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Biobased Product Standards in Europe

The European Union has strengthened the innovation potential of biobased products within its member countries through the Lead Market Initiative. Due to the perceived uncertainty about their properties and the industry’s weak market transparency, there is a need for standardization, labeling, and certification of biobased products. As mandated by the European Commission, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is already developing standards for bioplastics, biopolymers, and bio-lubricants:

(1) The FprCEN/TR 15932 (Recommendation for terminology and characterization of bioplastics) is already under approval and will be available by October 2009.

(2) The CEN Technical Specification on Biopolymers, specifically the determination of biobased carbon content, is still under development and set to become available in 2012.

(3) A Technical Report on bio-lubricants (Bio-lubricants: Need, feasibility and required CEN deliverables) is still under development and set to become available in 2011.

The CEN Working Group for biopolymers will have its second plenary meeting in November 2009 when the TS draft will be discussed before it becomes available for public comment. The Working Group recognizes the accuracy of ASTM D6866 for such biobased testing and would favor, but not require, labs with ISO 17025 accreditation for the test.

Sources: CEN/TC 249 and CEN/TC 19

More information found here.

Updated October 19, 2009