Ottawa supports project to develop greener asphalt mix

Key Takeaways:

• FPInnovations has been testing asphalt mixes that use wood-derived products instead of petroleum-based ones.
• The asphalt has already been tested in a variety of environments and will soon be tested in Quebec.
• The technology could increase pavement preservation and extend service life for pavements and roads in the face of climate change.

The Whole Story:

Natural Resources Canada will contribute $1.5 million to FPInnovations for an innovative project that aims to develop asphalt that contains wood-derived products from Canada’s forest sector.

FPInnovations, in collaboration with the construction firm Eurovia and the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable du Québec, will conduct an on-road pilot in Ange-Gardien, Quebec. Pilots have also been conducted in other provinces to test the asphalt’s performance in the wide range of climate conditions.

“Canada is blessed with immense forest resources,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of energy and Natural Resources. “Finding innovative ways of managing and utilizing these resources can provide new pathways for low-carbon solutions. This means lower emissions and good, sustainable jobs for workers. This partnership with FPInnovations is paving the way for a more sustainable Canada.”

The new asphalt being tested contains a renewable bioproduct, lignin, which is intended to replace a portion of the petroleum-based bitumen currently found in the asphalt used in roads. This new product would increase pavement preservation and possibly extend service life for pavements and roads in the face of climate change.

The $1.5-million contribution is being delivered through the Forest Innovation Program (FIP), which supports the development of new technologies and practices that improve the environmental sustainability and economic productivity of Canada’s forest sector.