Owens Corning’s EcoTouch™ Insulation is the first fiberglass insulation certified as a biobased product. The certification is part of a new USDA Biobased labelling initiative to identify products with ingredients made from renewable plant materials.
Owens Corning has announced that its EcoTouch™ Insulation is the first fiberglass insulation to be certified by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a biobased product. The certification is part of a new USDA Biobased labelling initiative to identify products with ingredients made from renewable plant materials.
The USDA Biobased labelling initiative is an element of the US Farm Bill that focuses on increasing the purchase and use of biobased products made from renewable agricultural materials. The purpose of the labelling initiative is to more clearly identify biobased products for all buyers, and to promote the increased sale and use of biobased products in the commercial market and for consumers. In order to be certified by the USDA, vendor products are required to undergo biobased product testing by an accredited laboratory.
Presidential Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance, mandates the purchasing of biobased products under a preferred procurement programme for Federal agencies and their contractors. The USDA designates categories of biobased products and makes them available in a catalogue for Federal agencies and their contractors to choose from when making purchases.
In addition to the USDA certification, EcoTouch™ Insulation was recently certified by Scientific Certifications Systems (SCS) for new recycled content figures: total recycled content rose from 50 to 58% for faced batts and rolls, and to 65% for unfaced batts, rolls, MBI and loosefill.
The USDA and SCS certifications add to the growing list of accolades for EcoTouch™ Insulation. In August, it was ranked among the top five best new products of 2011 by Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines. EcoTouch™ Insulation has also achieved GREENGUARD Children & Schools (SM) Certification, is verified to be formaldehyde free – meeting stringent certification standards for indoor air quality, and carries the UL Environment Ecologo CCD016 preferable product designation.
In September, Owens Corning earned placement in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) in recognition of its sustainability initiatives for the second consecutive year.
“As part of the top 10% of the biggest 2,500 companies worldwide based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria, we work hard to deliver solutions, at scale, that improve our environment and conserve precious resources,” said Owens Corning Chief Sustainability Officer Frank O’Brien-Bernini. “These certifications provide critical third party validation of the sustainability of our EcoTouch™ product, setting a new standard for insulation.”