Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Specifications for Compostable Biobased Food Service Ware

The BioSpecs for Food Service Ware outline the criteria and recognition levels for food service ware made from compostable biobased materials. They provide a framework that enables buyers to assess the sustainability of these products during their three life cycle stages: biomass production, manufacturing, and end of product life. “Sustainability” incorporates the source of material resources as well as the issues surrounding environmental protection, health, and social and economic justice. Products that meet the highest sustainability standards at each life cycle stage will achieve "Gold" level recognition. The purpose of the BioSpecs is to encourage market development of biobased food service ware that meet high sustainability standards and to prevent the “greenwashing” of self-claimed biobased products that fail to meet environmental, consumer, and worker protection standards.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Scope and Purpose
Recognition Levels
Sustainability Criteria by Life Cycle Stage

1. Biomass Production
1.a Organic carbon content
1.a.1 Product must contain >95% organic carbon with documentation
1.a.2 Product must be 100% organic carbon with documentation
1.b Use of genetically modified (GM) plants (biomass)
1.b.1 No plastics may be made directly in plants
1.b.2 GM crops are allowed in the field with offsets
1.b.3 No GM biomass is allowed in the field
1.c Cellulose-based biomass must be sustainably grown
1.d Biomass must be sustainably grown
1.e Biomass production workers must be protected

2. Manufacturing
2.a No chlorine or chlorine compounds may be used in production processes
2.b Additives
2.b.1 No additives that are chemicals of high concern may be used in the product
2.b.2 All additives must be tested
2.c Wood- or fiber-based biomass products
2.c.1 Non-food-contact products must contain 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content
2.c.2 Food-contact products
2.c.2.1 Hot cups must contain 10% PCR content
2.c.2.2 All other food-contact products must be 100% recycled with 35% PCR content
2.d No engineered nanomaterials may be added to the product without testing
2.e No organohalogens may be intentionally added to the product
2.f Workers and the environment must be protected in manufacturing
2.g Local ownership and production must be promoted

3. End of Product Life
3.a Product must be commercially compostable
3.b Product must be labeled for compostability
3.b.1 Product must be clearly labeled “commercially compostable”
3.b.2 Product must have additional clear labeling when sold in an area where no commercial composting is available
3.c Product must be compostable in the backyard or by a home process
3.d Biodegradability in an aquatic environment
3.d.1 Product must biodegrade in a marine environment
3.d.2 Product must biodegrade in freshwater

Prerequisites
Glossary

 

Executive Summary

Drawing a Road Map of Best Practices
The BioSpecs for Food Service Ware outline sustainability criteria and recognition levels for food service ware made from compostable biobased materials. They provide a framework that enables buyers to assess the sustainability of these products during three stages of their life cycle: (1) biomass production, (2) manufacturing, and (3) end of product life. “Sustainability” encompasses issues of environmental protection, health, and social and economic justice, as well as material resources. Those products meeting the highest sustainability standards at each stage will achieve recognition at the “Gold” level. The purpose of the BioSpecs is to encourage the market development of biobased food service ware that meets the highest sustainability standards and to prevent the “greenwashing” of partially or wholly biobased products that nevertheless fail to meet environmental, consumer, and worker protection standards.
 
These specifications are voluntary; no third-party certifier currently exists. Buyers should ask their suppliers for data on each criterion along with supporting documentation. Product manufacturers and sellers can also use the BioSpecs as a road map to guide them in improving the sustainability of the products they offer. These specifications are not intended to evaluate the full range of food service ware, such as durable ceramic plates or metal cutlery. They are applicable only within the biobased product category. Indeed, durable, reusable food service products are environmentally preferable to single-use biobased products and should be considered as a first option.
 
The BioSpecs reflect the current collective wisdom of a wide range of organizations and businesses that are addressing the potential benefits and challenges of biomaterials. These criteria were developed under the leadership of the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative and the Business-NGO Working Group. They are informed by an extensive market survey, conducted in 2008, of 42 biobased food service products representing 22 manufacturers. The BioSpecs will be updated based on public comments and will be further revised as the emerging industry and market evolve.
 
Addressing Significant Issues in the Bioplastic Life Cycle
Biobased food service ware is becoming increasingly available and offers an alternative to fossil-fuel-derived plastics, which are non-renewable, often threaten public health, have devastating impacts on marine life, and increase reliance on imported feedstocks. The development of bioplastics has the potential to mitigate these problems by offering renewability, biodegradability, and a path away from harmful additives. Bioplastics are not, however, an automatic panacea. Modern industrial agriculture creates a host of health, environmental, and social and economic justice issues, including the use of genetically modified (GM) organisms in the field, toxic pesticides, high fossil-fuel energy use, and the destruction of family farms. Increased demand for agricultural products to be used in the production of energy and materials may well exacerbate the problems posed by modern agriculture while increasing pressure on ecologically sensitive land and raising food security concerns.
 
The manufacture, use, and discarding of products made from bioplastics can also create problems such as hazardous emissions, particularly if the bioplastic is mixed with fossil-fuel-based chemicals. While many bioplastic products are certified compostable, in many cases the requisite collection services and composting infrastructure have yet to be developed. The infrastructure necessary for collecting and processing recyclable bioplastic products may also be lacking, or these products may stress existing recycling systems.
 
Including Recognition Levels
Manufacturers can claim recognition for biobased food service products at the Bronze, Silver, or Gold level based on distinct criteria. The Gold level is reserved for products that meet the highest standards. Not all of the criteria may be immediately attainable. Developing the technology and markets for sustainable bioplastics may take time. Certain performance challenges may exist, and there may sometimes be a need for blends of biobased and fossil-fuel-based materials to meet performance criteria in the short term. However, the BioSpecs have been developed in order to chart a course toward sustainability in the long term.
 
Sustainability Criteria for Food Service Ware
As a threshold requirement, manufacturers and products must comply with all applicable environmental and occupational health and safety regulations. The criteria are organized to provide guidance for the three critical stages of the product life cycle: (1) biomass production, (2)manufacturing, and (3) end of product life. The criteria and their corresponding levels are presented below. To qualify for the Bronze level, all Bronze level criteria must be met. To qualify for the Silver level, all the Bronze and Silver criteria must be met. To achieve the Gold level, all criteria must be met. A comprehensive description of the intent, requirements, and sources for validating each criterion is included in the complete version of the BioSpecs.

