Published on February 21, 2018
A large part of the world is slowly transitioning from having an economy dependent on fossil fuel to one that is more environmentally sustainable, centered around biomass.1 To achieve this, countries have started looking into biobased chemicals from various biomass sources. In 2004, the United States Department of Energy (DoE) highlighted a dozen platform or […]
Published on July 31, 2017
As the environmental impact of products becomes a growing concern for consumers, the demand for renewably sourced materials has risen. The food service industry with its many disposable products is one that has been under scrutiny over its waste production and sustainability. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched its BioPreferred Program in an […]
Published on July 17, 2017
The US biobased industry contributed $393 billion to the economy in 2014. As consumers become more conscious of renewably sourced products, being able to clearly highlight the biobased content of products can give a competitive edge in the market. The USDA BioPreferred Voluntary Labeling Program provides this opportunity.
Published on July 23, 2015
ISO/IEC 17025:2005-accredited Beta Analytic has recently added ISO 16620-2:2015 to its list of biobased content testing services. ISO 16620-2 measures the exact percentage of carbon in the material that comes from renewable sources. This standard is only applicable to plastic materials, polymer resins, and additives.
Published on April 30, 2014
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 411 has published CEN/TS 16640:2014: Biobased Products – Determination of the biobased carbon content of products using the radiocarbon method. CEN had previously published technical specifications also based on the radiocarbon content of biobased materials.
Published on July 11, 2013
On July 10, 2013, the USDA has started accepting applications for its BioPreferred Labeling Program, which was suspended early this year due to lack of funding. The USDA has also added 10 new biobased product categories for preferred Federal procurement. There are now 97 designated categories representing about 10,000 unique types of products.
Published on November 30, 2012
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has added 12 new product categories to its BioPreferred Program. There are now more than 2,300 additional biobased products offered for preferred purchasing consideration by all federal government agencies and contractors. The final rule was published in the Federal Register Vol. 77 No. 223. It is effective December 19, 2012. […]
Published on June 7, 2012
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on June 5, 2012, the proposed addition of 12 biobased product categories to become eligible for federal procurement preference. Once the proposed rule is finalized, more than 2,300 additional biobased products will be offered for preferred purchasing consideration by all federal government agencies and contractors.
Published on May 4, 2012
ASTM D6866 testing laboratory Beta Analytic is joining the Bioplastics Compounding and Processing 2012 conference as an exhibitor. Operations Manager for Latin America/Iberian Peninsula Martin Tesini will be taking charge of the laboratory’s tabletop display. The two-day conference will be held at the Hilton Miami Downtown in Miami, Florida, beginning on May 8, 2012.
Published on May 3, 2012
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing new guidelines for the BioPreferred program that could expand its ability to designate biobased products for federal purchase. The USDA is proposing to allow the designation of intermediate ingredients and complex assembly products as well as revise some definitions and terminology used in the existing guidelines to clarify […]
