Exploration of Soy Products in Production
Soy-based products are a more sustainable and increasingly common solution for improving upon regularly utilized products. With soy being implemented into over 1,000 known uses today, some of the more recent advancements include soy-based asphalt sealant and soy-based paint used for striping on roadways.
Biobased products are taking over new landscapes, including Badlands National Park, marking an exciting revolution for the inclusion of soybeans in natural landscapes.
In today’s Q&A blog, we discussed the use of soy-based products within the Badlands National Park landscape with Austin Hohmann, Product Manager at Colorbiotics, as well as the benefits of using natural products in natural landscapes with Mark Mitts, Transportation Program Manager at the National Park Service.
SD Soybean Executive Director, Jerry Schmitz, talking with the coordinators of this project.
What is the longevity of this biobased product?
This biobased product looks to turn back the aging and preserve the pavement for another 3-5 years. This can change depending on the original age/ condition of the pavement to which the material is applied.
What are some of the benefits of implementing this biobased product vs. another competitive product on the market?
This product has the highest biobased content on the market and provides a clear coating that doesn’t compromise the paint striping. Additionally, this product penetrates the pavement at least 1” to turn back the aging that has occurred.
Why should consumers/cities/other national parks consider using this product?
This biobased product is a VOC-free product that comes from nature, which enables us to give back and preserve it.
Colorbiotics team applying the biobased asphalt sealant
How do you see this product being used five years from now?
This product has a bright future with the capabilities for its use. The modular design of the base polymer allows for multiple fields of application to be captured that range from the medical field to packaging to asphalt. Over the next five years, this product will show up in asphalt, concrete, and urethanes.
This will be a VOC-free additive and topical agent that improves the durability and longevity of not only asphalt but also concrete. The tree-branched-like structure will also allow us to design urethanes uniquely.
What is the sustainability/longevity of this product?
Our products range from 100-86% biobased content.
How are soybeans incorporated into your eco-friendly product?
We modified soybean oil and turned it into a biobased soybean polymer.
National Park Service
Why is the NPS interested in using sustainable products?
The National Park Service’s (NPS) history of preserving the country’s greatest natural and cultural resources has established it as a model for environmental stewardship. Beyond protecting the resources in our iconic national parks, the NPS also strives to achieve the broader aims of preserving and protecting natural resources at the regional, national, and global levels.
The NPS continuously works to improve environmental performance by meeting and exceeding the requirements of all applicable environmental laws and adopting sustainable best practices and enhancing the sustainability of our landscapes where technically and economically feasible and appropriate.
How will the performance of the product be measured?
Core samples will be taken on the section of asphalt treated with soy-based sealant and the adjacent asphalt treated with conventional petroleum-based sealants. Periodic core samples would be load tested and visually assessed. In addition, pavement surfaces will be during the standard FHWA/NPS Road Inventory Program cycle.
As a natural environment/national park, what were the sustainability benefits of the biobased products used today that initially interested you?
The NPS is committed to advancing the sustainability of park facilities, operations, and landscapes and engaging partners and visitors to promote sustainability inside and outside parks. We are interested in reducing the impact on groundwater and waterways and are investigating this method as one way to do that.
Why is it important for natural environments to use natural products?
The sustainable management of materials used in NPS operations—from the use of locally sourced and environmentally friendly materials in construction to the diversion of solid waste from landfills—has a significant benefit on the environment.
For more on Soybeans Taking Over New Landscapes, check out our blog; for New Uses for Soy, read this blog.