1. Biomass

1.a Organic carbon content
1.a.1 Product must contain more than 95% organic carbon with documentation (Bronze)
1.a.2 Product must be 100% organic carbon with documentation (Silver)
1.b Use of genetically modified (GM) plants (biomass)
1.b.1 No plastics may be made directly in plants (Bronze)
1.b.2 GM crops are allowed in the field with offsets (Bronze)
1.b.3 No GM biomass is allowed in the field (Gold)
1.c Cellulose-based biomass must be sustainably grown (Silver)
1.d Biomass must be sustainably grown (Gold)
1.e Biomass production workers must be protected from health and safety standards (Gold)

2. Manufacturing

2.a No chlorine or chlorine compounds may be used in the production process (Bronze)
2.b Additives
2.b.1 No highly hazardous additives may be used (Silver)
2.b.2 All additives must be tested (Gold)
2.c Wood – or fiber-based biomass products
2.c.1 Non-food-contact products must contain 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content (Bronze)
2.c.2 Food-contact products
2.c.2.1 Hot cups must contain 10% PCR content (Bronze)
2.c.2.2 All other food-contact products must contain 100% recycled materials with 35% PCR content (Bronze)
2.d No engineered nanomaterials may be added the product without testing (Bronze)
2.e No organohalogens may be intentionally added to the product (Bronze)
2.f Workers and the environment must be protected in manufacturing (Gold)
2.g Local ownership and production must be promoted (Gold)

3. End of Life

3.a Product must be commercially compostable (Bronze)
3.b Labeling for compostability (Bronze)
3.b.1 Product must be clearly labeled “commercially compostable” (Bronze)
3.b.2 Product must have additional clear labeling when sold in an area where no commercial composting is available (Bronze)
3.c Product must be compostable in the backyard or by a home process (Silver)
3.d Biodegradability in an aquatic environment
3.d.1 Product must biodegrade in a marine environment (Gold)
3.d.2 Product must biodegrade in freshwater (Gold) 

Acknowledgements

The BioSpecs reflect the ideas, efforts, and input of many individuals and their organizations. They evolved from a series of documents that provided the foundation for defining sustainability criteria for biobased materials, including:
 

  • Sustainable Biopolymer Purchaser Guidelines (Healthy Building Network et al., 2006)
  • Choosing Environmentally Preferable Food Service Ware: Reusable and Sustainable Biobased Plastics (Health Care Without Harm, 2007)
  • Guidelines for Sustainable Bioplastics (Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative, 2009)

  
They were also informed by a market survey, conducted in 2008, of 42 biobased food service products made by 22 manufacturers. We thank all those producers who participated in our survey, provided detailed data on their products, and answered our many follow-up questions. A special acknowledgement goes to Arielle Tozier of the Oregon Center for Environmental Health for coordinating the survey data.
  
The BioSpecs remain a work in progress. They will be revised based upon the feedback we receive on version 1.0 beta and will be further updated as the industry and our understanding of the opportunities and challenges of manufacturing sustainable biobased materials evolve.
  
We especially appreciate the time and insights provided by the following individuals, as well as the support of their organizations: Jack Macy of the City and County of San Francisco; Mark Rossi of Clean Production Action; Mark Newton of Dell; David Levine of the Environmental Health Fund; Tom Lent of the Healthy Building Network; Jim Kleinschmit, Julia Olmstead, and Marie Kulick of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy; Brenda Platt and Heeral Bhalala of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance; Tom Cooper of Kaiser Permanente; Cathy Crumbley of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production; Arielle Tozier of the Oregon Center for Environmental Health; Tom Wright of Sustainable Bizness Practices; Clinton Boyd of the Sustainable Research Group; Lee Kane of Whole Foods Market; and former SBC Coordinator, Stanley Eller. Organizations’ names are listed for affiliation purposes only and do not imply organizational endorsement of the BioSpecs.
 For copies of the earlier documents and for more information about the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative, the Business-NGO Working Group, and the BioSpecs for Food Service Ware, visit:

 
About the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC)
  
The Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative is a network of organizations working together to spur the introduction and use of biomaterials that are sustainable from cradle to cradle. A project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the SBC seeks to advance the development and diffusion of sustainable biomaterials by creating guidelines, engaging markets, and promoting policy initiatives. The SBC works with a wide range of stakeholders, including green product businesses, social investment firms, recycling professionals, academics, and environmental health advocates.
  
About the Business-NGO Working Group
 
The Business-NGO Working Group promotes the creation and adoption of safer chemicals and sustainable materials in a way that supports market transitions to a healthy economy, a healthy environment, and healthy people. A principal objective of the Working Group is to transform markets to safer chemicals and sustainable products by aligning purchasing criteria across sectors. The Business-NGO Working Group is a project of Clean Production Action.
  
For more information on the BioSpecs, contact Heeral Bhalala, Program Associate, Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative, at hbhalala@ilsr.org

Introduction

In recent years, biobased products have re-emerged as an alternative to conventional fossil-fuel-based products, particularly in the food service ware sector. Biobased products are made, in whole or in part, from renewable materials, such as corn, potatoes, sugar cane waste, and perennial grasses. Though not new to the market, paper and other products made from renewable forestry materials are also biobased. The renewability of agricultural and forestry resources is a significant environmental attribute. However, biobased content alone is not an adequate measure of sustainability. Like any other products, biobased products can have environmental and health impacts throughout their life cycle, from production and use to discarding after use. The environmental footprint of biobased products depends on the methods used to produce and harvest the renewable materials, the toxicity and persistence of the chemical additives used, the recovery systems available for discarded products, and many other factors. For these reasons, it is important to choose biobased products carefully.
 
