KBBPPS project presents first bio-based products standards report
Biodegradation and ecotoxicity standards still incomplete
The EU-funded KBBPPS research project reviewed current biodegradation and ecotoxicity standards
and found that there is good progress in standards development but significant gaps remain. The review
is an important start to empowering the bio-based products' market and improving product information for
consumers. It looked at the current biodegradation test methods in different environments (fresh water,
marine environment, anaerobic environment, soil and compost) and the existing test procedures for
evaluating environmental safety.
The review focussed on how the test methods for bio-lubricants and bio-solvents apply to consumers’
perceptions of the prefix “bio”. Consumers often perceive “bio” as a synonym for “good for the
environment” and will regard such products as environmentally friendly or environmentally acceptable.
However, for some products this is not always the effect wished for: biodegradation is not in all cases
effective. To ensure consumers receive accurate product information, the report recommends
development of bio-based specifications and labelling systems. Standardised test methods should set
the benchmark for specifications, which encompass well-defined pass criteria for different characteristics
(e.g. biodegradation, environmental safety, bio-based content, performance). These criteria should be
chosen to suit the objective of the specification, which then forms the basic principles for labelling
systems.
The review found that current specifications, acceptance criteria and labelling systems are already
clearly defined for compostable plastics and packaging, but only to a lesser degree for other
environments and processes (such as fresh water, soil, marine, anaerobic digestion and gasification).
Existing specifications and labelling systems specifically for plastics, bio-lubricants and bio-solvents have
been reviewed for environmental impact, and difficulties and gaps in the existing specifications are
defined. The report concludes that neither standard specifications nor labeling systems have been
developed for products, which end up in an anaerobic digester. Also, more environmentally friendly
(standardization) alternatives for use in a marine environment have still to be developed. Finally, for
lubricants and solvents used in fresh water and on soil improvements or updates concerning specific
products are needed. That will be the first task of the KBBPPS project partners.
The report was released on 20 February 2013 and is available at
http://www.biobasedeconomy.eu/research/kbbpps/publications/
KBBPPS
The KBBPPS project covers research and demonstration on bio-based content determination methods,
14
like C-analysis and others, as well as biodegradability and ecotoxicity testing schemes. The literature
research has been executed by OWS in Belgium and the Agricultural University of Athens in Greece, in
cooperation with associations like EuropaBio, European Bioplastics and Association Chimie du Végétal
(ACDV). Next, the project will harmonise and validate the biodegradability test methodologies in fresh
water and soil environment using the conclusions from the review.
The application of standards and certification systems in the European bio-based product industry has
positive long-term effects on the overall development of bio-based product markets. Trade barriers are
reduced and the development of a pan-European market for bio-based products is promoted. The
KBBPPS project aims at increasing the uptake speed of standards and certification systems for biobased products.
The report can be downloaded from the KBBPPS website: www.kbbpps.eu. For more information,
contact the project manager, O. Costenoble at NEN Energy Resources via [email protected] or by
telephone: +31-152690326.