China issues national standard for bio-materials

On April 13, 2021, testing provider SGS reported on the publication of China’s new standard GB/T 39514-2020 titled “Terminology, definition, identification of biobased materials,” which was originally released in November 2020. The standard defines the term “biobased material” as referring to any material of biological origins such as lignin, cellulose, chitin, and natural rubber or materials made by biological manufacturing processes including biodegradable plastic, and wood plastic material. In total, the standard sets legal definitions for 58 terms including “plastic,” “biodegradable plastic,” “composite,” and “renewable resource.”

Beginning June 1, 2021, a standardized identification code must be indelibly marked on products. Each identification code begins with “BBM GB/T 39514—2020” representing the “biobased material as specified in regulation GB/T 39514—2020” followed by the product name of the material and the raw material component(s).

CHINA RELEASES A NEW NATIONAL STANDARD GB/T 39514-2020 <TERMINOLOGY, DEFINITION, IDENTIFICATION OF BIOBASED MATERIAL>

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April 13, 2021

China issued a new national product standard GB/T 39514-2020. The standard will become effective on June 1, 2021.

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The Standardization Administration of China issued its national standard GB/T 39514-2020 <Terminology, definition, identification of biobased materials>, included in China’s No. 26 announcement on the approved national standards in 2020.  This new standard will become effective on June 1, 2021.

SCOPE

This standard applies to the following types of biobased materials, including biobased chemicals, polymers, plastics, biobased chemical fibers, biobased rubber, biodegradable paints, biobased material additives, biobased composite and products made from various biobased materials.

TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS

This standard includes 58 terminologies and their definitions. The terminology for “biobased material” is defined as following:

Biobased materials refer to materials made from biomass or (and) by biological manufacturing processes.

Biobased materials include basic biobased chemicals and sugar engineering products which are made from biomass or (and) by biosynthetic, bioprocessing, biorefining processes, such as bio-alcohols, organic acids, alkanes, and olefins etc. It also includes biobased polymers, biobased plastics, biobased chemical fibers, biobased rubber, biodegradable paints, biobased material additives, biobased composites and products made from various biobased materials. The detailed classification can refer to Appendix A of this standard.

IDENTIFICATION

This standard specifies the identification of biobased materials and product materials.

1. Identification for biobased materials



*Example 1: PLA plastic sheet, can be expressed as ‘BBM GB/T 39514—2020 PLA plastic sheet PLA80+PBAT20’.
*Example 2:  Bio-PE plastic film, can be expressed as ‘BBM GB/T 39514—2020 Bio-PE plastic film Bio-PE70+St30’.

2. Identification for product materials
   This standard specifies that the product identification shall be marked on the product or the outer package. This standard has different requirements for single component products, multi-component products, products containing additives (including products containing fillers or reinforcers, products containing plasticizers and products containing flame retardants).

3. Making of the identification 
   This standard specified that the product identification can be made by molding, printing, embossing, branding or other clear and indelible marking methods.

Note: 
The 58 terminologies are as follows: (1) biomass,(2) bio-carbon,(3) biomass content,(4) renewable resource,(5) Biobased (biomass based, biosourced, biogenic, from renewable resource),(6) biobased carbon content,(7) biobased content,(8) biocompatibility,(9) biobased material,(10) biobased chemicals,(11) biobased products,(12) polymer,(13) biobased polymer,(14) biopolymer,(15) natural polymer,(16) plant fiber,(17) cellulose,(18) hemicellulose,(19) lignin,(20) starch,(21) protein,(22) chitin,(23) chitosan,(24) natural rubber,(25) plastic,(26) biobased plastic,(27) bioplastic,(28) biodegradation,(29) biodegradable plastic,(30) poly(lactic acid),(31) polyhydroxyalkanoates,(32) poly(butylene succinate),(33) poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate),(34) biodegradable poly(butylene adipate terephthalate),(35) poly(propylene carbonate)(carbon dioxide/propylene oxide copolymer),(36) PPC polyols,(37) polycaprolactone,(38) poly(p-dioxanone),(39) chemical fiber,(40) biobased chemical fibre,(41) biobased rubber,(42) biodegradable painting,(43) biobased plasticizer,(44) biobased flame retardants,(45) biobased adhesive,(46) biobased lubricant,(47) surfactant,(48) biobased surfactant,(49) detergent,(50) biobased detergent,(51) additives,(52) other biobased additives,(53) composite,(54) biobased composite,(55) starch based plastic materials,(56) starch based plastic products,(57) wood plastic materials,(58) bamboo plastic materials.

DETAILS OF THE TECHNICAL CONTENT

For more information, please refer to the China National Standard GB/T 39514-2020 <Terminology, defination, identification of biobased materials>. or contact SGS directly.

SGS Global Softlines has an extensive network of over 40 laboratories worldwide, with a strong team of committed professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. Our internationally accredited state-of-the-art testing laboratories offer a comprehensive range of physical, chemical and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. We help your company ensure quality, performance and compliance with international, industrial and regulatory standards worldwide. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Discover more at  www.sgs.com/softlines.