The Iowa Stater
February 2002
ON A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT ...
Ever lose your lane when driving in dense
fog or torrential downpours? Probably not -- if you're driving in warmer
regions where reflective plastic road markers guide the way. In Iowa and
much of central North America,
however, the reflectors can't be used because they get chewed up by snowplow
blades. The solution could
be a rugged biodegradable plastic made from soy
protein being developed in an Iowa State food science laboratory. The Iowa Department of Transportation currently is road testing a new compression-molded plastic form developed by Perminus Mungara, an ISU scientist studying biodegradable plastics. The soy-based material is tough enough to withstand the rigors of a season's use. But when the first winter snow falls, the biodegradable plastic pieces can be bladed from the surface and left to decompose in the ditch. The decomposition products from the plastic are harmless to the environment and beneficial to plant growth.