The U.S. Department of Agriculture grants its “biobased” certificate to the acetic acid, furfural and magnesium lignosulfonate produced by the Lenzing Group.
Lenzing – The biochemicals acetic acid, furfural and magnesium lignosulfonate manufactured in the biorefinery of the Lenzing Group were granted the Biobased Product Label by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This prominent certification is further official proof that the above-mentioned products of the Lenzing Group are derived 100% from the natural and renewable raw material wood.
“Lenzing stands for a responsible approach to nature. For this reason, we use 100% of the natural resource wood, from the core to the bark – as pulp, bioenergy and biochemicals such as acetic acid”, explains Lenzing CEO Stefan Doboczky. “That is why we are very pleased that our pioneering role with respect to the issue of sustainability has gained worldwide recognition”, Mr. Doboczky adds.
The Lenzing Group produces dissolving pulp at its sites in Lenzing, Austria and Paskov, Czech Republic. All the valuable raw materials are extracted from the wood within the framework of a cascading use. Acetic acid is derived from beech wood in the pulp production process, is recovered in several process steps and processed into high quality, food-grade acetic acid, for example for the food industry. Furfural is a product utilized as a solvent in the refining of lubrication oil, to name one example. Magnesium lignosulfonate is found in animal food or fertilizers.
On this basis of this award, Lenzing once again underlines its very high ecological standards. Just a few months ago, Lenzing Modal® fibers and Lenzing Viscose® fibers, including all product families, were also given the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label. The particularly environmentally compatible TENCEL® fibers have already been certified as biobased since the year 2011.
BioPreferred program
The certification of biobased products is part of the BioPreferred program implemented by the USDA. It is designed to motivate government institutions and companies to purchase biobased products or those which largely consist of biological materials.
The Lenzing Group
The Lenzing Group is a world market leader headquartered in Austria, which operates production sites in all major markets as well as a worldwide network of sales and marketing offices. Lenzing supplies the global textile and nonwovens industry with high-quality, botanic cellulose fibers. Its portfolio ranges from dissolving wood pulp to standard and specialty cellulose fibers.
Lenzing’s quality and innovative strength set global standards for cellulose fibers. With 79 years of experience in fiber production, the Lenzing Group is the only company in the world which is able to produce significant volumes of all three cellulose fiber generations – from the classic Lenzing Viscose® branded fibers to the Lenzing Modal® branded fibers and the TENCEL® lyocell fibers. In 2016 Lenzing introduced the RefibraTM branded recycling fiber, a product innovation based on recycled cotton scraps.
The Lenzing Group’s success is based on consistent customer orientation combined with innovation, technology and quality leadership. Lenzing is committed to the principles of sustainable management with very high environmental standards and can underscore this commitment with numerous international sustainability certifications for its business processes as the most sustainable company in the sector. In addition to fibers, which form the core business, the Lenzing Group is also active to a lesser extent in the field s of engineering and plant construction.