Manildra Group Awarded First Commercial Certification by the RSB

February 16, 2012
AlgaeIndustryMagazine.com

ustralia’s Manildra Group has been awarded the world’s first commercial certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB). The RSB Global Sustainability Standard represents a global consensus of over 120 organizations including farmers, fuel refiners, regulators and NGOs, and is intended to ensure the sustainability of biofuels production practices while streamlining compliance for industry. The RSB Certification System is approved by the European Commission, as proof of compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC).

The Manildra Group, through its subsidiary Shoalhaven Starches Pty Ltd, is producing bioethanol from starchy wastewater generated by their wheat-processing facility. The completion of RSB certification by Manildra offers tangible evidence that sustainable biofuels may be efficiently and economically produced at a large scale while adhering to ambitious social and environmental standards. The summary report of the audit is available here: http://www.ncsi.com.au/Roundtable-on-Sustainable-Biofuels-RSB.html

“This is the day we have been waiting for since the launch of the RSB, and we applaud Manildra for their leadership,” said Barbara Bramble, Chair of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels and Senior Advisor at the National Wildlife Federation. “This achievement justifies the hard work and the commitment of the stakeholders worldwide who supported the RSB and contributed to the development and implementation of the RSB Global Sustainability Standard.”

The RSB Certification System allows farmers, feedstock processors and biofuel producers to demonstrate that their operations comply with ambitious yet practical safeguards, including, but not limited to, the protection of natural or rare ecosystems, food security, and the respect of human rights to land, water and decent work conditions, and the management of water resources.

Algae.Tec is currently deploying an algae to biofuels production facility at the Manildra Group complex in Shoalhaven, south of Sydney, Australia. Algae.Tec Executive Chairman Roger Stroud congratulated the Manildra Group saying, “Biofuels are the future transport fuels, and having internationally agreed sustainability certification is yet another sign of a maturing industry.”