Woolwerx Wool Pellet Project: A collaborative Elizabeth Fry Society – UBC exploration of the potential of waste wool as a soil additive to enhance plant growth and retain water for slow release

The Woolwerx Wool Pellet Project is a collaborative project between the Elizabeth Fry Society (EFry) of Greater Vancouver and Prof. Sue Grayston, a soil scientist in the Faculties of Land & Food Systems and Forestry at UBC, to evaluate the potential of using waste wool as a method to enhance soil structure, retain moisture and increase nutrient availability in soil, stimulating plant growth. BC farmers donate waste fleece that is otherwise landfilled. Fleece is pelletized at Woolwerx’s New Westminster, BC facility. Woolwerx is EFry’s social enterprise that trains and employs criminalized women in the Lower Mainland. As such, workers are predominantly Indigenous and racialized, over half are sole-caregiving mothers. Women process fleece into wool products, master new skills and increase their standard of living. UBC has expertize in soil analytical techniques and plant growth skills that can help EFry potentially create a new product. Under the supervision of Sue Grayston, the UBC intern will undertake the project through a collaborative design to engage and understand the needs of criminalized women EFry supports.

Faculty Supervisor:

Susan Grayston

Student:

Partner:

Elizabeth Fry Society of Vancouver

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: