County spills the beans
From www.theobserver.ca The Observer
By Paul Morden
Lambton County’s road department is experimenting with a new use for soybeans that could ultimately lead to new local investment.
The county is testing a product called RePlay on a one kilo-metre section of County Road 79, north of Arkona.
The product is an agricultural oil seal and preservation agency that promises to extend the life of asphalt paving.
“They’re using a soy-based material instead of using petroleum,” said Jim Kutyba, the county’s general manager of infrastructure and development services.
The soybean product is better for the environment and could create a new market for the soybeans grown in Lambton and Ontario.
“We’re actually looking at it as a business development type of process with the Sarnia-Lambton economic partnership, to hopefully develop a processing facility in Lambton County, Kutyba said.
The soybean oil used in the product is currently processed in the U.S., he said.
“Right now, there are no processing facilities for this type of oil in Canada, from what I understand.”
The U.S. plant is running close to capacity and Canada is being looked at as a possible location for another facility, he added.
The material was to be applied to the test section of county road Wednesday. Officials will watch to see how it holds up compared to the untreated roadway.
“It’s basically a test to see how it works, and to assist in that business development,” Kutyba said.
The material is sprayed on roads and soaks into the asphalt and “brings it back to life,” he said.
The promise is that it will extend the life of roads so they doesn’t have to be repaved as often.
“If we can extend it by five to seven years,” Kutyba said, “that’s certainly becomes an economic benefit to the taxpayer of the county.
pmorden@theobserver.ca
Observer Article ID# 2809888
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