Natureworks' Ingeo biopolymer becomes Cradle to Cradle certificated

Philip Goldsmith

MINNETONKA, Minnesota , May 24, 2012 (press release) – NatureWorks’ Ingeo™ biopolymer, made from plants, not oil, is the first product of its kind to become Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Silver by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM is a multi-attribute program that assesses products for safety to human and environmental health, design for future use cycles, and sustainable manufacturing processes. The program provides guidelines to help businesses implement the Cradle to Cradle® framework, which focuses on using safe materials that can be disassembled and reused as technical nutrients or composted as biological nutrients.

The certification is recognized by environmental experts worldwide for honoring innovation in sustainability. In the U.S., for example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) includes Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM products in its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) database for federal agency procurement. These certified products also are eligible for points in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification for green buildings.

“NatureWorks participated in the Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM Program process because we believe its holistic view of products is essential to understanding the true totality of sustainability,” said Marc Verbruggen, president and CEO, NatureWorks. “We are proud that Ingeo is among the first products in the world to achieve this distinction.”

Unlike single-attribute eco-labels, the certification program takes a comprehensive approach to evaluating the design of a product and the practices employed in manufacturing it. Each product is evaluated in five categories: Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy Use, Water Stewardship, and Social Responsibility. Products can be Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM at one of four levels (Basic, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) based on achievement against criteria in all five categories.

NatureWorks worked closely with consulting firm McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) to collect data throughout the supply chain, assess all materials for impact to human and environmental health, and evaluate manufacturing processes for use of renewable energy, water stewardship, and social responsibility. Products made from Ingeo span multiple industries and categories, including packaging, electronics, clothing, house wares, health and personal care, semi-durable products, and the foodservice industry. View this special edition Ingeo LookBook for a sampling of the latest innovations. The LookBook tells a compelling story of how far fibers and plastics made from plants, not oil, have come in the past decade. Follow NatureWorks on Twitter (@natureworksllc) for the latest updates.

About NatureWorks
NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available, low-carbon-footprint Ingeo™ biopolymers derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources with performance and economics that compete with oil-based plastics and fibers, and provide brand owners new cradle-to-cradle options after the use of their products. In October 2011, Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Global Chemicals, entered into an agreement to make a $150 million equity investment in NatureWorks. The transaction remains subject to regulatory clearances. For more information on NatureWorks and Ingeo™, visit www.natureworksllc.com.

Ingeo and the Ingeo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NatureWorks LLC in the USA and other countries.

About the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute was formed in March 2010 by William McDonough and Michael Braungart at the request of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to make available to a larger public the rigorous, multi-attribute product quality certification program originally developed by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC (MBDC) in 2005. As the new manager of the Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM program, the Institute works with leaders from academia, the NGO environmental community, government, and industry to further the comprehensive quality rating system for the assessment and continuous improvement of products. http://www.c2ccertified.org/

Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM and Certified Cradle to CradleCM are certification marks licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

About McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry
MBDC is a consulting firm that regenerates economy, environment, and equity by helping organizations integrate the Cradle to Cradle® framework into their strategies, operations, and products. The Cradle to Cradle® design framework is outlined in the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart. For more information, visit www.mbdc.com.

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