Polish construction firm Budimex and refiner Lotos have created a floral-scented asphalt in a bid to improve working conditions for road builders, Budimex said on Monday.
While vapors emitted by ordinary asphalt are not harmful to humans, the novel material will provide a more comfortable working environment for construction workers paving roads, Budimex said.
The new bitumen contains a mixture of natural and synthetic essential oils, most of which neutralize the typical smell of asphalt, while the remaining ones add a more pleasing scent to the compound.
"At times one could smell the scent of flowers, which made working more pleasant", Slawomir Szpak, a foreman for Budimex was quoted as saying in a press release.
Budimex said it will consider introducing the new compound on a wider scale.
