Carbon based materials and additives, principally biochar; soil amendments in the form of biochar, soil additives, biochar that promotes water retention in soil, biochar for use as a soil conditioner; biochar in the nature of filtering materials in water, materials for water and waste recycling, namely, biochar for the treatment of water and wastewater; biochar for filtering heavy metals and contaminants from water and soil; biochar additives; activated biochar