Deteriorating concrete is a headache for anyone using today’s concrete highways and city streets, and city officials and residents can be most affected. PoreShield, a soy-based concrete preservation technology that has proven to extend the life of concrete by five to nine times, just might be the right medicine for that headache.
The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSRR&PC) is investing soybean soybean dollars toward promoting this product throughout the state. On July 6, the city of Hutchinson stepped up to the plate to be the first commercial application of this new PoreShield product to various sidewalks, as well as a few sections at the airport.
“It is exciting to see another checkoff-developed, soy-based product come to market that will help preserve the concrete roads and bridges that we all have a big investment in,” said Mike Youngerberg, MSR&PC’s senior director of product development and commercialization. “Adding more useful years of life to our roads saves us all money.”
Developed by Indiana Soybean and the United Soybean Board, PoreShield is made from renewable and sustainable soybeans with soy methyl ester-polystyrene as its base, making it 93 percent bio-content. It’s absorbed deep into concrete pores, unlike other products that merely coat the surface, and in just one application provides 10 years of protection against water, salt and freeze/thaw damage.
With a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) so low that it exceeds national standards, PoreShield reduces emissions and drops concrete replacement rates, which in turn lowers the carbon footprint. Furthermore, because PoreShield is non-toxic, there isn’t a need to worry about overspray on water or land when it’s being applied.
As the world strives to reduce their carbon impact, the city of Hutchinson is doing its part to promote value-added soy products. And, thanks to MSR&PC investing in the effort to spread the word about sustainable technologies like PoreShield, Minnesota farmers can rest assured their checkoff dollars are being wisely invested.
