Where
there's mulch
Biology lecturer Dr Geoff Whiteley has
been awarded £48,000 to commercialise his research into
environmentally friendly methods of creating peat-free
compost and mulch.
Dr
WhiteleyÕs innovation, (Reporter 458) uses ordinary
straw, coated with a naturally occurring mineral preparation,
creating a cost-effective, light and long-lasting mulch,
with qualities similar to peat.
The
award, from the lottery funded National Endowment for
Science Technology & the Arts (NESTA) looks not only at
the commercial potential of the project, but also at the
benefits to society and the environment, and is based
on a percentage return if the project becomes successful.
Dr
Whiteley plans to use the money to protect the intellectual
property rights – patents are currently being applied
for with the help of Leeds Innovations – and to undertake
commerical scale trials in the UK.
For
more information, see the NESTA website
