or the like from the soil A01B43/00; sterilising soil by steam A01G11/00; removing undesirable matter, e.g. rubbish, from the land E01H15/00)

Description

B09C covers methods and systems for treating and remediating soil contaminated by chemical substances, pollutants, or hazardous materials. This includes physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes such as soil washing, thermal remediation, bioremediation, and stabilization techniques applied in situ or ex situ. The classification encompasses equipment and apparatus designed specifically for soil decontamination, as well as procedural approaches to restore contaminated land for safe reuse. Related waste disposal technologies are classified separately under B09B.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass B09C recorded 17,375 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 555 in 2013 to 1,774 in 2023 (+220%), peaking at 2,398 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B09 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (533 applications), UNI-CHARM CORPORATION (166 applications) and CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY (160 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings