A new type of asphalt will be part of a working trial in Thunder Bay.
Thunder Bay will be testing out the longevity and efficiency of lignin in asphalt, the first in Ontario to test the forestry by-product.
Lignin is removed from wood pulp in the manufacturing of paper and has a number of industrial uses. In this test, it will replace some of the bitumen used in asphalt, acting like a natural glue.
Thunder Bay’s Director of Engineering and Operations Kayla Dixon says it could help the city make some money.
“If the trial works well and we’re able to continue to improve that technology, there is the possibility that this could support Thunder Bay’s economy. We do have a lignin extraction plant here in town,” she points out. “We would end up with a greener asphalt product as well.”
The test will see how it fares in a Northern Ontario winter, specifically at the city’s Solid Waste and Recycling Facility.
It was previously tested in a community in Alberta.
