Robert Pore's Ag Blog

LOUDON, Tenn. — The world’s first shipments of Bio-PDO, a corn-based polymer, were made Monday (Nov. 27) from a plant in Loudon, Tenn. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) applauds the milestone as an important step in the development of petroleum-based alternatives.

The Bio-PDO was manufactured by DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, LLC, a joint venture of DuPont and UK-based Tate & Lyle, at its $100 million facility in Loudon. According to the company, Bio-PDO (1,3 propanediol) can be used in a variety of glycol-based products ranging from anti-freeze to cosmetics to carpet fiber.

“We are pleased to see DuPont Tate & Lyle take this important step in providing more biobased products for consumers to choose from,” said NCGA President Ken McCauley. “Biobased products are increasingly displacing petroleum-made products and give our corn growers another market for corn. Corn growers continue to advance the usage of renewable products and have led the way in developing new renewable products.”

The joint venture uses a proprietary fermentation process developed jointly by DuPont and Tate & Lyle to produce Bio-PDO™ using corn instead of petroleum-based feedstocks. The production of Bio-PDO™ consumes 40 percent less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent versus petroleum-based propanediol. Production of 100 million pounds of Bio-PDO™ will save the energy equivalent of 10 million gallons of gasoline per year, or enough to fuel 22,000 cars annually.

“Bio-PDO™ is a versatile ingredient for a number of products including specialty polymers such as Sorona® , and also is well suited for cosmetics, liquid detergents and industrial applications like anti-freeze,” said DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products President Steven Mirshak. “We are seeing strong demand for all of our grades of Bio-PDO™ due to its performance, biodegradable nature, and ability to replace petroleum-derived products. Wherever a glycol is being used today, businesses should consider replacing it with our new renewable ingredient.”

“The first shipments of Bio-PDO™ from Loudon mark the beginning of the commercial avalability of DuPont’s bio-based pipeline, which is designed to deliver high performance, renewably sourced materials,” said DuPont Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Thomas M. Connelly . “The technology that was developed to make the various grades of Bio-PDO™ a reality holds great promise. It is a clear demonstration that this new technology can offer new opportunities for products in every major market segment in our economy.”

D. Lynn Grider, President of Tate & Lyle’s U.S. Food & Industrial Ingredients Division, said, “Tate & Lyle scientists have been developing products from renewable resources such as corn, wheat and sugar for over 80 years and Bio-PDO™ is an excellent addition to our industrial ingredient portfolio. By continuing to invest in research, and through strategic partnerships, we can help meet the world’s increasing demand for products from renewable resources that match or exceed the functionality of petroleum-based alternatives. Achieving first commercial shipment is a significant milestone for the joint venture and marks the important move from theoretical to practical.”

The first shipments of Bio-PDO™ were sent to DuPont for the manufacture of DuPont™ Sorona® polymer and to a customer evaluating a new industrial product formulated with Bio-PDO™. Bio-PDO™ can be used in a variety of applications, either by itself or as an ingredient in the production of materials that have traditionally been based on petroleum feedstocks.

The joint venture also announced the launch of two new brand names for Bio-PDO™. Zemea™ propanediol will be the name of products introduced in the personal care and liquid detergent categories where the products’ purity level and low irritation are benefits. For industrial applications such as de-icing fluids, anti-freeze and heat transfer fluids where its low toxicity and biodegradability are beneficial, Bio-PDO™ will be branded Susterra™ propanediol. To learn more about Bio-PDO™, Susterra™ or Zemea™ corn-derived propanediol, call 1-866-404-7933.

Bio-PDO™ also is a key ingredient for Sorona®, DuPont’s newest polymer family. Sorona® is a high-performance polymer that offers a unique combination of attributes in a variety of applications. As a carpet fiber, Sorona® provides permanent stain protection in addition to softness and durability. In apparel, Sorona® contributes exceptional softness, comfort stretch and recovery, easy care and UV- and chlorine-resistance. Sorona® is currently sold in the residential carpet market by Mohawk Industries under the SmartStrand™ with DuPont™ Sorona® polymer brand. It also can be used in a variety of other applications including automotive and home furnishings, packaging and engineering thermoplastic resins. Today, Sorona® is made from petrochemical building blocks. Manufacture of Sorona® using Bio-PDO™ will begin in early 2007, providing the added feature of approximately 40 percent renewable content.