The BioSpecs for Food Service Ware outline sustainability criteria and recognition levels for food service ware made from compostable biobased materials. They provide a framework that enables buyers to assess the sustainability of these products during three stages of their life cycle: (1) biomass production, (2) manufacturing, and (3) end of product life. Recognizing the many challenges to sustainability across a product’s life cycle, the developers of the BioSpecs designed a three-tiered rating system – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – to reward continued improvement. The BioSpecs reflect the current collective wisdom of a wide range of organizations and businesses that are addressing the potential benefits and challenges of biomaterials. The Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC), a project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, developed these criteria in close coordination with the Business-NGO Working Group for Safer Chemicals and Sustainable Materials. The BioSpecs are informed by an extensive market survey, conducted in 2008, of 42 biobased food service products representing 22 manufacturers. 

How to Use These Specifications:

Any buyer of biobased food service products can use these specifications to guide purchasing. The specifications are voluntary. Currently no organization provides second- or third-party certification of these environmentally preferable purchasing specifications and their Bronze, Silver, and Gold designations. A third-party certifier may exist for some of the individual criteria, such as product compostability. In other cases, such as biobased product content, standards and reputable testing labs may be readily available. For other criteria, such as ensuring that products are free of untested engineered nanoparticles, validation may be more challenging. Buyers should ask their suppliers for data on each criterion along with supporting documentation. Manufacturers of biobased products can also use these BioSpecs as a road map for improving the sustainability of their products and can submit the names of products that meet Bronze, Silver, or Gold criteria to the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative.

Scope and Purpose

These purchasing specifications focus on compostable and biobased food service ware. Biobased food service ware has proliferated in recent years and represents an important product category for promoting the transition from fossil-fuel-based products to products made from sustainably grown biomass and produced in a manner that reflects the highest occupational and environmental health standards and practices. By outlining sustainability criteria for biobased food service ware, these specifications will enable purchasers to more fully evaluate the environmental and health implications of the products they seek and will encourage the development and use of sustainable biobased products.
 
These specifications are not intended to evaluate the full range of food service ware, such as durable ceramic plates or metal cutlery. They are applicable only within the biobased product category. Indeed, durable, reusable food service ware is environmentally preferable to single-use biobased products and should be considered as a first option.
The sustainability criteria presented in these specifications provide a threshold for the recognition and promotion of a biobased product as sustainable. The scope of the criteria includes the major stages of a product’s life cycle: (1) biomass production, (2) manufacturing, and (3) end of product life. Purchasing decisions can influence the life cycle. For example, transportation is not addressed as a separate item in the life cycle, but encouraging the use of locally grown and produced materials and products affects the product’s life cycle. Compliance with these criteria enables a product to gain positive recognition in the green market economy. Three progressively higher levels of recognition – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – distinguish among products and encourage higher levels of environmental performance.
 
Food service ware that meets baseline sustainability criteria is recognized at the Bronze level. Manufacturers and products that meet the Gold criteria receive recognition for the highest level of achievement and for commitment to the highest goals of sustainability currently attainable in developing new biobased products. Only a few companies and products may reach this level of excellence. Those that do may benefit significantly from this unique designation in the green market economy.

Recognition Levels for the BioSpecs for Food Service Ware

Intent: In order to appropriately recognize and reward different levels of performance, three tiers have been established, reflecting increasingly higher levels of product sustainability. The criteria to be met at each level are outlined below. All of the criteria listed at each level must be met in order for a manufacturer or distributor to claim that level of recognition for a product. Following this section is a detailed presentation of the sustainability criteria along with their rationales and requirements. References supporting the criteria are also provided.
 
 
Prerequisites: Products must comply with all applicable laws and regulations throughout their life cycle. For example, biomass growers and product manufacturers and their suppliers must be in compliance with all applicable agricultural, environmental, health, and safety laws.
 
Bronze Criteria
 
Biomass Production
1. a.1. Product must contain >95% biobased organic carbon with documentation
1. b Use of genetically modified (GM) plants (biomass)
1. b.1. No genetic modification to grow plastics in plants is allowed
1. b.2. Genetic modification is allowed in the field with offsets
 
Manufacturing
2. c. Wood- or other fiber-based biomass products
2. c.1. Non-food-contact products must contain 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content
2. c.2. Food-contact products
2. c.2.1. Hot cups must contain 10% PCR content
2. c.2.2. All other products must be 100% recycled and 35% PCR content
2. d No engineered nanomaterials may be added to the product without testing
2. e No organohalogens may be intentionally added to the product
 
End of Product Life
3. a Product must be commercially compostable
3. b Compostability labeling
3. b.1. Product must be clearly labeled “commercially compostable”
3. b.2. Product must have additional clear labeling when sold in an area where no commercial composting is available
 
Silver Criteria
Biomass Production
1. a.2. Product must have 100% biobased organic carbon content with documentation
1. b.3. No GM biomass is allowed in the field
1. c.1. Wood-based biomass must be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
 
Manufacturing
2. a No chlorine or chlorine compounds may be used in production processes
2. b.1. No additives that are chemicals of high concern may be used in the product
 
End of Product Life
3. c. Product must be compostable in the backyard or by a home process
 
Gold Criteria
Biomass Production
1. d.1. Biomass must be sustainably grown
1. e.1. Biomass workers must be protected
 
Manufacturing
2. b.2. All additives must be tested
2. f. Workers and the environment must be protected
2. g. Local ownership and production must be promoted
 
End of Product Life
3. d.1. Product must biodegrade in a marine environment
3. d.2. Product must biodegrade in freshwater

Comments and Early Adopters of BioSpecs:

This is the first version of the BioSpecs for Food Service Ware to be released for public comment. The public comment period ends March 31st, 2010. All comments will be considered and addressed as needed. The BioSpecs will be updated based on public comments and will be further revised as the industry and market evolve. A revised version will be posted at www.SustainableBiomaterials.org in the Spring of 2010.
 
In addition, we are currently seeking buyers and manufacturers to beta test these specifications. Those interested should contact Heeral Bhalala at hbhalala@ilsr.org.
 
The first version of the BioSpecs for Food Service Ware to be released for public comment is presented below. After public comments have been received, the BioSpecs will be revised to address these comments.

