USDA

..........

USDA Approved

BioCelTM and EnviroCelTM Qualify Under Expanded United States Department of Agriculture Preferred Providers Program

 
Recent rulings from the United States Department of Agriculture qualify performance BioCelTM and EnviroCelTM polyurethane carpet backing systems for Federal purchasing preference as designated biobased items under the USDA’s BioPreferredSM program. The BioPreferred program was established as part of the 2002 Farm Bill. It requires Federal agencies to purchase biobased products over their petroleum-based counterparts, as long as the biobased materials are reasonably available, reasonably priced, and comparable in performance. BioCelTM and EnviroCelTM qualify in the carpet category because they replace percentages of the petroleum-based components in their polyurethane chemistry with Agrol® polyols made from natural oils, a renewable resource. The two backing systems also contain calcium, a recycled pre-consumer mineral compound that adds to the products’ environmental and performance benefits.

“I am gratified that the Federal government, the country’s largest single consumer, is supporting the diverse community of biobased products, and rewarding innovation and environmental initiative on the part of the manufacturers,” said Universal Textile Technologies president Tom Peeples.

Life cycle assessments funded by the National Soybean Board and performed according to ISO 14040 guidelines prove conclusively that the manufacture and use of soy-based polyols results in a significantly smaller environmental footprint compared to petroleum-based materials. Benefits were demonstrated in the areas of global warming, fossil fuel depletion, smog formation, and several other issues of environmental impact.