Pioneering circular economy, technology-based company Black Bear recently announced that its carbon black has received an official Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze Certificate following an assessment made by the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA).

This marks the first time any carbon black in the market has received this certification.

The certification activities reconfirmed that Black Bear’s carbon black has extremely low levels of harmful Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH). A low level of PAH is becoming increasingly important, given health concerns and increased scrutiny of hazardous substances under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.

Michael Braungart, founder and CEO of EPEA and co-author of the lauded book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, praised the product, saying:

“The Black Bear Carbon upcycled product is a game-changer in the field of carbon black. It is “upcycled” because the output material is of higher quality than the input material (furnace black in car tyres). Its extremely low content of PAH means that it is of such good quality that I am happy to recommend its use in all kinds of applications, including those involving a lot of skin contact, such as bicycle handlebars, stroller handles, wheelchairs, and of course, in car and bike tyres, where abrasion and inhalation of carcinogenic PAH-containing particles can be hazardous. Using a high-quality product like Black Bear’s carbon black has the potential to impact the health and well-being of many people positively, and it is therefore a beneficial Cradle to Cradle product.”

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program is an independent, third-party verified certification program that certifies products and materials developed to respect human and environmental health, is designed for future use cycles, and utilizes clean energy and water throughout the supply chain. Certified products are required to show continuous improvement every two years.

“This certification clearly demonstrates our commitment to accelerating the transition towards a circular economy. We are pleased that we can now offer carbon black users a real and officially certified choice for selecting clean and green materials,” said Martijn Lopes Cardozo, CEO of Black Bear.

https://rubberjournalasia.com/black-bear-carbon-black-receives-epea-cradle-to-cradle-certificate/