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Solution > Sustainability > NEN BIO-BASED Solution: NEN BIO-BASED Audit & Certification Solution: NEN BIO-BASED OK Certification Center OK Certification Center Wingepark 41 3110 Rotselaar Belgium +32 2 532 29 11 Send email Wingepark 41 3110 Rotselaar Belgium Save to My Bundle OK Certification Center Save to My Bundle NEN BIO-BASED In which region do you need this solution? All regions "NEN BIO-BASED CONTENT certifies products' bio-based content per EN 16785-1. TÜV AUSTRIA issues certificates, verifying compliance for diverse carbon-containing materials." This certification system is based on the European standard EN 16785-1 which enables independent assessment of claims on the bio-based content of products. Bio-based content refers to biomass, not only to biobased carbon. The certification system applies to basic materials, intermediate and finished products. Also to all solid, liquid and gaseous products containing carbon, i.e. a wide range of products. Suppliers can use certificates and labels to demonstrate that they comply with these requirements. The European system for bio-based content certification is launched at the Eleventh Annual European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, with bioplastics being a certification area. TÜV AUSTRIA CERTIFICATION BODY FOR YOUR NEN-BIOBASED CERTIFICATE TÜV AUSTRIA is authorized by NEN (NL) as certification body to award the NEN Bio-Based Content logo to products that are in compliance with EN 16785-1. The approach based on the biomass. Read more about our FAQ below: Read More How much does an OK biobased certificate cost? Depending on the type of product, the materials used and the previous OK biobased certification, the analyses may be more extensive or simpler. That is why we need to have a clear product description to be able to draw up a price quotation. If you would like to receive a price quotation, all you need to do is send us a completed application form. How long does the OK biobased certification process take and what does it consist of? The certification consists of the following two steps: Compiling the dossier and collecting all required information. The duration of this step depends on how quickly all the information can be supplied by the applicant. Analyses of the Biobased content and the TC (Total Carbon), evaluation of the test results and certification. This step takes four to six weeks. Which products can be certified as ‘OK biobased’? All products which are (partially) manufactured from bioplastics and/or materials of natural origin are suitable for the OK biobased certification scheme. Exception: fuels (there are specific standards for this) What are the requirements to be met by an OK biobased product? Each product must meet the following two requirements: the total carbon content of the product is at least 30% the carbon content of a renewable raw material (biobased) is at least 20 %. You will find a detailed description of the requirements for each type of product in the OK Biobased test program, which we will send you upon request. Can an OK biobased certificate also be issued for basic materials and intermediary products? Yes. Can a part or component of a product also carry the OK biobased label? No, a product may bear the OK biobased label only if the complete product is certified. I wish to apply for an OK biobased certificate for my product: What do I actually need to do? To start the OK biobased certification process for your product, you need to send us the following: A comprehensive product description based on a completed OK biobased application form. Samples of your product. How is the percentage biobased measured? Both fossil and renewable raw materials consist mainly of carbon (C). Carbon occurs in several forms, called isotopes. Isotope C14 is radioactive and occurs naturally in all living organisms (plants, animals …) in a fixed concentration of 1.2×10-12 %. At this concentration, the (radio) activity level of C14 is 100%. Once an organism is no longer living, this concentration, and thus the activity rate, decays with a half-life of 5700 years. The C14-activity of an unknown substance can therefore determine how old the organism is (or rather how long it has been dead). By determining the percentage of renewable materials (% Biobased) in an OK biobased product, we already know the age of the organic material. On the one side “young” carbon (0 to 10 years) derived from renewable raw materials (eg plants), with C14-activity of about 100%. On the other side “old” carbon (millions of years), derived from fossils with a C14 activity of about 0%. We therefore don’t use the C14 method to determine the age of the product (which would in fact be impossible because it is a mixture of different materials), but rather to determine the concentration of young (or renewable) materials in comparison with the concentration of old (or fossil) resources. Example: If a product has a C14-activity of 80%, it means that the product consists of 80% renewable and 20% fossil carbon (C). More Tags: Audit & Certification Bioplastic C14 method Carbon content Certification Certification Body Certification logo Environment Environmental awareness Environmental management Foodstuffs Green Marks Greenhouse effect Handel Life cycle assessment Material NEN Bio-Based Content Nen biobased OK compost OKcert Ökobilanz Packaging Packaging waste Plastic Product Product certification Raw material Renewable resources Resource conservation Sustainability Synthetic materials Trade & Commerce Waste Related solutions from the same sector: Trade & Commerce OK biodegradable Sustainability Show more Save to my Bundle REAL CMCS – Compostable Material Certification Scheme Sustainability Show more Save to my Bundle OK compost INDUSTRIAL Sustainability Show more Save to my Bundle OK vegan Sustainability Show more Save to my Bundle All Solutions Discover more sectors: Agriculture Automotive Certification Communications Technology Construction & Real Estate Electronics Energy Foodstuffs Health & Medicine Industry IT & Security Leisure & Entertainment Machinery Municipalities Science & Research Sports & Fitness Sustainability Tourism Transport & Traffic Vinzenz Suttner-Gatterburg +43 5 0454 6346 \| vinzenz.suttner-gatterburg@tuv.at
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Solution > Sustainability > NEN BIO-BASED

