Soybeans are making the Pentagon a greener place. The United Soybean Board (USB) says the building now greets its employees and 100,000 annual visitors with 108 entry mats that use an environmentally friendly soybean-based material on the backs of those mats.
After [a] 2010 pilot [project], the Pentagon contracted with EcoPathTM in 2011 to replace 82 mats at various entrances with new ones made with soy backing. These new mats performed so well that when it came time to replace the original 82 mats, the Pentagon contracted with Signature Accord to again purchase the EcoPathTM soy-backed mats. The Pentagon recycled the old mats, and added the soy-backed mats to 26 new locations in the building.
Use of the entry mats supports the Presidential Executive Order: Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade (EO 13693). Issued in March 2015, the EO complements the laws that Congress enacted for the federal government to set the pace for the nation by buying biobased products, such as those made with soy. It requires federal agencies to include biobased products in at least 95% of all contract actions. Agencies must also set specific annual targets for the number and dollar value of contracts awarded that require the use of biobased products…
USB, the soybean checkoff overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, brought the EcoPathTM mats to the attention of the Pentagon Environmental Office (PEO) and the Pentagon Building Management Office (PBMO). PBMO had identified performance issues with the mats being used in the building and agreed to work with PEO and USB to test the new mats. The old mats often curled around the edges and frequently moved out of place. With EcoPathTM mats, the Pentagon’s experience was that the mats do not curl and are less likely to move. Staff report that they have had no trips or falls since the mats were installed, plus they have the added benefit of being made from environmentally preferable materials.
In addition to being greener environmentally, the mats save some green in the form of dollars saved. Prior to installation of the EcoPathTM mats, the Pentagon “rented” mats that were removed for cleaning and replaced every two weeks. Because the new mats with the biobased backing lasted for years, they save your tax dollars.