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How Mattresses Could Solve Hunger

Refugees in Jordan and scientists from the UK are growing food using old mattresses.

Syrian refugees at Zaatari camp in Jordan and scientists from the University of Sheffield are working together to create a way to grow healthy, fresh food with nothing but water and old mattress foam.

These 'recycled gardens' use the mattresses in place of the soil, which solves two problems in one: It reuses the mountain of plastic mattresses that have piled up in the camp and it allows everyone to grow fresh food in a crowded, desert environment.

Victoria Gill has been to the camp in Jordan to see how it's working.

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8 minutes