Ogden Discusses Sustainable, Economic Rubber Sources

A small shrub native to Mexico and the American Southwest may hold the secrets to a sustainable source of rubber. Researchers and tire companies are studying the guayule as a potential source of rubber, glue, insect repellent and more.

CHEE professor and department chair Kim Ogden recently spoke with Scientific American about the shrub. Ogden also leads the Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions Center of Excellence, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

According to Scientific American, in guayule processing, the bushes are ground up, and rubber and resin are extracted. This leaves behind a dry material called "bagasse," which can be turned into particleboard or potentially even biofuels.

“There’s technology for that. It’s feasible, but it costs a bit of energy,” Ogden said. “So I’m not sure economically how great it is.”

Ogden and other researchers think the real moneymaker could be guayule resin. Scientists at the University of Arizona found the resin could be used for plant-based adhesives, potentially replacing some formaldehyde-containing products such as wood glue.