Acquire third-party verification of biobased content for clients, suppliers, manufacturers, or distributors.
Promote biobased content in a way consumers can easily understand to increase product appeal and market share.
Obtain data that is vital during R&D phase of product development. Optimize biobased content over time and as fossil content is phased out.
Programs like the USDA Biopreferred, TÜV AUSTRIA’s OK biobased founded by Vinçotte, DIN-Geprüft Biobased, or Braskem I’m Green require ASTM D6866 measurements. Starting January 1, 2017, France’s decree 2016-379 requires single-use plastic bags to have a biobased content of at least 30% as measured through ISO 16620-2 testing. The minimum biobased content required for these plastic bags increases to 40% in 2018, 50% in 2020, and 60% in 2025. In Italy, a similar decree was approved and enforced on January 1, 2018. Biobased content testing is done in accordance with EN 16640.
Manufacturers and distributors need biobased content testing to determine how much of the carbon within their product is derived from biomass. Applicable to liquids, solids and gases, the Carbon-14 measurement shows how much biobased material has been used in the formulation of products instead of the more readily available and less expensive petroleum-based alternatives. The test quantifies the biobased content of a material but results do not have any implication on the material’s biodegradability.