Sustainability Criteria by Life Cycle Stage

1. Biomass Production

1.a Organic carbon content

1.a.1 Product must contain >95% organic carbon with documentation. (Bronze)

The product must maximize the use of organic carbon from biobased materials. Specifically, food service ware must have a minimum 95% organic carbon content from biobased materials

Intent: This criterion promotes the use of biobased products and ensures that carbon content comes from renewable resources, not fossil-fuel resources. Most biobased food service ware marketed today contains little if any fossil-fuel-based material, though some paper and fiber products are coated with fossil-fuel-based plastic. Market surveys indicate that a significant number of products on the market have a biobased organic carbon content of 95% or higher, including coatings. The critical element is "organic" carbon from “biobased” sources.

Requirements: For verification, use ASTM Standard D6866, entitled “Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis.” Documentation must provide the radiocarbon data and explicitly reference ASTM D6866.

Source for Verifying Compliance:

1.a.2 Product must be 100% organic carbon with documentation. (Silver)
The product must maximize the use of organic carbon content made from biobased materials. Specifically, food service ware must contain 100% biobased organic carbon materials.

Intent: The goal is to maximize biobased content in biobased food service ware. Market surveys indicate that food service ware with 100% biobased organic carbon content is readily available.

Requirements: For verification, use ASTM Standard D6866, entitled “Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis.” Documentation must provide the radiocarbon data and explicitly reference ASTM D6866.

Source for Verifying Compliance:

 

1.b Use of genetically modified (GM) plants (biomass)

1.b.1 No plastics may be made directly in plants. (Bronze)
Product materials may not be derived from biomass that was genetically modified for the express purpose of making the material. An example is the use of GM switchgrass, where genes are modified to enable switchgrass to produce a plastic in the field.
 
Intent: The aim is to prevent the design and cultivation of plants solely for the purpose of creating bioplastic feedstock. This process is still in the research and development phase. GM biomass has not been adequately assessed for potential adverse effects on human and animal health and on the environment in which it is produced. Also of concern is the threat that genetic engineering poses to environmentally sustainable food production and to the livelihood of farmers practicing sustainable food production.

Requirement: Self-verification.

Source for Verifying Compliance: Currently compliance is not an issue, since these types of genetically engineered materials are not yet commercially available. However, interested parties should regularly check sources of commercially available biomass to determine if such material has entered the market place. See the sources under Criterion 1.b.2.
 
Additional Resources:

  • The U.S. Biotechnology Industry Organization maintains a searchable database that contains information regarding the regulatory and commercial status of agricultural biotechnology products by country (http://www.biotradestatus.com/).
  • Other databases containing information on the regulatory status, but not necessarily the commercial status, of biotechnology products can be found at the U.S. Regulatory Agencies Unified Biotechnology website (http://usbiotechreg.nbii.gov/index.asp).

 
1.b.2 GM crops are allowed in field with offsets. (Bronze)
In North America, many of the biomass crops currently in production have been genetically modified, primarily for resistance to herbicides and/or insects. For example, 85% of all field corn planted in the U.S., 91% of the soybeans planted in the U.S., and 85% of the canola planted in Canada in 2009 were genetically modified. This profusion of GM crops on the landscape makes it difficult to directly source non-GM crops for industrial production, despite concern among potential buyers about the potential environmental and health impacts of GM crops. A GM offset program to support non-GM crop production can help address these concerns. Offsets can either be direct or indirect. The direct approach involves the sourcing of non-GM crops by the refinery at some point for processing (without any guarantee that these non-GM crops will be directly processed into the biomaterial). The indirect, or certificate, approach involves the “purchase” of quantified environmental and health benefits of non-GM crop production by biomaterial users, rather than the sourcing of the non-GM crop by the refinery.
 
Product materials derived from biomass that was genetically modified for purposes other than producing the bioplastic must be offset through an acceptable GM offset program or a sustainable agriculture program that addresses non-GM biomass. GM offset programs include the Working Landscape Certificates program (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy) and the Natureworks GM offset program.
 
Intent: Many biomass crops currently in production have been genetically modified for properties such as resistance to drought, herbicides, and/or insects. This criterion allows for their use but ensures against the irresponsible introduction of additional biotechnology for the purpose of bioplastics production. The widespread use of GM biomass crops has resulted in a documented increase in the use of herbicides and the spread of herbicide-resistant plants. As well, there remain many under-addressed and under-researched environmental, biodiversity, and health concerns about the introduction, use, and dissemination of GM biomass crops.
 
Requirements: Offset programs for GM organisms include the Working Landscapes Certificate program (www.workinglandscapes.org) and NatureWorks (http://www.natureworksllc.com/). The Working Landscapes Certificate program supports farmers growing corn (the current feedstock for most U.S. bioplastics) according to sustainable farming criteria, which include a GM prohibition. The “sustainable production” aspects are quantified and linked to the amount of corn used in the production of a bioplastic product. This approach provides bioplastic customers with an affordable option for supporting more-sustainable agriculture and offers bioplastic manufacturers and farmers the financial support needed to utilize more-sustainable farming practices, without the added expense and constraints that direct sourcing of feedstocks would impose on both parties.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

  •  Working Landscapes Certificate Program (www.workinglandscapes.org). There is currently no one standardized resource that can be used to identify types of biomass that have been “commercialized.”

 
Additional Resources:

  •  The U.S. Biotechnology Industry Organization maintains a searchable database that contains information regarding the regulatory and commercial status of agricultural biotechnology products by country (http://www.biotradestatus.com/).
  •  Other databases containing information on the regulatory status, but not necessarily the commercial status, of biotechnology products can be found at the U.S. Regulatory Agencies Unified Biotechnology website (http://usbiotechreg.nbii.gov/index.asp).

 
1.b.3 No GM biomass is allowed in the field. (Silver)
Feedstocks or material for bioplastics are not to be derived from any GM biomass.
 
Intent: Product materials may not be derived from biomass that has been intentionally genetically modified for any purpose. There remain many environmental, biodiversity, and health concerns about the introduction, use, and dissemination of GM organisms. The goal is to prefer biomass generated from seed or plant stock that was not intentionally genetically modified, without penalizing producers for unintentional contamination.
 
