Page 20 - HPIC E-Magazine (January-2021)

News from Abroad

PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS
Genomatica launches calculator to help firms

substantiate sustainability claims

Genomatica, the US-based supplier
of renewably-sourced chemicals, has
launched a ‘sustainability impact
calculator’. The interactive calculator
makes it easier for personal care com-
panies to substantiate sustainability
claims and achieve greater transparency
with the use of the company’s Bron-
tide brand of natural butylene glycol.

The impact calculator’s dynamic
estimator empowers personal care
companies to predict environmental
footprint savings when replacing
petroleum-derived butylene glycol – an
ingredient commonly used in personal
care products – with Genomatica’s
plant-based alternative. “Personal
care companies can instantly measure
the environmental impact of using
larger volumes of natural butylene
glycol and delivering it to more
consumers, in a single product or an
entire product line, by simply entering
the volume intended for use,” Geno-
matica said in a press note.

The calculator uses data from ability by formulating their products revealed that 85% of Americans have
Genomatica’s peer-reviewed Bron- with Genomatica’s Brontide natural been thinking about sustainability
tide life cycle assessment (LCA) ISO butylene glycol instead of petroleum- the same amount or more during the
14044. According to Genomatica’s based alternatives,” said Mr. Damien COVID-19 pandemic, and of Ameri-

independent LCA, Brontide can slash Perriman, Genomatica’s Senior Vice cans who have been more sustain-
greenhouse gas emissions by about President, Specialty Products. “Our able lately, 1 in 3 (32%) say it is
51% compared to conventional pro- new sustainability impact calculator because they are buying more sus-
duction. The US EPA Greenhouse is just one of the ways Genomatica tainable products.
Gas Equivalencies Calculator is used is helping personal care companies
to calculate this data further and to quantify their greenhouse gas sav- The company’s 2019 survey un-
provide users with three additional ings and accelerate an industry-wide covered that consumers want to make
equivalencies, including greenhouse transition to more sustainable pro- sustainable choices, but confusion
gas emissions from the number of cars ducts,” he added. and lack of transparency made for
driven for one year; emissions avoided high hurdles to overcome. Fifty-five
by incandescent lamps switched to Genomatica’s recent sustainabi- percent were surprised to learn baby
LEDs; and carbon sequestered by lity survey results underscore the sunscreen contains ingredients made
tree seedlings grown for 10 years. importance of claim substantiation from crude oil, 42% didn’t realise face
and greater transparency within the moisturiser contains crude oil-based
“The personal care market can US personal care products market, ingredients and 66% weren’t happy
take a major step toward sustain- said the company. The 2020 survey when they found out.
20 Home, Personal & Institutional Care India January 2021