Sicomin bio-based epoxy earns ECOBOARD qualification

Resin manufacturer Sicomin (Marseilles, France) reported on May 9 that it has received the ECOBOARD Project Gold Level qualification for its entire range of bio-based epoxy resins. The certification applies to Sicomin’s GreenPoxy range that now consists of five resin systems.

The ECOBOARD Project is the independent third-party, consumer-facing certification program for surfboards, designed and managed by environmental non-profit Sustainable Surf. The program’s focus is to help surfers make better buying choices and support boardbuilders to make the shift towards more sustainable materials and technologies.

Since the foundation of the ECOBOARD Project in 2012, more than 150,000 surf, kite and windsurf boards, plus stand-up paddleboards, have been made by nearly 200 brands that carry the ECOBOARD Project Level One logo. This requires the use of either a plant-based, low-to-zero VOCs resin, or a core with at least 25% recycled or plant-based content.

ECOBOARD Gold Level is the latest and more stringent certification and all of the components. Boards labelled ECOBOARD Gold Level must consist of ECOBOARD-qualified materials, such as Sicomin’s range of GreenPoxy resin systems.

A significantly high percentage of the carbon content of these industry-proven formulations is from plant and vegetable origins, as specified in ASTM D6866 standard, and as such, they represent more than a decade of intensive development work.

The range includes GreenPoxy 56, GreenPoxy 33, InfuGreen 810, Surf Clear Evo and Foaming Epoxy. “Our next-generation, bio-based epoxy systems represent a major step forward towards a petrochemical-free system derived from renewable resources, whilst delivering tough, strong and durable bonding on most surfaces and allowing easy processing,” comments Philippe Marcovich, president, Sicomin. “The auditing process for achieving ECOBOARD Gold Level was tough. We believe, however, that this certification illustrates the true sustainable contribution our products have to offer to the water sports, composites, winter sports industries, and beyond.”