NantBioRenewables Earns USDA Certification for 69% Biobased Straws

NantBioRenewables has received the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Certified Biobased Product Label for BioCal-ICS, its line of compostable straws and tableware made with Ocean Calcium Sand, a renewable mineral formed naturally in the ocean. The certification verifies that products in the line contain 69 percent biobased content, meaning that share of the product is derived from renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry feedstocks rather than nonrenewable, petroleum-based inputs.

 

The certification is administered through the USDA's BioPreferred Program, which independently verifies biobased content claims rather than relying on manufacturer self-reporting, giving the label a level of credibility that unverified sustainability marketing claims typically lack. That distinction matters given the broader scrutiny sustainability claims face across consumer product categories, where unsubstantiated environmental marketing has drawn criticism as greenwashing. USDA's Vernell Thompson framed the certification explicitly in that context, describing it as helping combat inaccurate marketing claims while making it easier for consumers and federal buyers to identify genuinely verified biobased products during purchasing decisions.

 

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According to USDA's latest Economic Impact Report, the broader biobased products industry supported 4.6 million American jobs and contributed $470 billion to the US economy, generating 2.79 jobs in other economic sectors for every biobased job created. USDA also estimates the industry displaces approximately 9.4 million barrels of oil annually, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 12.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year, figures describing the sector's aggregate national impact rather than NantBioRenewables' individual contribution specifically.

 

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Kenn Budlong, chief operating officer of NantBioRenewables, said the certification reinforced the company's commitment to developing high-performing products with measurable environmental benefits, framing the USDA label as independent verification giving customers confidence they are choosing a credible alternative to conventional plastic foodservice products.