One hundred years ago, most of our fuels, construction materials, clothes, inks, paints, and even synthetic fibers and chemicals were made from plant matter. Then petroleum flooded the economy and a new industrial era began. By the 1980's, less than 5 percent of our industrial products and fuels came from biological materials. Now industry may be moving away from the oil derrick and towards the silo for its supplies, as new technologies lower the cost of deriving products from plant matter and environmental regulations raise the cost of extracting, processing, using and disposing of fossil fuel derived products.

In the past, manufacturers have often substituted a petrochemical not on the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to avoid environmental regulations only to discover that a later version of the TRI included the substitute petrochemical. Substituting biochemicals can be a permanent solution to the regulatory problem. Also, biochemicals tend to be far less toxic than petrochemicals, creating safer work environments for employees. The economics of replacing petrochemicals with biochemicals are increasingly favorable. Not only can a manufacturer save money by avoiding costly permits and compliance penalties, there is also a dramatic reduction in hazardous waste disposal costs. Companies using biochemicals in their manufacturing processes also can appeal to "green" consumers, an increasing portion of the market.

There are enormous opportunities with bio-based products for companies to impact the so-called "triple bottom line," by improving operations while benefiting both people and the environment. Early adapters may gain an advantage by gaining experience with these products while locking in still-limited supplies.

Steve

www.carbohydrateeconomy.org