Soy-based toners will be available later this year, thanks in part to the research funded by the Ohio soybean checkoff program.

The big plus is that environmentally friendly soy-based toner is easier to remove from paper during the recycling process.

“With more than 400 million pounds of petroleum-derived toners and resins used annually in the U.S. to make 3 trillion copies, there is a great market opportunity,” says Tom Gandolfi, president of Batelle and Advanced Image Resources, investors in the research.