A unique, four-year partnership between America’s soybean farmers and the Sherwin-Williams Co. has received the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

WASHINGTON, DC – A unique, four-year partnership between America’s soybean farmers and the Sherwin-Williams Co. has received the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The honor recognizes the development of an innovative new paint formulation that utilizes soybean oil and recycled plastic bottles (PET), and reduces VOCs by 60 percent.

The EPA presented Sherwin-Williams Co., Cleveland, OH, with one of five 2011 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards during a ceremony in Washington, DC. EPA also recognized the United Soybean Board (USB) for its role in the development of the product.

Sherwin-Williams, with soybean checkoff funding and technical support from USB, developed water-based acrylic alkyd paints with low VOCs that can be made from soybean oil. These new paints combine the performance benefits of alkyds and low-VOC content of acrylics. The soybean oil helps to promote film formation, gloss, flexibility and cure.

In 2010, Sherwin-Williams manufactured enough of these new paints to eliminate over 800,000 pounds of VOCs. The company has used 320,000 pounds of soybean oil, 250,000 pounds of PET and eliminated 1,000 barrels of oil.