Owens Corning recently announced that its award-winning EcoTouch Insulation is the first fiberglass insulation to be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a biobased product. The certification is part of a new USDA Biobased labeling initiative to identify products with ingredients made from renewable plant materials.

Owens Corning recently announced that its award-winning EcoTouch Insulation is the first fiberglass insulation to be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a biobased product. The certification is part of a new USDA Biobased labeling initiative to identify products with ingredients made from renewable plant materials.

The USDA Biobased labeling initiative is an element of the U.S. Farm Bill that focuses on increasing the purchase and use of biobased products made from renewable agricultural materials. The purpose of the labeling initiative is to more clearly identify biobased products for all buyers, and to promote the increased sale and use of biobased products in the commercial market and for consumers. In order to be certified by the USDA, vendor products are required to undergo biobased product testing by an accredited laboratory.

Presidential Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, mandates the purchasing of biobased products under a preferred procurement program for Federal agencies and their contractors. The USDA designates categories of biobased products and makes them available in a catalog for Federal agencies and their contractors to choose from when making purchases.

In addition to the USDA certification, EcoTouch'' Insulation was recently certified by Scientific Certifications Systems (SCS) for new recycled content figures: total recycled content rose from 50 percent to 58 percent for faced batts and rolls, and to 65 percent for unfaced batts, rolls, MBI and loosefill.*

The USDA and SCS certifications add to the growing list of accolades for EcoTouch'' Insulation. In August, it was ranked among the top five best new products of 2011 by Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines. EcoTouch'' Insulation also has achieved GREENGUARD Children & Schools(SM) Certification, is verified to be formaldehyde free - meeting stringent certification standards for indoor air quality, and carries the UL Environment Ecologo CCD016 preferable product designation.

In September, Owens Corning earned placement in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) in recognition of its sustainability initiatives for the second consecutive year.

"As part of the top 10 percent of the biggest 2,500 companies worldwide based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria, we work hard to deliver solutions, at scale, that improve our environment and conserve precious resources," said Owens Corning Chief Sustainability Officer Frank O''Brien-Bernini. "These certifications provide critical third party validation of the sustainability of our EcoTouch'' product, setting a new standard for insulation."