Research and Development | Emerging Technologies

Emerging Technologies

Universities

Laflèche Environmental is currently financing studies with four separate universities to expand the boundaries of environmental science and practice. Our financial contributions to these institutions amount to approximately $50,000 per year.

University of Ottawa

The first is a study at the University of Ottawa to determine the effectiveness of the peat filters used in the leachate treatment system. These filters are designed to removes contaminants such as heavy metals, ammonias, and hydrogen sulphides from the leachate in the initial stage of treatment.

University of Maine

The second study conducted by the University of Maine is investigating the hydrological conductivity of tire shreds under weight in the drainage layer in the place of stone. Under this study, tire shreds are already being permitted by the Ministry of the Environment in the berm at the perimeter of the first section of the BioReactor.

University of Western Ontario

In partnership with Laflèche Environmental, the University of Western Ontario is conducting a study that examines how long tire shreds will last as a drainage material without clogging.

Based on the results of this study, Laflèche Environmental has formed a new business, Trensept Laflèche Inc. This new company is focused on recycling scrap tires and producing shredded rubber chips for civil engineering applications. Fully sanctioned by the Ministry of the Environment, Trensept Laflèche Inc. holds a Certificate of Approval allowing for the processing of 3,500,000 tires per year. This represents more than one quarter of all scrap tires generated in Ontario annually and makes us the largest processing facility in the province.

Trensept Laflèche Inc. represents Eastern Ontario's first legal, environmentally responsible tire recycling facility. Together with dealers, haulers, and municipalities we are striving to provide a cost-effective alternative to illegal dumping, stockpiling, and trans-border disposal.

While we plan to make use of the shredded tires on our own site, we are also planning to provide the rubber for resale to other markets, for landscaping and for agricultural products, such as "cow pillows" for sedentary cattle.

For more information, please visit http://trenseptlafleche.com/ .

University of Guelph

Finally, Laflèche Environmental is funding a study by researchers at the Rural Wastewater Centre at the University of Guelph's Alfred College. We have also made our site available to the college's students and researchers, allowing them to sample from, and test the effectiveness of, our leachate treatment and containment system.

The Centre's goal is to develop and promote sustainable wastewater treatment systems for rural communities and industries. Our participation allows them to gain valuable data and information, as well as real world experience that can be applied to other projects in the future.

Other Initiatives

Sustainable waste management is just one of many emerging technologies in which Laflèche Environmental has invested. We will soon begin harvesting methane from our BioReactor - a project that we estimate will yield enough power to run at least 1,000 homes for more than 50 years. We are also working on plans to being recycling construction and demolition waste, and recycling contaminated soil for reuse.