R&D
We have launched trials to test our all-natural bio-based resin as a replacement for horticultural plastic. This research, supported by a grant given by the commercialization stream of the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI), and administered by Bioenterprise Canada, will help Biodiffusion Technologies Inc. gather the data needed to assess the efficacy of our products in a number of specific agricultural settings. Our successful application to OAFRI led to $150,000 in funding for preliminary laboratory and field trials that we will use to determine whether our products are both effective and affordable substitutes for plastic in these agricultural settings.
We are testing the effectiveness of our products as treatments to prevent soil erosion and chemical loss, replace plastic in corrugate packaging and animal feed bunk silos, act as a field mulch, enhance the fertility of the soil, and reduce surface evaporation. We have partnered with researchers at the University of Guelph, Conestoga College, and the University of Waterloo to conduct these trials. One of the more exciting trials includes the application of our products to a field that can be subject to controlled wind conditions, which will allow us to determine our products’ ability to limit soil erosion. We will also be assessing the effect of our products on the soil over time, and will be examining changes in temperature, pH, micro and macronutrients, and the microbial community that is so vital to farmers and gardeners.
The outcome of the trials, currently underway, will lead to the refinement of our market-ready
and environmentally friendly products in the agricultural sector.
OAFRI – Commercialization Stream
In early 2022, BDT was awarded a Fast-Track-to-Financing grant by Natural Products Canada, an innovation hub and investment fund that supports the growth of sustainable Canadian-made products. This grant enabled us to develop a comprehensive validation plan to test our products’ applications in critical infrastructure, including roads and stockpile management. Our goal with this project is to demonstrate that our bioresins can help extend the lifespan of roads and roadways, prevent erosion, and seal stockpiles of materials that would otherwise leech into or blow onto nearby areas.
The project’s validation plan was developed by Dave Hein, a globally recognized engineer with 20 years of experience and expertise in the technical process of roadway construction evaluation. He will be overseeing the trials to ensure that the correct process is followed from start to finish. We have also partnered with Englobe, an engineering services firm with specialized laboratory equipment that will allow us to test our products in a controlled environment. Our research plan is designed to validate and optimize our product line for roadway construction, rehabilitation and maintenance, and stockpile sealing operations.
Additionally, this project includes small-scale trials in Wellington County and Cochrane, Ontario, two communities that work hard to maintain their roadways in challenging environmental conditions. https://www.naturalproductscanada.com/en