Requirements: All sources of all types of biomass are required to provide substantive documentation that the biomass was not genetically modified. Certification programs for biomass grown without the intentional use of GM seeds include the Non-GMO Project Verified (www.nongmoproject.org), CERT ID Non-GMO Certification (http://www.genetic-id.com/services/certification/), and independent documentation (such as seed labels) of non-GM seed use.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

 
Additional Resources:

1.c Cellulose-based biomass

Cellulose-based biomass must be sustainably grown.

1.c.1 Virgin-wood-based biomass must be FSC certified. (Silver)
Virgin-wood-based biomass used in food-contact products must be certified by the FSC or an equivalent certification system. 

Intent: This criterion promotes sustainable harvesting practices for wood and other cellulose fibers and requires chain-of-custody documentation to prove compliance.

Requirements: Use the FSC third-party certification process or an equivalent certification system. To be considered equivalent to FSC standards, any alternate certification system must cover at a minimum the broad principles of the FSC (http://www.fsc.org/pc.html).

Sources for Verifying Compliance:

  • FSC on-product labeling requirements (http://www.scscertified.com/nrc/docs/FSC-STD-40-201%20(version2.0)%20Approved%202004.PDF)


Additional Resources

1.d Biomass must be sustainably grown. (Gold)

Intent: Agricultural biomass used in biobased product manufacture must be sustainably grown, with a preference for utilizing non-food agricultural resources, including perennial biomass crops and sustainably harvested residues. The production of this biomass must conserve, protect, and build soil; conserve nutrient cycles; protect air and water access and quality; promote biological diversity; reduce the impacts of energy use; and reduce transportation impacts.

Requirements: While no systems currently exist for certifying sustainable biomass production under these criteria, several are being developed. Existing programs for verification of sustainable agricultural production that could serve as models for meeting the Gold level include the Nordic Ecolabeling program (http://www.ecolabel.nu/nordic_eco2/) and the Food Alliance’s sustainable certification program (http://www.foodalliance.org/). In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/new_csp/csp.html) will provide guidance as to the best sustainable practices on working agricultural landscapes. Farms that rate high according to the CSP’s criteria may be good choices for Gold certification-sourcing.

Additional Resources:

1.e Workers must be protected from health and safety hazards in biomass production. (Gold)

Biomass production workers must be protected beyond the required levels of applicable environmental, health, and safety compliance and practice.

Intent: This criterion aims to increase protection for workers engaged in biomass production.

Requirements: Demonstrate protection “beyond compliance” by adopting the following practices: protection from exposure to hazardous chemicals and a union contract; or an independent contract that includes oversight by an independent workers’ association; or social justice/domestic fair trade certification that may include:

  • Full health care coverage
  • Profit-sharing incentives
  • Paid sick leave and vacation
  • Overtime policy for farm work over 40 hours per week
  • Ongoing training and capacity building for employees

 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

2. Manufacturing

2.a No chlorine or chlorine compounds (including chlorine dioxide) may be used in production processes. (Bronze)

No chlorine or chlorine compounds may be used for bleaching, disinfection of the material itself, or other uses in the production of any component of the final product, including the base materials, coatings, and additives (although recycled materials may have been previously manufactured using chlorine-containing compounds).

Intent: The goal is to prevent the formation of organochlorine compounds caused by the use of elemental chlorine or chlorine compounds during processing. Organochlorine compounds are of concern because they are a type of organohalogen (see Criterion 2.e) and can contribute to the formation of chlorinated dioxins and furans as well as other organochlorines across their life cycle.

Requirements: Unbleached products do not have to be certified as chlorine free. Chlorine-free certification must be provided for bleached products. The following agencies can substantiate chlorine-free claims: the Chlorine Free Products Association; Green Seal (GS-35), which applies to hinged containers, two-part containers, and single-use plates and bowls, including soup-type bowls; and Environmental Choice (CCD 145), which applies only to food containers made from agricultural waste and stipulates that the product "cannot contain or be manufactured with halogenated organic compounds."

Sources for Verifying Compliance:


Additional Resource: Joe Thornton. 2000. Pandora’s Poison: Chlorine, Health, and a New Environmental Strategy. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press.

2.b Additives

2.b.1 No additives that are chemicals of high concern may be used in the product. (Silver)
No additives that are chemicals of high concern to human or environmental health may be intentionally added to the product or may constitute part of the product except at levels consistent with background levels in the environment. “Additives” include chemical substances that are mixed into the product, surface treatments, or applied printing. We define “chemicals of high concern” as chemicals that would meet the “red chemical” listing of the Green Screen for Safer Chemicals. These include chemicals that are either persistent, bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs), carcinogens (probable and known), mutagens, reproductive or developmental toxicants, very persistent and toxic, very bioaccumulative and toxic, very persistent and very bioaccumulative, neurotoxic, or endocrine disruptors.
 
Intent: The goals are to protect workers, consumers, the public, and the environment from exposure to hazardous materials that may cause, or are known to cause, adverse health effects and to prevent these substances from further bioaccumulating in the environment.
 
Requirements: Product manufacturers must verify that none of the additives are chemicals included in any of the authoritative chemical hazard lists on the Clean Production Action/Healthy Building Network (CPA/HBN) “Red List of Lists.”
Note that:

  • Environmental Choice (CCD 145) and Green Seal both restrict the use or presence of carcinogens in food packaging.
  • X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used to test products for the presence of toxic elements (for example, lead, cadmium, mercury, chlorine, or bromine).
  • Environmental Choice (CCD 145), which applies only to food containers made from agricultural waste, stipulates that the product may not contain or be manufactured with IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) proven or probable carcinogens.

 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:


Additional Resources:

 
2.b.2 All additives must be tested. (Gold)
 
Intent: All additives must be comprehensively tested for the hazards they pose to human health and the environment. Basic toxicity testing is defined as sufficient to qualify under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Screening Information Dataset (SIDS) for High Volume Production (HPV) Chemicals.
 
