Green Chemicals Blog
USDA
USDA’s bioproduct pilot program
Advanced Happy 4th of July to our US readers! Before I become embroiled in analyzing how the latest Supreme Court ruling (in favour of West Virginia) limiting the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon emissions will affect future policies for developing lower-carbon emitting solutions in the chemical industry, let me post this good news from the … Continue reading
Support the COMPOST Act
The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) are calling for everyone to support the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques (COMPOST) Act recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Julia Brownley (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Ann Kuster (D-NH) and the U.S. Senate by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). The COMPOST Act … Continue reading
Economic Impact of US Biobased Products Industry
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its 2019 Economic Impact Analysis of the US Biobased Product Industry celebrating the USDA’s 10th anniversary of the creation of its Certified Biobased Product Label. Established in 2011 underneath USDA’s BioPreferred Program, the Certified Biobased Product Label is intended to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new … Continue reading
USDA expands rule on biorefinery loan program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand announced that USDA has published a final rule to expand the production of renewable chemicals and biobased manufactured products. The rule, for the first time, allows applicants for Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (9003 Program) loans to submit applications to … Continue reading
Building a Better, Biobased Cat Litter
I have to confess that I’ve been looking at a lot of cat videos these days and I’m tempted to adopt one despite the fact that my mom is afraid of their ‘devil glowing eyes’ (really mom…). Anyway, I’ve also been busy online shopping from the companies that the blog has been following for years … Continue reading
USDA amended guidelines for federal procurement of bio-based products
Effective August 9, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has amended the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement by adding 12 product categories that included intermediate chemicals within which biobased products will be afforded Federal procurement preference by Federal agencies and their contractors. These guidelines are part of the USDA’s BioPreferred program. … Continue reading
USDA launches first price report on non-GMO corn and soybeans
I am still in the middle of working on Tecnon OrbiChem’s Bio-materials newsletter, but I cannot resist posting this interesting report about the USDA AMS’s launch of its first weekly report on prices for non-GMO corn and soybeans. According to news sources, the non-GMO feed corn is reportedly selling for significantly more than the conventional engineered … Continue reading
USDA reports impact of bio-based chemicals to US economy
The US Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred program released a study on the economic impact analysis of the US bioproducts industry (excluding biofuels or other renewable energy sources). The USDA commissioned the study under the 2014 Federal farm bill. The report was produced by a team led by specialists at Duke and North Carolina State Universities. … Continue reading
US renewable chemicals to gain from the New US Farm Bill
I have been working on this since February but unfortunately travel and work has further delayed me from posting this. Tecnon OrbiChem’s April Bio-Materials issue just came out yesterday and now, I have a few days of blogging before becoming busy again preparing for the Biopolymers Symposium and BIO World Congress. This news about the … Continue reading