Improving how contaminated sites are cleaned up, specifically eco-friendly gas station clean-up, has been the subject of a five-year long Usask research project. It’s a collaboration between Federated Co-operatives Limited, the federal agency NSRC, and the university. Soil Scientist Steve Siciliano and his team have been developing techniques to reduce hydrocarbons in the soil by more than 90 per cent.

Now, NSRC and FCL are kicking in $1.25 million dollars to renew the five-year term to build on the success so far and further optimize soil remediation approaches. The two invested a combined $2 million during the first five years of the run of research. Canada has more than 30 thousand sites contaminated with hydrocarbons or other pollutants.