Bio-based
The word is equally true at 25% and at 85%, so it carries no information without a stated percentage and the basis it was measured against. USDA and EN 16785-1 use different denominators, so their figures are not interchangeable.
Meaning by context
Derived in whole or in part from biomass. EN 16785-1 determines bio-based content as a mass fraction using radiocarbon analysis combined with elemental analysis. The result is a percentage, and the standard expects it to be stated.
The USDA BioPreferred programme sets minimum bio-based content thresholds by product category, verified by ASTM D6866 radiocarbon testing. Watch the denominator: the USDA figure is bio-based carbon as a percentage of the product's total organic carbon, not of its total mass (7 CFR 4270.7(b)-(c), the consolidated rule that superseded the former 7 CFR Parts 3201 and 3202). Fillers, minerals and water drop out of the USDA denominator but stay in the EN 16785-1 one, so on a mineral-loaded or water-heavy product the USDA number can read far higher than the EN 16785-1 number for the same material. The two percentages are not interchangeable. Products certified under the programme's voluntary labelling side carry their bio-based content percentage on the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label.
Used with no percentage at all, which is where the problem starts.
Where this goes wrong
Saying ‘bio-based’ without stating the percentage, and the basis it is measured against is precisely the kind of vague claim the ECGT Directive prohibits from 27 September 2026. A sheet that is 25% bio-based and one that is 85% bio-based can both carry the word truthfully. If a supplier will not put the number in writing, you cannot substantiate the claim, and an unsubstantiable claim has to come off the label.