Powered by U.S. soy: From asphalt to tires, soy-based products drive value

WASHINGTON — United Soybean Board director Barry Alexander sees a bright future for soy-based products — and some of it is right under our feet, or tires.

About 94% of the nation’s 2.8 million miles of paved roads are surfaced with asphalt. If soy-based materials can replace even a portion of petroleum-based asphalt components, it could create significant new demand for U.S. soybeans.

Alexander, along with soy-business leaders, discussed demand for soy in a recent webinar hosted by Agri-Pulse.

There are eight main buckets soy can be used for: paints and coatings, infrastructure, lubricants, surfactants, adhesives, rubber, polyurethanes, and plastics.

“Soy is a perfect fit for industrial uses,” Alexander said. “It’s 100% renewable, 100% sustainable.

“Checkoff invests in places that soy can replace petroleum and other harsh chemicals. A great example is asphalt.”

Concrete is another area he sees potential in.

“We have new concrete treatments that we’ve funded research on that helps to restore concrete and build its longevity,” he said.

“A two-lane road uses about 200 bushels of soybeans per treatment. For every dollar of checkoff-funded research we fund, it’s about a $42.88 return.

“My working group is funding about $7 million worth of projects. We can turn that $7 million into $300 million pretty quick. That’s a testament to what checkoff is doing.”

Lindsey Hermes, CEO of BioSpan Technologies, sees the versatile uses for soy firsthand.

“BioSpan was founded in 1993 by my father with a simple vision: take something renewable — U.S. soybeans — and turn it into high-performance materials that can replace petroleum across the entire industry,” she said.

“It started when he discovered a soy-based compound that could dissolve asphalt and tar. This small, almost accidental discovery turned into something with global-scale potential.”

The company has five product lines — asphalt, concrete, dust control, cleaning and energy — all of which include bio-based content such as soy.

“I like to say we sell Botox for roads in our flagship products,” Hermes said. “They don’t just sit on the surface like paint or lipstick. We’re known for polymer technology that actually penetrates and rejuvenates pavement from within, below the surface.

“Soy-based chemistry can do what petroleum does cleaner and often cheaper, at a scale that’s already real. We’re literally growing the future of infrastructure and energy extraction, in our fields here, because everything we source is made and grown in America.”

Scott Porter, CEO and founder of Dynamic Green Products, said soybeans are at the core of their sustainable, effective lubricant.

“Soybean is a natural and better alternative than most petroleum feedstocks,” he said. “It’s great for the American bioeconomy.”