Brian Roberts
DUNCAN – A new bio-based product has been developed by Ergo Eco Solutions that uses recycled organic food waste to control dust on unpaved roads.
The product recently completed a pilot test that utilized food waste collected from restaurants and commercial kitchens on Vancouver Island, the result of a partnership between Ergo and Malahat First Nation that was established in 2020. Their second test site was hosted by Colwood-based PATH Developments, demonstrated how it can reduce dust, emissions and water use on unpaved roads, which comprise the vast majority of roads in B.C.
The project is supported in part by advisory services and funding through the BC Fast Pilot program, delivered by Innovate BC and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
“This pilot confirms that circular innovation can help solve one of BC’s most persistent infrastructure challenges,” says Ergo CEO Brian Roberts. “By transforming recycled organic food waste into a high-performance dust control product, we’re showing how communities can improve air quality, reduce water use, cut emissions, and turn local waste streams into practical, scalable infrastructure solutions.”
Traditional dust control relies on tanker trucks applying water multiple times per day, a short-lived and labour-intensive practice that strains local water supplies. Ergo’s solution provides longer-lasting dust suppression, eliminating repeated water application and reducing the trips, fuel consumption, emissions and water use associated with conventional methods.
Ergo’s dust control solution is a biodegradable product designed for easy mixing with minimal water and application using standard dust-control equipment. It forms a durable bond with dust particles to stabilize surfaces and reduce airborne particulates.
Ergo’s dust control solution was applied across a 750-metre test section within the Malahat Nation’s eco-industrial business park and compared to traditional water-only methods and an untreated road segment. The product delivered 22 percent more effective dust suppression, longer-lasting performance, and visibly improved road conditions.
Modeled across the full 2-km road section, the results suggest Ergo’s dust control solution could potentially reduce water use by up to 99.5 percent, cut GHG emissions by 98.5 percent, lower operational costs by up to 65 percent, and reduce overall road maintenance needs.
“The performance of Ergo’s dust control product exceeded our expectations,” says Lawrence Lampson, Operations Manager, Malahat Nelson Limited Partnership. “It provided highly effective dust suppression that lasted for months after application, significantly improving road conditions and visibility. For any operator managing unpaved roads, this product offers a practical and reliable solution for dust control.”
A second test site hosted by PATH Developments is assessing Oil-ternative® as a way to reduce dust, improve on-site air quality, and better manage unpaved roads on development projects.
“What stood out for us was the combination of performance and sustainability. The product delivered excellent dust control that lasted longer, and it did so with far fewer truck runs and less water,” says Tony McGee, Field Service Manager, PATH Developments. “It’s a practical, sustainable solution we plan to keep using.”
The pilot marks an important step in Ergo Eco’s work to build a place-based circular clean-tech ecosystem linking local materials, Indigenous partnership, and waste-to-value innovation into a scalable model rooted on Vancouver Island.
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