Palmer International, Inc. announced today that it has earned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product Label for BioTube™ Tree Shelters. The product was certified as containing 100% biobased content and met the minimum requirements for mandatory federal purchasing in its category.
SKIPPACK, Pa., Jan. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- BioTube™ Tree Shelters are crafted from 100% recycled paper and fortified with a proprietary resin derived from rapidly-renewable, inedible Cashew Nutshell Liquid. The product disrupts an industry that has been almost exclusively reliant on conventional plastics. Biodegradation testing is ongoing.
The BioTube™ Tree Shelters can now display a unique USDA label that highlights its percentage of biobased content. Third-party verification for a product's biobased content is administered through the USDA BioPreferred® Program, which strives to increase the development, purchase, and use of biobased products.
Biobased products help address climate change by offering renewable alternatives to petroleum-based products; sequester carbon dioxide, lowering the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere that contribute to climate change; create and expand markets; are generally safer for people and the environment than their petroleum-based counterparts; and represent incredible technological advances and innovations.
The USDA Certified Biobased Product Label displays a product's biobased content, which is the portion of a product that comes from a renewable source, such as plant, animal, marine, or forestry feedstocks. Utilizing renewable biobased materials displaces the need for non-renewable petroleum-based chemicals. Biobased products are cost-comparative, readily available, and perform as well as or better than their conventional counterparts.
"Having such an established and well-respected third-party endorsement like the USDA's Certified Biobased Product Label is essential to our marketing success as we strive to rebuild this planet's environmental health," claims Palmer's Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Palmer. "We look forward to working closely with the BioPreferred® Program as we grow the business and launch future bio-composite products."
"We applaud Palmer International, Inc. for earning the USDA Certified Biobased 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 biobased products and consider planet-friendlier options during purchase decisions. By having their products become USDA Certified Biobased, Palmer International, Inc. joins 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."
In the latest Economic Impact Report released by USDA, the biobased products industry supported 4.6 million American jobs; contributed $470 billion to the U.S. economy and generated 2.79 jobs in other sectors of the economy for every biobased job. Biobased products also have a substantial environmental impact, displacing about 9.4 million barrels of oil a year, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 12.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year.
About Palmer International, Inc.:
Palmer International is a leading innovator in Cashew Nutshell Liquid chemistries. Founded in 1946 and still privately held, Palmer seeks to create stakeholder value by using renewable feedstocks. Palmer has recently partnered with BioCycle Innovations of the United Kingdom to distribute BioTube™ Tree Shelters worldwide. "BioCycle Palmer" can be contacted via [email protected].
About the USDA BioPreferred® Program:
With the goal of increasing the development, purchase, and use of biobased 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 biobased products. The USDA BioPreferred® Program also includes a voluntary certification and labeling initiative for biobased products. This is referred to as the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label.
More than 1,800 companies across the U.S. and in 47 countries participate in the Program. From farm and field all the way through the manufacturing process, the expanding market for biobased products creates jobs, supports rural economic growth in America, and has a positive impact on our planet. Have questions? Please contact: Vernell Thompson, USDA BioPreferred® Program at [email protected].
Media Contact
Kevin Palmer, Palmer International, Inc., 1 610-584-4241, [email protected], https://palmerint.com
SOURCE Palmer International, Inc.
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