Tate & Lyle uses innovative technology to transform corn, wheat and sugar into value-added ingredients for customers in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, paper, packaging and building industries. A leader in cereal sweeteners and starches, sugar refining, value added food and industrial ingredients, and citric acid, Tate & Lyle is also the world number-one in industrial starches and the sole manufacturer of SPLENDA® Sucralose. Backed by a strong and growing research organization, Tate & Lyle helps add taste, texture, nutrition and increased functionality to everyday products used by millions of people around the world.

In the last decade, Tate & Lyle established fermentation as a core technological competency and is now one of the world’s major fermentation producers with 17 fermentation plants on four continents. In addition to Bio-PDO™, its portfolio includes citric acid, biogums such as xanthan gum, the carotenoid nutrient astaxanthin, and both fuel grade and potable ethanol.

Damage and losses to agriculture, fisheries and forestry in Lebanon as a result of last summer’s hostilities are estimated at around $280 million, according to an FAO damage assessment report issued today.

The conflict affected the agriculture sector directly, with crops, livestock and equipment damaged by the bombing. But much more important, according to the report, was the indirect economic impact in terms of lost markets and labour opportunities.

Poorest hit hardest

The military bombardments were directed mainly at southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, among the country’s poorest areas. Overall, agriculture accounts for almost 70 percent of total household income in southern Lebanon.

The biggest economic losses were attributed to the lack of access to fields during the conflict period, the peak time for the harvest of some crops (mainly stone fruit and potatoes) destined for export. According to the report, much of this year’s harvest perished on the ground, as bombing forced farmers to abandon their lands, and transport to market became impossible.

Moreover, many agricultural fields and pastures have been rendered useless until unexploded bombs can be removed. This is particularly important in southern Lebanon where an estimated 25 percent of the cultivated land is inaccessible due to unexploded ordnances.

Total financial losses due to physical damage and lost harvests of tree and field crops in southern Lebanon amount to approximately $94 million. Overall, the total financial damage to the crop production sector is estimated at around $232 million, according to FAO.

Some 3,050 head of dairy cattle, 1,250 bulls, 15,000 head of goats and sheep, 18,000 beehives and over 600,000 broilers were lost as a direct consequence of the hostilities. FAO estimates financial losses to the livestock sector of nearly $22 million.

With respect to fisheries, destruction of infrastructure and equipment in the port of Ouzaii, and the loss of 328 boats with their gear, resulted in damage of around $3 million. Targeting of the trout farms at Hermel in the Bekaa Valley caused losses of about 300 tonnes of fish. The FAO assessment puts the overall financial loss to the fisheries sector at $9.7 million.

For forestry, the estimated damage is roughly $16 million, mainly due to the inability to address forest fires during the conflict.

Spiral of debt

“With the loss of income from harvests and lost animal produce, many farmers have become heavily indebted as they usually repay their debts during the May to October harvest period to secure credit for the following production season,” said Anne Bauer, Director of FAO's Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division. “This year, their ability to repay these debts has been reduced to the minimum, making it impossible to start the new cropping cycle due to the lack of working capital.”

FAO has identified priority initiatives for implementation within the next 6-12 months to address the critical situation of vulnerable farming communities in south Lebanon.

Start-up funding has been secured for the establishment of a small early recovery coordination office in southern Lebanon but FAO is seeking approximately $17 million for other priority initiatives.

Particularly important is the provision of necessary farm inputs, such as seed and seedlings, fertilizers and small irrigation equipment, to permit resumption of agricultural activities, FAO said, adding that this should be carried out in close coordination with bomb clearance authorities. Small-scale horticulture farmers also need help with replacement of damaged greenhouses, replanting of orchards and training in good agricultural practices.

Assistance to war-affected livestock keepers, among the poorest of the rural population, will include restocking and distribution of animals and beehives, and provision of veterinary drugs, feeds and small equipment for dairy handling, hygiene and basic milk processing.

Funding is also being sought for rehabilitation of fisheries infrastructure and supply of inputs to fish farmers as well as for an assessment of forest cover damage, using satellite imagery, so that site-specific mitigation efforts can be proposed.