Good news! Biobased manufacturers interested in obtaining the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice label may now use methyl soyate, without volume limits, as part of their sustainable formulations.
The United Soybean Board’s (USB) multi-year scientific testing project has resulted in successful recognition of methyl soyate as a full green circle safer chemical ingredient for use in industrial products. USB worked closely with the EPA for the past several years to provide scientific data on methyl soyate required to support this designation.
The Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) is a list of chemical ingredients, arranged by functional-use class, that the Safer Choice Program has evaluated and determined to be safer than traditional chemical ingredients. This list is designed to help manufacturers find safer chemical alternatives that meet the criteria of the Safer Choice Program.
Here are some answers to questions you may have:
Q: What has changed?
A: Based on the testing provided by USB, EPA’s Safer Choice Program has classified methyl soyate with the full green circle designation on its Safer Chemicals Ingredient List (SCIL). According to EPA, a green circle means, “the chemical has been verified to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data.”
Q: How will this change impact biobased manufacturers?
A: The full-green circle designation means that a manufacturer applying for the Safer Choice label for a finished end-use product will have no limitation on the amount of methyl soyate used in the product formulation. EPA’s Safer Choice eco-label is designed to help consumers and commercial buyers identify products with safer chemical ingredients.
Q: Why is USB involved?
A: USB engaged in a multi-year effort aimed at increasing demand for methyl soyate as an ingredient or carrier solvent. USB stepped in to fill the void in this important scientific process with EPA – one that could not have been filled by an individual manufacturer.
Q: Why should I consider using methyl soyate in biobased products?
A: Methyl soyate is a low-cost, readily biodegradable alternative that can replace traditional chlorinated and petroleum solvents in cleaners, paint strippers, adhesive and graffiti removers, parts cleaners and degreasers and as a carrier solvent for coatings and adhesives. According to 2012 market data, there is a 1.3 billion pound potential U.S. market for the use of methyl soyate in these products, but the 2011 U.S. market demand was only estimated to be 50 million pounds.
*Methyl soyate, or soy methyl ester, is produced by transesterification of soybean oil and methanol with a sodium hydroxide catalyst. It is a safer alternative to chlorinated, petroleum and oxygenated solvents. It offers very low flammability, a very high flash point (greater than 360 degrees F), low VOC levels (<50 g/l), and is not listed as a Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) or ozone-depleting chemical (ODC).
You can use methyl soyate to make products more sustainable and environmentally-friendly, without sacrificing performance or increasing price.
Q: Where can I find more information about EPA’s Safer Choice Program?
A: You can visit the EPA Safer Choice website to learn more about the list of safer chemical ingredients and the process for obtaining a Safer Choice label.
*Source: DL Laboratory analysis conducted for OmniTech International.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice program recently designated methyl soyate as a “full green circle” safer chemical ingredient for use in industrial products. According to EPA, a green circle means, “the chemical has been verified to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data.”
The full-green circle designation means that a manufacturer applying for the Safer Choice label for a finished end-use product will have no limitation on the amount of methyl soyate used in the product formulation. EPA’s Safer Choice eco-label is designed to help consumers and commercial buyers identify products with safer chemical ingredients
The United Soybean Board (USB) engaged in a multi-year scientific testing project with EPA to provide scientific data on methyl soyate required to support this designation. Based on the testing provided by USB, EPA’s Safer Choice Program now designates methyl soyate with a full-green circle on its Safer Chemicals Ingredient List (SCIL).
“Our multi-year effort is a prime example of the important role USB is playing in increasing demand for methyl soyate as an ingredient or carrier solvent,” said Jim Carroll, USB’s Demand Action Team Chair. “Manufacturers that are interested in obtaining the EPA Safer Choice label may now use methyl soyate, without volume limits, as part of their sustainable formulations.”
USB is committed to increasing opportunities for greater use of methyl soyate, a low-cost, readily biodegradable alternative that can replace traditional chlorinated and petroleum solvents in cleaners, paint strippers, adhesive and graffiti removers, parts cleaners and degreasers and as a carrier solvent for coatings and adhesives. According to 2012 market data, there is a 1.3 billion pound potential U.S. market for the use of methyl soyate in these products, but the 2011 U.S. market demand was only estimated to be 50 million pounds. In addition to meeting EPA’s safer chemical ingredient criteria, methyl soyate has very low flammability, a very high flash point, low VOC levels and is not listed as a Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) or ozone-depleting chemical (ODC).
“EPA’s decision is another step forward in helping to capitalize on the enormous potential market for using this soy-based alternative to petroleum,” added Carroll.
Because of the potential for biobased products to create new markets for soybeans, U.S. soybean farmers have invested millions of dollars to research, test and promote biobased products. Much of this work was done through the United Soybean Board, which is composed of 73 U.S. soybean farmers appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to invest soybean checkoff funds. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services has oversight responsibilities for the soybean checkoff.