Soybean growers now have a whole new market to consider for the future of their crop: the asphalt industry.
On Oct. 18, the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and Soy 20/20 hosted an event for members of the agriculture industry to learn more about an innovative new use of soybean products currently being promoted by a Listowel business, Surface Green Solutions.
“RePlay is a chemical asphalt sealant and rejuvenation product,” explained company president Bob Jamieson. “It is an all-green, environmentally-friendly product.”
Jamieson said RePlay is a liquid spray whose components are 60 percent soy oil, with the remainder from SBS and SBBS polymers created from recycled styrene additives, which contain no petroleum residuals. The product also contains potato and lemon oil by-products. The non-toxic product is biodegradable, as it is 93 percent bio-based.
The product is intended for use in large surface asphalt areas, mainly roads and parking lots, but is also safe for trails, laneways and runways.
“It reduces potholes and cracking,” Jamieson added.
“The product penetrates the surface from 0.75 inches to 1.25 inches in minutes and cures in approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
“It maintains skid resistance,” said Jamieson. “It adds 15 years to the asphalt surface.”
At a projected cost of approximately $2 a square metre (or $12,000 a kilometre for a two-lane road), the long-term preventative protection offered by the soy-based product has led three Ontario counties have to utilize RePlay since 2010, including Grey, Perth and Lambton.
Results are also being monitored in Alberta and Saskatchewan, where the product has been widely received.
While there are no current plans to use the product in Wellington County, Warden Chris White says it is worthy of consideration for the future.
“Obviously, any time there is an opportunity to save money on the roads budget, we are interested,” White said. “We have to keep our minds open to new products.”
White said he was pleased to see other counties testing the product, and stated that “over time, as the test results are proven,” there would be facts to go on in considering if the product would benefit this region.
“I am interested because this is an agricultural-based business and agriculture is important to our [county],” said White.
“This is a great boost for agriculture.”
Currently, RePlay is produced by Bio Span Technologies out of Missouri.
Rob Roe, director of bio-product commercialization for Soy 20/20 said while the product is made in the U.S., “we hope there is a future for this product made here in Canada.”
Added Jamieson, “We either would like to see BioSpan invest here in Ontario, or share the recipe here.”
Either way, it seems the future for soybean oil is keeping up with the growing demand for roads and the pressing need to find cost effective measures for road departments across Canada.
For more information visit www.soy2020.ca or contact Jamieson at info@surfacegreen.ca.