Requirements: Manufacturers of biobased materials must:
ask their suppliers for the chemical constituents in their additives (signing a non-disclosure agreement if necessary to gain access to the constituents),
ask their suppliers for written verification that those chemicals have completed the full battery of OECD SIDS testing,
establish a preference for suppliers that provide this data, and
self-verify. Tests will include analysis for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity and will meet OECD requirements.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

 
Additional Resources:
For case studies on how to gather data on chemicals in products, see

  • Mark Rossi et al., 2006, “Design for the Next Generation: Incorporating Cradle-to-Cradle Design into Herman Miller Products.” Journal of Industrial Ecology (10):193-210.

2.c Wood or fiber-based biomass products

2.c.1 Non-food-contact products must contain 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. (Bronze)
The product must maximize the use of biobased organic carbon made from PCR content materials. Trays are one example of non-food-contact products.
 
Intent: The goal is to minimize the depletion of forest resources and maximize the use of post-consumer recyclables. Single-use food service ware made from virgin wood fiber depletes forest resources. Pre-consumer waste (left over from the manufacturing process) and post-consumer waste (materials discarded by consumers) both displace the use of virgin wood fiber. Pre-consumer materials have historically been recovered, and markets are readily available. Stipulating post-consumer content creates markets for post-consumer materials, helping to maintain and expand cost-effective municipal recycling programs.
 
Requirements: Recycled-content claims must comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guidelines for Environmental Marketing Claims. Product manufacturers making recycled-content claims must provide a signed affidavit.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

 
Additional Resources:

 
2.c.2 Food-contact products (Bronze)
 
Food contact products made from wood or other fibers
2.c.2.1 Hot cups must contain 10% PCR content, and
2.c.2.2 All other food-contact products must contain 100% total recycled content, with a minimum of 35% PCR content. Total recycled content equals PCR content plus pre-consumer recycled content.
 
Intent: The goal is to minimize the depletion of forest resources by reducing the use of virgin wood fiber. Use of recycled paper fiber – whether pre-consumer or post-consumer – displaces use of virgin wood fiber. Stipulating PCR content creates markets for municipal recyclables. The criteria for food-contact products reflect federal restrictions on the use of PCR content in materials that will come in contact with food.
 
Requirements: Recycled-content claims must comply with the FTC Guidelines for Environmental Marketing Claims. Product manufacturers making recycled-content claims must provide a signed affidavit.

Sources for Verifying Requirements:

 
Additional Resources:

2.d No engineered nanomaterials may be added to the product if they have not been tested for environmental and human health effects. (Bronze)

Engineered nanomaterials that have not been tested for environmental and human health effects may not be intentionally added to the product.
 
Intent: Nanotechnology refers to the manipulation of matter at the scale of atoms and molecules, the fundamental building blocks of the material world. At the nanoscale, scientists can start affecting the properties of materials directly, making them harder or lighter or more durable. In some cases, simply making things smaller changes their properties: a chemical might take on a new color or start to conduct electricity when re-fashioned at the nanoscale. Nanoscale particles tend to be more chemically reactive than their ordinary-sized counterparts, because they have more surface area.
 
Bioproducts are marketed as green and sustainable, and therefore this industry, in particular, has a responsibility to ensure that its products are indeed safe for the public and the environment. The commercialization of nanomaterials is advancing in the absence of government oversight, hazard assessment testing, and an understanding of the repercussions of released nanomaterials for human health and the environment, as well as their global political and social impacts. Therefore, nanomaterials should be avoided unless comprehensive human and environmental health data are available.
 
Requirements: Companies are responsible for ensuring that untested engineered nanomaterials are not intentionally used in their products.
 
Source for Verifying Compliance:
Currently there are no verifiable requirements available for nanomaterials in products beyond voluntary compliance by companies.
 
Additional Resources:
For more information on the potential risks of nanotechnology, see:

2.e No organohalogens may be intentionally added to the product or used in coatings. (Bronze)

Intent: The goal is to avoid halogenated organic compounds, which are nonmetallic chemicals that contain a halogen element, such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine, bonded to carbon. The organohalogens, especially the organochlorines and organobromines, have been a focus of international concern for many decades, because they are associated with many negative environmental and human health impacts. Examples of organohalogens restricted by international treaties, such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT, dioxins and furans, and pentabromodiphenyl ether (penta-BDE).
 
In general, organohalogens are persistent and bioaccumulative (see Criterion 2.b.1). Over the course of their life cycle, they can contribute to the formation and dispersion of chemicals of high concern – especially persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds, such as dioxins and furans – into the environment and humans. Organohalogens are now commonly found in all humans, including newborns, who are exposed when these chemicals cross the placenta.
 
Requirements: Companies are responsible for self-verification. Targeted analysis using XRF spectroscopy technology is available for heavy metals and organohalogens.
 
Source for Verifying Compliance:
Claims of the absence of organohalogens can be confirmed through the use of XRF analyses. Currently there is no independent body verifying organohalogen-free products for the food service ware sector.
 
Additional Resources:

  • Joe Thornton. 2000. Pandora’s Poison: Chlorine, Health, and a New Environmental Strategy. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
  • Terry Collins, “Towards Sustainable Chemistry,” Science, January 2001, v. 291, no. 5501, pp. 48-49.
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Title 21 - Sec. 170.39 - Threshold of regulation for substances used in food-contact articles (CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21)

2.f Workers and the environment must be protected in manufacturing. (Gold)

Production workers and the environment must be protected beyond the required levels of applicable environmental, health, and safety compliance and practice.
 
Intent: The goal is to increase protections for workers engaged in food service ware manufacturing.
 
Requirements: Attain International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14000 certification and compliance with International Labor Organization (ILO) standards; develop a corporate sustainability analysis and a strategy for implementation; prepare an annual report documenting performance and compliance in the protection of worker and environmental health. For example, specific criteria could include:

  • Controlling exposure to high pressures and high temperatures
  • Avoiding risks of fire and explosion due to finely divided particulates
  • Avoiding ergonomic hazards in manual materials handling processes and work station design
  • Minimizing exposure to noise during the manufacturing process

 
Adopt Green Seal GS-35, Environmental Standard for Food Service Packaging. Implement National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations, and comply with the threshold limit values (TLVs) and biological exposure indices (BEIs) of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

  • Social Accountability International -- Social Accountability Standard (SA 8000) (www.sa-intl.org)

2.g Local ownership and production must be promoted. (Gold)

Intent: Local ownership and regional production support the use of indigenous resources, reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation, and generate more jobs and greater economic benefits than absentee ownership, thus making the economy more sustainable.
 
