USDA Bio-based Label

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a new, voluntary product label for bio-based commercial and industrial products such as cleaners, constructions products, and makeup. The certification, which will begin appearing in the spring, is aimed at notifying consumers of products that are made of soy, corn, or other renewable material that is compostable. Deputy agriculture secretary Kathleen Merrigan stated that this “will make [healthy] decisions easier by identifying products as bio-based.” Products, however, only need to meet a 25-percent level of renewable ingredients to qualify for the USDA label. The program will be similar to the organic labeling process.