USDA Certified Biobased Product – What Does That Mean?
As we head into Earth Month and look forward to Earth Day on April 22, now is a great time to learn more about biobased products and how using these products can lessen your facility’s impact on the environment.
EcoVue® Ultrasound Gel is a USDA Certified Biobased Product. Why? What does it mean? Where did it come from?
What is BioPreferred?
The USDA BioPreferred Program was established by the 2002 Farm Bill (and recently reauthorized by the 2018 Farm Bill) in hopes of increasing the use of renewable agricultural resources used by businesses and federal agencies while also creating new jobs and economic growth by supporting new industry.
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. This label helps consumers identify biobased products and increase the demand for renewable commodities.
Haven’t heard of biobased products before?
You’re not alone. Biobased products refer to products that consist of substances derived from living (or once-living) matter and are carbon-containing substances. Biobased products are often perceived as potentially greener alternatives than their petroleum-based counterparts and can result in safer and healthier workplaces. Since biobased products are derived from renewable raw materials such as plants, they can help reduce CO2 and offer other advantages such as lower toxicity.
What Does That Mean for EcoVue Ultrasound Gel?
The 86% biobased label indicates that EcoVue Ultrasound Gel is a 99% natural gel, with 86% bioderived carbon-based materials. Simply stated… EcoVue Ultrasound Gel is a gel you can trust.
As the concept of sustainability becomes more popular for health and hospital systems, the goal of being part of the USDA BioPreferred Program is to offer healthcare professionals an easy way to identify products that are made in part with sustainable contents.
“We applaud HR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for earning the USDA Certified Biobased Product label,” said Kate Lewis, USDA BioPreferred Program. “Products from HR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are contributing to an ever-expanding marketplace that adds value to renewable agriculture commodities, creates jobs in rural communities, and decreases our reliance on petroleum.”
Learn more about the USDA BioPreferred® program at www.biopreferred.gov.
Sustainability Meets Efficiency
Designed to reduce environmental impact through reductions in carbon emissions during production and shipping, EcoVue’s proprietary FlexPac® allows for an unmatched 99.5% product evacuation rate (versus the standard 85.5% evacuation with most bottles*), dramatically reducing waste and driving bottom line gains.
*Analysis derived from a 2015 GHX Data report
