Finally, a good use for soybean oil: Goodyear tires are stronger, more durable when made with soy

Thursday, September 12, 2013 by: L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
Tags: soybean oil, Goodyear tires, environmental consciousness

(NaturalNews) Partially hydrogenated soybean oil is pervasive in the standard American diet. Foods like fried chicken, French fries, doughnuts, cookies and crackers are made with partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is loaded with trans fatty acids known to clog arteries.

These trans fats not only increase blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) but also destroy good high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, welcoming heart conditions and type 2 diabetes.

Genetically engineered soy making matters worse

To make matters worse, approximately 90 percent of soy grown on US soil is genetically engineered. Designed to be "Roundup Ready," GE soy is engineered to survive lethal amounts of chemical herbicide. In an attempt to decrease the cost of production, companies like Monsanto ignore the health consequences that genetically altered seeds pose to the human body. The terminator soy plant is designed to survive herbicide chemicals, but, when it's fed to mammals, it's not recognized as natural. Infertility is one of the health consequences of GE soy, as studied in second-generation hamsters. In one comprehensive study, hamsters raised on GE soybeans possessed a five-fold higher infant mortality rate!

Further, the glyphosate-soaked soybean crop goes into the human body and poisons it. (Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup.) The glyphosate is introduced into the human gut and decimates beneficial gut bacteria. This negatively affects the immune system and also blocks natural detoxification of cells.

All in all, soybean oil, especially genetically modified soy, has been a danger to the human population.

That is, until now.

Researchers working with Goodyear have found a way to use soybean oil in the manufacture of their tires, effectively reducing petroleum consumption.

Goodyear puts soybean oil to better use

Goodyear is certainly moving in the right direction with new technology that allows soybean oil to replace petroleum for tire manufacture. While reducing petroleum consumption and benefitting the environment, Goodyear also makes better use of soybean oil.

(Maybe soybeans will be realized as a better fit for tires than human consumption.)

Goodyear states that soybean oil may be "a magic bullet," because it blends better with silica in the manufacturing process and reduces energy consumption at the factory. Soybean oil will also help increase tread life of new tires by 10 percent while cutting oil use by 7 million gallons a year!

"Goodyear is committed to caring for the environment and communities, and use of soybean oil is proving to be another way to accomplish this goal," Goodyear's chief technical officer, Jean-Claude Kihn, said. "Consumers benefit through improved tread life, Goodyear gains with increased efficiency and energy savings and we all win whenever there is a positive impact on the environment."

If testing goes well in Texas, the new soybean tire may hit shelves as soon as 2015. The consumer end price is still unknown, but with reduced oil consumption, the price may very well lower over time.

Goodyear becoming more environmentally conscious

The United Soybean Board (USB) is teaming up with Goodyear on the eve of new tire technology advances. The USB is funding a half a million dollars in research over the next two years to help tire manufacture become environmentally conscious. Goodyear has displayed their first soybean oil tire at the Ford Motor Company's research center in Dearborn, Michigan.

New York soybean farmer and USB's committee chairperson, Russ Carpenter, says, "The ongoing discovery of novel applications for soybean oil validates our commitment to the environment, cultivating a renewable feedstock that reduces carbon emissions and provides a natural replacement for petrochemical alternatives. The USB and America's soybean farmers are excited to support Goodyear in this effort to provide consumers with cost-effective, eco-friendly products."

In addition to soybean oil tires, Goodyear is researching new Air Maintenance Technology. This technology allows tires to remain inflated at optimum pressure without requiring external pumps. Built into the tire, the AMT system will improve fuel economy, reduce emission, add to tire life and enhance tire performance.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.goodyear.com

http://content.usatoday.com