A certification scheme for bio-based products based on European Standard EN 16785-1:2015 is slated to begin in September this year. The standard details the requirements for determining bio-based content of a given product using radiocarbon (Carbon-14) analysis and elemental analysis. The standard references CEN/TS 16440 for the Carbon-14 component. For the purposes of EN 16785, the term “bio-based” means “derived from biomass”. A bio-based product is one that is partially or wholly comprised of materials derived from biomass. The standard is applicable to any solid, liquid and gaseous product containing carbon, thus encompassing a broad range of products. Under this standard, the bio-based content of a product is determined according to CEN/TS 16640:2014: Bio-based Products – Determination of the bio-based carbon content of products using the radiocarbon method. This technical specification was published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) in 2014. EN 16785-1 also specifies the standardized sampling methods to be used for various products. Bio-based Certification Scheme Spearheaded by the Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN), the project started in October 2015 with a kick-off meeting in Brussels, Belgium. EN 16785-1 was drawn up by CEN Technical Committee CEN/TC 411 and was published in December 2015. The certification scheme based on this standard was validated thereafter and is now slated to begin in September 2016. By obtaining a bio-based certificate, companies can demonstrate the bio-based content of their products on the label. A register of certified products will be publicly available on an online database, thus providing transparent and easily accessed information on the bio-based products available to businesses and consumers. Beta Analytic Provides Bio-based Content Testing ISO/IEC 17025:2005-accredited Beta Analytic offers radiocarbon analyses in compliance with EN 16785-1, drawing upon over thirty-five years of technical experience and a decade of regulatory expertise to aid producers, suppliers and consumers in verifying the bio-based content of products. The lab does not offer elemental analysis at this time. The lab provides high-quality bio-based carbon content measurements using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in 3-5 business days with online reporting, technical consultation, and quality assurance reports included. Client support is available in English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, the lab accepts samples throughout Europe via its forwarding office in London, UK. For more information, visit www.betalabservices.com.
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