Biotech Updates

New Approach to Waste Material Certification Released

September 18, 2013

Full Report: http://rsbservices.org/news/certification-of-biofuels-from-waste-the-rsb-approach/

News article: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=6774


The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Services has released a new approach to certifying waste materials to be used as feedstock for biofuel production.

The RSB, a voluntary sustainability scheme approved by the European Union, covers all types of feedstock and all biomaterial products. The new RSB approach details how biofuel producers that operate with a fixed supply chain can include their upstream collectors and aggregators within their scope of RSB certification. This is to ensure that only genuine waste materials are allowed to enter the supply chain.

The report also highlights the United Kingdom's new traceability requirements for double counting material upstream to the point of origin, aimed to counteract potential fraudulent labelling of unsustainable virgin material as waste or residue.

The new RSB approach for upstream waste material verification is designed to be rigorous but with an element of flexibility in its implementation to allow waste material originating from a wide range of producers to be eligible.