Requirements: Meet two of the following four criteria:

  • Biomass should be sourced in the United States or Canada at a distance of no more than 500 miles from the resin producer.
  • The resin should be produced regionally, either in the same state as the converter, in neighboring states or provinces, or no more than 500 miles away.
  • The final product should be produced regionally, either in the same state as the consumer, in neighboring states or provinces, or no more than 500 miles away.
  • Opportunities should be created for local ownership of the production facility, such that more than half of the ownership stake is regionally based. The percentage of the ownership stake must be based on measurable data. The following metrics could be used: 51% of the capital investment, 51% of the revenues/profits, or 51% of the number of owners.

 
Source for Verifying Compliance: Self-verification.
 
Additional Resource:

  • U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovation Rating System, Materials & Resources (MR) Credit 5: Regional Materials, p. 53 (www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=5546). The 500-mile standard is based on the USGBC credit for using building products sourced regionally.

3. End of Product Life

3.a The product must be commercially compostable. (Bronze)

Products must be commercially compostable; composting claims must be substantiated and validated; and product labeling should be qualified. Products labeled simply as “compostable” imply an ability to biodegrade in home composting systems. If the product cannot be home composted, the labeling should be qualified accordingly.
 
Intent: The goal is to promote the composting of biobased food service ware once it has served its original intended function; to help capture food discards for composting; and to ensure that composting claims are substantiated and qualified with appropriate labeling. Appropriate product labeling is essential to ensure that the product, not just the resin, is certified; to ensure that the product purchasers as well as the users are educated on the proper end-of-life options; and to assure composters that the products they receive are indeed compostable. One benefit of making the transition from disposable products to compostable food service ware is the opportunity to capture discarded food scraps for composting or anaerobic digestion, thereby increasing waste diversion and decreasing methane emissions from landfills. Because used food service ware is contaminated with food residuals, it generally cannot be recycled. These specifications therefore encourage the production and use of compostable biobased food service products. Future specifications for non-food service ware, such as bottles, will include criteria for recycling.
 
Requirements: The product must be certified as commercially compostable, using either ASTM D6400, ISO 17088, DIN EN 13432, or AS 4736-2006, by a third-party verification agency. The product must meet the full requirements of the standard used. Third-party verification agencies include:

  • Biodegradable Products Institute (North America)
  • AIB Vinçotte Inter (Belgium)
  • Din Certco (European Union)
  • Australian Environmental Labeling Association
  • Japan Bioplastics Association

 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

3.b Labeling for compostability

3.b.1 The product must be clearly labeled as commercially compostable if a composting infrastructure exists. (Bronze)
 
Intent: This criterion provides for clear labeling on the product and accompanying materials and declarations in order to ensure proper separation and recovery of the compostable product. The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) has found that polylactic acid (PLA) cannot be recycled with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. Clear labeling helps the consumer to place a used product into the proper curbside or drop-off collection receptacle and enables collection and end-of-life processing handlers to distinguish compostable from non-compostable products.
 
3.b.1.1 The logo of the verification agency must be displayed on the product to confirm the compostable certification.
 
3.b.1.2 Labeling must clearly distinguish compostable from non-compostable plastic products, such as clear plastic cups, tubs, or other food service containers. Labeling must be displayed on the product and must be readily and easily identifiable for users as well as for those handling the products once they are discarded.

  • For cups and tubs, the word “compostable” must appear in green color lettering or in visible color lettering against a green background. The letters must be at least one-quarter inch in height and must appear on both sides of the face of the container. The container bottom and lid must be embossed with the word “compostable.”
  • For other containers, the words “compostable” in green lettering at least one-quarter inch in height, or in visible color lettering at least one-quarter inch in height within a green band, must be printed either on the face of each piece, on the large side of the container, or on an adhesive compostable sticker. The word “compostable” must be embossed on the molding of each piece.
  • For these cups and containers, other labeling options can be pursued if users and end-of-life handlers agree that the labeling is effective for appropriately identifying the products for end-of-life composting.

 
Requirements: Ensure that product manufacturers:

  • Directly label products
  • Directly label product packaging
  • Make adequate environmental product declarations that are easily accessible (for example, on their product website), and
  • Provide product package insert declarations

 
Source for Verifying Compliance: Self-verification.
 
Additional Resources:

 
3.b.2 Where no commercial composting infrastructure exists, product labeling must qualify this absence of infrastructure. (Bronze)
 
Intent: This criterion helps consumers understand that labeling of a product as compostable does not mean that the product can actually be composted in their community. If the product is sold or used in an area with no infrastructure for commercial composting, the packaging or accompanying descriptive materials must also display qualifying language such as “Commercial composting facilities may not exist in all areas.”
 
Requirements: FTC marketing guidelines stipulate that labels must substantiate, validate, and qualify the products. Manufacturers should know where their product is going and label it accordingly. A product can be labeled “compostable” if the composting infrastructure exists. If the infrastructure does not exist, additional explanatory qualifying language is required. If the product is “home compostable” by Vinçotte “OK Home Compost” certification (Belgium), then the packaging and accompanying descriptive materials can be labeled simply as “compostable.”
 
Source for Verifying Compliance:

 
Additional Resource:

3.c The product must be compostable in the backyard or by a home process. (Silver)

The product must be third-party certified as home or backyard compostable.
 
Intent: The intent is to facilitate wider composting of biobased products than is currently possible due to the lack of commercial composting facilities that accept such products. Home-compostable products greatly increase the opportunities for composting, since many regions of the country lack commercial composting facilities.
 
Requirements: Backyard/home compostability must be demonstrated using Vinçotte’s “OK Compost HOME” or “OK Biodegradable” third-party certification. Vinçotte is the only existing third-party certifier for backyard/home-compostable products.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:

3.d The product must biodegrade in an aquatic environment. (Gold)

Products must meet specified test methods for marine or freshwater biodegradation (criterion 3.d.1 or 3.d.2).
 
