City of Winnipeg uses DUST/BLOKR for dust control on municipal roads.
We’re coming home! After years of successful projects around the globe, we are excited to announce that the City of Winnipeg has used DUST/BLOKR® for dust control on municipal roads in our hometown for the first time in 2021, after only doing small demonstration projects in previous years.
City Resident Takes Action
Cypher Environmental is grateful to the Winnipeg resident who has helped to convince the City to try DUST/BLOKR®. Darren Van Wynsberge, or as some might say “the unofficial Mayor of Charleswood”, was unhappy when his new truck was showing signs of corrosion after only a few weeks. It turns out that Darren’s street was being treated with magnesium chloride, which has been known to be corrosive to vehicles and roadway infrastructure, to control dust. Other residents had noticed the same problem with rust on their vehicles. On the same street, Darren has also lost mature trees on his property, which he attributes to chemical contamination.
As an outspoken citizen, Darren says, “I went to the City and demanded that our street should no longer be treated with these road chemicals.” Darren called and lobbied City Councillors relentlessly until they accepted his demand for an environmentally friendly alternative road treatment.
“That’s when I found Cypher Environmental,” says Darren. He pushed the city to try Cypher’s environmentally friendly products on his neighbourhood roads. After that first application, “It led to awareness that there were alternatives to road salts that the City should consider.”
What Darren likes about DUST/BLOKR® is, “It’s non-corrosive and it yields good results. Even after 1 year and a winter of snow, the results are still very good.”
City of Winnipeg Approval
Cypher’s CEO Todd Burns describes the thorough testing process the city underwent before choosing DUST/BLOKR®, which is a non-corrosive and environmentally friendly alternative to road salts that are commonly used for dust control. “At first we did cost-sharing for two years in a row, and it worked well, so they purchased the product in the third year,” explains Todd, “but this year, they contacted us and said they wanted to expand the program, and they wanted to include our eco-friendly product in their annual road dust control tender.”
Cypher products have already earned global adoption, which makes the contract to supply the City even more fruitful. After years of worldwide growth and advocacy within Winnipeg, it’s a rewarding experience to finally drive on DUST/BLOKR®-treated roads in the city where we manufactured it. “I can finally show my friends and family what we do and take them on a ride on a treated road – as opposed to just telling them about it!” says Burns.
Local Support
By using DUST/BLOKR®, the City of Winnipeg is reducing its environmental footprint while supporting innovation from local businesses. We have received very positive feedback from representatives from the Streets and Maintenance department as well as city residents for the dust control on municipal roads that Cypher was able to achieve.
Jeff Scott, COO at Southwood Golf Course, said that he noticed a remarkable difference on Rue des Trappistes, a neighboring road that was treated with DUST/BLOKR® this spring. “There is a very noticeable reduction in traffic dust, that has provided a more enjoyable experience for our members who can now drive on a safer road with better visibility,” says Scott.
Meanwhile, we have also received enormous support and endorsement from other city organizations like Economic Development Winnipeg. In fact, we were recently asked to present our clean technologies to the Intelligent Community Forum Institute for their bid for Most Intelligent City in the world.
Burns, who also drives to his own home on a DUST/BLOKR®-treated road proclaims, “We would never make a product that we wouldn’t put in our own backyard.”
