A new type of asphalt will be part of a working trial in Thunder Bay.

As the first location in Ontario to try is new forestry by-product, Thunder Bay will be testing out the longevity and efficiency of lignin.

According to Britannica, lignin is removed from wood pulp in the manufacture of paper and has a number of industrial uses as a binder for particleboard and similar laminated or composite wood products, as a soil conditioner, as a filler or an active ingredient of phenolic resins, and as an adhesive for linoleum.

It will act as a natural glue in the asphalt mix and will be tested to see how it fares a Northern Ontario winter, specifically at the city’s Solid Waste & Recycling Facility.

It was previously tested in a community in Alberta.