Intent: The goal is to reduce the impact of plastics on aquatic ecosystems. Plastics that do not biodegrade in water harm aquatic ecosystems and create a litter problem. While these plastics can fragment into minute pieces, they may not biodegrade completely and are mistaken for food by the tiniest of species as well as by larger marine animals. Research now reveals that parts of the Pacific Ocean have six times more plastic particles than plankton, the base of the marine food web.
 
The product must meet one of the following two criteria:

3.d.1 The product must biodegrade in a marine environment. (Gold)
 
Requirements: Biodegradability in the marine environment must be determined according to ASTM D7081, Standard Specification for Non-Floating Biodegradable Plastics in the Marine Environment. Documentation must be provided and must explicitly reference ASTM D7081. For credibility, a reputable lab, such as the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development & Engineering Center (NSRDEC), should verify marine biodegradability. NSRDEC has been testing biobased products for marine biodegradability via open-system aquarium incubations and has also developed the trademarked "Happy Dolphin" logo. Its test procedure, described in ASTM’s work item WK 17751, is undergoing evaluation for approval as an ASTM test method.
 
Sources for Verifying Compliance:


3.d.2 The product must biodegrade in freshwater. (Gold)
 
Requirements: Biodegradability in freshwater must be determined according to Belgium Vinçotte's “OK Biodegradable Water” certification. Vinçotte in Belgium is the only existing third-party certifier for products that biodegrade in freshwater.

Source for Verifying Compliance:

Prerequisites:

The product must comply with all applicable laws and regulations throughout its life cycle.
 
Compliance "prerequisites" must be met in order to reach the entry level or initial performance levels of the sustainability criteria.
 
For products to be eligible for recognition under the BioSpecs, the growers of the biomass and the manufacturers of the food service ware and their tier-one suppliers must be in compliance with all relevant and applicable agricultural, environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations. The biomass growers and product manufacturers must disclose all significant governmental allegations or determinations of violation of federal, state, or local environmental, health, and safety laws or regulations with respect to agricultural growing standards or the facilities in which the products are manufactured.
 
Biomass growers and manufacturers must be able to provide sufficient information to meet the needs of purchasers for legal compliance and must disclose all significant governmental allegations and determinations related to the product and agricultural practices.

Glossary

Biobased refers to products or materials in which the organic carbon is derived from renewable forestry materials, agricultural crops or animals, or marine materials.
 
Biobased content is the amount of biobased carbon in the material or product as a fraction weight (mass) or percent weight (mass) of the total organic carbon in the material or product. ASTM Method D6866-05 is the U.S. government-approved method for determining the renewable/biobased content of biobased products.
 
Biobased material(s) are organic material(s) in which the carbon comes from contemporary (non-fossil) biological sources.
 
Biobased product means a commercial or industrial product (not derived from food or feed) that utilizes biological products or renewable agricultural (plant, animal, or marine) or forestry materials.
 
Biomass is biological material derived from living or recently living organisms.
 
Bioplastics are plastics in which 100% of the carbon is derived from renewable agricultural and forestry resources such as corn starch, soybean protein, and cellulose. Bioplastics are not a single class of polymers but a family of products that can differ significantly from one another. They differ from traditional plastics, which are derived from fossil fuels or non-renewable carbon.
 
Compostable product refers to a product that is capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the product is not visually distinguishable; breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass at a rate consistent with those of known compostable materials (e.g., cellulose); and leaves no toxic residue. See Criteria 3.a and 3.b for how compostability should be verified and how compostable products should be labeled. Not all commercially compostable products meet standards for backyard composting.
 
Food service ware is a term used for all utensils, containers, napkins, straws, lids, plates, cups, bowls, trays, cartons, and other items that are designed for take-out or for holding and serving prepared foods, usually those prepared by food vendors.
 
Genetically modified (GM) organisms are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacterial, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. (See http://www.nonGMproject.org/consumers/about-GMs/.)
 
Organic carbon refers to carbon-based compounds that are derived from biological sources (organic materials). In these compounds, the element carbon is attached to other carbon atoms, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, or other elements in a chain, ring, or other three-dimensional structure.
 
Inorganic carbon refers to carbon-based compounds that are derived from geological or soil parent sources (inorganic materials). Inorganic compounds include elemental carbon (e.g., graphite), oxides of carbon (e.g., carbon dioxide), carbonates (e.g., calcium carbonate), and cyanide compounds.
 
Nanomaterial, engineered: A nanoparticle (NP) is a microscopic particle whose size is measured in nanometers, typically one hundred nanometers or smaller. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are intentionally produced to perform desired technological functions in numerous applications. In contrast to natural and incidental NPs, which often exhibit variable and irregular morphologies (shapes and sizes), ENPs are characterized by regular, reproducible particle morphologies. Depending on the particular class and manufacturing process, ENPs can have different shapes, including solid or hollow spheres, rings, tubes, wires, horns, and sheets, and they can be synthesized in various sizes.
 
Nanotechnology refers to research and development at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular level using a length scale of approximately one to one hundred nanometers in any dimension; the creation and use of structures, devices, and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small size; and the ability to control or manipulate matter on an atomic scale. (See http://www.epa.gov/osa/pdfs/nanotech/epa-nanotechnology-whitepaper-0207.pdf.)
 
Total carbon is the sum of the organic carbon and inorganic carbon contents of a material.
 
Post-consumer recycled material is material discarded for recycling by a residential, commercial, or institutional consumer (as opposed to industrial scrap, which is discarded by the producer and, if recycled, is considered pre-consumer recycled material).
 
Recovered/recycled material refers to material that might have been disposed of as waste or used for energy recovery but has instead been collected and recovered (reclaimed) for use as a material in manufacturing, thus avoiding the use of new primary materials.
 
Recyclable refers to a product or material that can be sorted, cleansed, and made into a new product.
 

Recycled content refers to the proportion (measured by mass) of recycled material in a product or packaging. Only pre-consumer and post-consumer materials are considered as recycled content.
 
Totally biobased refers to a commercial or industrial product or material (other than food or feed) in which 100% of the organic carbon is derived from renewable forestry materials, agricultural crops or animals, or marine materials.