Photo: Jeff Green
Believe it or not ladies and gentlemen, the soybean is no longer used only to make tofu. There is soy roof coating, soy elevator grease and soy insulation. Yes – the soybean is being used in construction materials. Soybean-based products are useful for people who are sensitive to chemicals or who just want better indoor air quality. They contain no urea/formaldehyde and release no volatile chemicals (even though they are processed with chemicals). Most importantly soybean foam insulation is resistant to mold and mildew. It is sprayed on and expands in the wall. According to the United Soybean Board “soy insulation provides insulation characteristics that are as good as or better in four-inch walls as traditional batting insulations with six-inch stud construction. And unlike traditional batting, it’s free of formaldehyde. Soy-based insulation may also reduce building costs by decreasing the amount of lumber used.”
There are quite a few other uses that are also helping keep our environment cleaner and safer. The backing on your carpet and the padding underneath are soy based. Wood-like composites made from soy can be used for floors, paneling, tabletops, and more. Soy candles don’t get as hot as paraffin candles and the fragrance spreads faster. More importantly they burn cleaner and don’t leave soot.
And let’s not forget about the kids. There are soy crayons that have more color, don’t rub off and even cost less. There’s a new toy called “Tofu Bear”. It’s made from SOYSILK which is yarn developed using the residual compounds of soybeans following tofu manufacturing.
We live in an exciting world. Let’s work together to keep it clean and safe for many generations to come.
Technorati: soybean products, soy insulation, soy plywood, soybean countertops, soysilk
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