Solution: NEN BIO-BASED

Audit & Certification

OK Certification Center

Wingepark 41 3110 Rotselaar Belgium

+32 2 532 29 11

Send email

NEN BIO-BASED

In which region do you need this solution?

All regions

"NEN BIO-BASED CONTENT certifies products' bio-based content per EN 16785-1. TÜV AUSTRIA issues certificates, verifying compliance for diverse carbon-containing materials."

This certification system is based on the European standard EN 16785-1 which enables independent assessment of claims on the bio-based content of products. Bio-based content refers to biomass, not only to biobased carbon.

The certification system applies to basic materials, intermediate and finished products. Also to all solid, liquid and gaseous products containing carbon, i.e. a wide range of products.

Suppliers can use certificates and labels to demonstrate that they comply with these requirements.

The European system for bio-based content certification is launched at the Eleventh Annual European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, with bioplastics being a certification area.

TÜV AUSTRIA CERTIFICATION BODY FOR YOUR NEN-BIOBASED CERTIFICATE

TÜV AUSTRIA is authorized by NEN (NL) as certification body to award the NEN Bio-Based Content logo to products that are in compliance with EN 16785-1. The approach based on the biomass.

How much does an OK biobased certificate cost?

Depending on the type of product, the materials used and the previous OK biobased certification, the analyses may be more extensive or simpler. That is why we need to have a clear product description to be able to draw up a price quotation. If you would like to receive a price quotation, all you need to do is send us a completed application form.

How long does the OK biobased certification process take and what does it consist of?

The certification consists of the following two steps:

Compiling the dossier and collecting all required information. The duration of this step depends on how quickly all the information can be supplied by the applicant.
Analyses of the Biobased content and the TC (Total Carbon), evaluation of the test results and certification. This step takes four to six weeks.

Which products can be certified as ‘OK biobased’?

All products which are (partially) manufactured from bioplastics and/or materials of natural origin are suitable for the OK biobased certification scheme. Exception: fuels (there are specific standards for this)

What are the requirements to be met by an OK biobased product?

Each product must meet the following two requirements:

the total carbon content of the product is at least 30%
the carbon content of a renewable raw material (biobased) is at least 20 %.

You will find a detailed description of the requirements for each type of product in the OK Biobased test program, which we will send you upon request.

Can an OK biobased certificate also be issued for basic materials and intermediary products?

Yes.

Can a part or component of a product also carry the OK biobased label?

No, a product may bear the OK biobased label only if the complete product is certified.

I wish to apply for an OK biobased certificate for my product: What do I actually need to do?

To start the OK biobased certification process for your product, you need to send us the following:

A comprehensive product description based on a completed OK biobased application form.
Samples of your product.

How is the percentage biobased measured?

Both fossil and renewable raw materials consist mainly of carbon (C). Carbon occurs in several forms, called isotopes. Isotope C14 is radioactive and occurs naturally in all living organisms (plants, animals …) in a fixed concentration of 1.2×10-12 %. At this concentration, the (radio) activity level of C14 is 100%.

Once an organism is no longer living, this concentration, and thus the activity rate, decays with a half-life of 5700 years. The C14-activity of an unknown substance can therefore determine how old the organism is (or rather how long it has been dead).

By determining the percentage of renewable materials (% Biobased) in an OK biobased product, we already know the age of the organic material.

On the one side “young” carbon (0 to 10 years) derived from renewable raw materials (eg plants), with C14-activity of about 100%.
On the other side “old” carbon (millions of years), derived from fossils with a C14 activity of about 0%.

We therefore don’t use the C14 method to determine the age of the product (which would in fact be impossible because it is a mixture of different materials), but rather to determine the concentration of young (or renewable) materials in comparison with the concentration of old (or fossil) resources.

Example: If a product has a C14-activity of 80%, it means that the product consists of 80% renewable and 20% fossil carbon (C).