Bio-Based Information

B4 Brands Overview:

B4 Brands is the first company in the world to introduce a comprehensive line of bio-based hand hygiene products. Our bio-based products include hand sanitizers, antibacterial hand soaps, a variety of dispensing systems, as well as value-added service solutions. We believe in harnessing nature's green chemistry to create products that are clinically effective, environmentally sustainable, and truly safe for human use.

Bio-based Legislation:

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-17), better known as the 2002 Farm Bill, was signed by President Bush on May 13th, 2002. Section 9002 directs the USDA to create a Designated Bio-based Products List (DBPL) and provide purchasing recommendations to federal agencies. The law requires federal agencies to give procurement preference to USDA-designated bio-based products. It is now mandatory to purchase these products and federal agencies are required to develop affirmative procurement programs to purchase these products.

What are Bio-based Products?

The term ‘bio-based product’ as defined by Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 means a product determined by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to be a commercial or industrial product, that is composed in whole or in significant part, of biological products or renewable domestic agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials. Bio-based products are produced from renewable natural resources and are generally more environmentally sensitive than petroleum-based products.

What are the Primary Advantages of Bio-based Products?

The environmental and economic advantages of bio-based products are very significant. Bio-based products are domestically produced and generally support agriculture and rural communities. Bio-based products reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce upstream pollution generated from the extraction and processing of crude oil. In addition, bio-based products are generally non-toxic and offer health benefits to consumers.

What are the Procurement Preference Requirements?

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 created a program that requires federal agencies to offer procurement preference to bio-based products. Federal agencies must purchase bio-based products if:

The products are readily available
Meet performance standards
Reasonably priced relative to non-biobased alternatives