Arkema’s range of advanced biomaterials made from renewable castor seeds is now permitted to carry the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) BioPreferred® label after being independently analyzed and certified to be made from biogenic carbon (CO2 from the atmosphere).
The following grades are qualified for the certified label as 100% segregated bio-based: Oleris® Heptanoic Acid, Oleris® Heptanol, Oleris® Heptaldehyde, Oleris® Undecylenic Acid.
Arkema manufactures these bio-based oleochemicals in Marseille, France and/or in Singapore, and markets them globally in diverse applications including lubricants, cosmetics/personal care, and flavors and fragrances.
They are produced from castor seeds which are renewable, do not compete with food (castor oil is inedible), and do not cause deforestation and are carbon negative, consuming more atmospheric CO2 during crop growth than their CO2 equivalent emissions during manufacture. (www.oleris.com)
The certification has been granted after third party verification of biobased content administered through the USDA BioPreferred® Program, which strives to increase the development, purchase, and use of bio-based products. Bio-based products help address climate change by offering renewable alternatives to petroleum-based products, and sequester carbon dioxide, lowering the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The USDA Certified Bio-based Product Label displays a product's bio-based content, which is the portion of a product that comes from a renewable source, such as plant, animal, marine, or forestry feedstocks. Utilizing renewable bio-based materials displaces the need for non-renewable petroleum-based chemicals.
"We applaud Arkema for earning the USDA Certified Bio-based Product Label," said Vernell Thompson, USDA BioPreferred® Program. "The label is intended to help spur economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. But the label also makes it easier for consumers and federal buyers to locate bio-based products and consider planet-friendlier options during purchase decisions. By having its products become USDA Certified Biobased, Arkema is a member of an expanding list of businesses combatting inaccurate marketing claims and the practice of greenwashing, while also contributing to a thriving bioeconomy that decreases our reliance on petroleum."
About the USDA BioPreferred® Program
With the goal of increasing the development, purchase, and use of bio-based products, USDA's BioPreferred® Program was first introduced in the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized in 2018. It requires federal agencies and contractors to give purchasing preference to bio-based products.