Latvia: Scientists develop ecological solution for road dust

Scientists from Latvia’s Riga Technical University (RTU) have developed an environmentally friendly solution to the problem of dusty roads, LSM reports. The solution is now being tested on several road sections. Viktor Kharitonov, lead researcher at RTU’s Faculty of Civil Engineering, said that the solution extracts lignin from waste generated in wood processing and uses lignosulfonate to bind the road dust particles. Kharitonov notes that calcium chloride is extracted from fossil resources and can cause corrosion in vehicles, whereas the lignosulfonate breaks down over time without polluting the environment.