Researchers created soy adhesives after watching the power of mussels to grip rocks that are pounded by ocean waves. Today, these adhesives are found in decorative hardwood panels for cabinetry, millwork, fixtures and furniture. Importantly, this product eliminates formaldehyde in these materials, improving indoor air quality of buildings and avoiding one of the International Living Future Institute’s “Red List” toxic substances banned from interiors of their approved buildings. EPA honored the researchers who developed this soy-based panel assembly approach with the 2007 Presidential Green Chemistry Award. According to the EPA, the technology represented the “first cost-competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive that replaced the toxic urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin.”
