The ASTM International Committee D20 on Plastics recently awarded Beta Analytic and its president Darden Hood the William N. Findley Award for contributing to the development of ASTM D6866 – Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis.
The Findley Award is given to individuals or organizations in recognition for their contributions to a new field of standardization or technology that has made an impact both locally and around the globe.
ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic joined ASTM Subcommittee D20.96 as co-author of ASTM D6866 in 2004. Since then, the lab has performed thousands of ASTM D6866 analysis not only for the biobased manufacturing industry but also to other industries requiring renewable carbon measurements.
ASTM D6866 is a standard originally developed at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture for its BioPreferred Program. The standard was developed to meet legislation requiring that federal agencies give procurement preference to manufacturers using the greatest quantity of biomass in their products.
ASTM D6866 is widely used to measure biobased content by distinguishing biomass-based components from fossil-derived inputs through carbon-14 analysis. Since the amount of carbon-14 in biomass is known, the percentage of a material that comes from biomass can be determined.
According to Alyson Fick, ASTM International’s manager for standards development, the ASTM D6866 standard has become the foundation for all international standards used to determine biobased content. It is also a standard whose significance extends far beyond the realm of plastics.
Indeed, several standards were developed based off the methods described in ASTM D6866. These standards include CEN/TS 16137 and ISO 16620-2 (applicable to plastics only), EN 15440 (developed for solid recovered fuels), EN 16640 (applicable to all biobased products), ISO 13833 (which determines the ratio of biomass-derived and fossil-derived carbon dioxide from stationary source emissions) and ISO 19984 (applicable to rubber and rubber products), among others.
Over the years, the ASTM D6866 standard has been incorporated into various programs worldwide. The USDA BioPreferred® Program, TÜV AUSTRIA OK biobased program and DIN CERTCO’s DIN-Geprüft biobased scheme are examples of certification programs that require ASTM D6866 testing as part of their eligibility assessment.
In addition, there are regulations and initiatives on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that recommend or require ASTM D6866 testing to measure the percentage of carbon-neutral CO2 emissions from the combustion of waste-derived fuels with biomass. These protocols include California’s AB32/SB32 Mandatory GHG Emissions Reporting, the Western Climate Initiative and the US EPA Final Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule.
Based in Miami, Florida, Beta Analytic has provided ASTM D6866 testing to various companies and institutions worldwide since 2004. The lab has proven to be a reliable biobased testing service provider over the years.
Beta Analytic is ISO 17025 accredited, has no direct exposure to artificial carbon-14 and has demonstrated capability to perform ASTM D6866 testing—the three requirements needed to be accepted as a testing lab for the USDA BioPreferred Program.
Beta Analytic’s standard biobased content testing service delivers high-quality results. For inquiries, call 305-662-7760 or use this contact form.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 26th, 2018 and is filed under Beta Analytic Updates .
