How to Get Biochar Certified: EBC, WBC, and Carbon Credit Eligibility Explained
Biochar producers preparing for export or carbon credit revenue usually run into three different things at once: EBC, WBC, and carbon credit eligibility, and they don't mean the same thing. EBC and WBC are production and quality certifications, they confirm your biochar is made from sustainably sourced feedstock and is safe for its intended use. Carbon credit eligibility is a separate process entirely, run by a different type of organisation, that verifies how much CO2 your biochar actually removes from the atmosphere and issues tradable credits for it. This article explains what each one actually checks, how the certification process works, and how carbon credit eligibility fits in, using Puro.earth as a working example of a carbon crediting pathway.
What EBC certifies
The European Biochar Certificate is a production and quality standard for biochar, managed by Carbon Standards International AG, based in Frick, Switzerland. It confirms that the feedstock going into the biochar is sustainably sourced, that the pyrolysis process stays within defined emissions limits, and that the finished biochar meets contaminant thresholds, covering things like heavy metals and PAHs, for its intended use.
EBC isn't a single certificate. It's issued as one of several classes depending on where the biochar is going to be used:
EBC-Agro, for general agricultural soil amendment and crop production under EU fertilising product regulation;
EBC-AgroOrganic, for biochar used in certified organic farming;
EBC-FeedPlus, for the strictest contaminant limits required for animal feed and related soil applications;
EBC-Urban, for tree planting, park maintenance and urban green space use;
EBC-Materials, for biochar going into products with direct skin contact, such as textiles or composites;
EBC-Basic, the baseline standard for industrial applications like construction materials or asphalt.
Which class applies depends entirely on what the biochar is actually being sold for, not on the production process itself, since the same batch of biochar can sometimes qualify for more than one class.
How the EBC certification process works
Certification runs in four stages. First, the producer registers with Carbon Standards International. Second, a technical pre-audit reviews the pyrolysis technology itself against EBC's process requirements. Third, a representative sample from each production batch is tested in an EBC-endorsed laboratory. Fourth, an accredited third-party certification body, CERES-CERT is one such body, carries out an on-site inspection before the certificate is issued.
Certification is issued per batch and is valid for up to 12 months. Renewal isn't a formality, it requires a new sample, new lab testing, and a fresh on-site inspection, so certification is really an ongoing annual cycle rather than a one-time credential.
What WBC adds, and where it differs from EBC
The World Biochar Certificate is run by the same organisation, Carbon Standards International, and applies the same underlying quality bar, but it's built for markets outside Europe. WBC keeps the scientifically based contamination and safety requirements while removing the parts of the standard tied specifically to EU regulation. It uses its own three classifications, Premium, Agro, and Material, rather than the EU-regulation-linked EBC classes.
The certification process itself is effectively the same four-stage structure as EBC: technical pre-audit of the pyrolysis process, batch sampling and lab analysis, first-batch registration, and third-party on-site inspection, with the same up-to-12-month batch validity and annual reinspection.
In practice, which one you need depends on your market. If your buyer is in the EU, EBC's classes are built around EU fertilising product and organic production regulation directly. If you're selling elsewhere, WBC applies the same underlying quality and safety bar without requiring compliance with EU-specific rules that don't apply to that market.
Carbon credit eligibility is a separate process
Neither EBC nor WBC issues carbon credits. They certify the biochar itself, not the carbon removal claim attached to it. Carbon credits are issued by carbon crediting programs, and Puro.earth is one of the platforms active in this space specifically for biochar and other durable carbon removal methods.
Puro.earth's biochar methodology works differently from a product certification. Rather than testing a physical sample, it assesses the project itself, the feedstock, the pyrolysis conditions, and how the biochar is ultimately applied, against eligibility criteria that determine how much CO2 is considered durably removed and stored. Producers submit project and monitoring data through Puro's platform, which is reviewed by independent, Puro-trained auditors before Puro.earth issues CO2 Removal Certificates, referred to as CORCs, for each verified tonne of CO2 removed. Those CORCs can then be sold or transferred to buyers separately from the biochar product itself.
Puro.earth's own published materials don't set out a fixed prerequisite requiring EBC or WBC certification before a biochar project is eligible for CORCs. In practice, though, most biochar producers pursuing carbon credits also hold a quality certification like EBC or WBC, partly because buyers on both sides, biochar buyers and carbon credit buyers, tend to expect it, and partly because much of the sustainability documentation the two processes ask for genuinely overlaps.
A related route worth knowing about: EBC C-Sink
Carbon Standards International also runs its own carbon sink certification, EBC C-Sink, alongside the EBC product standard. It's a separate, EBC-specific pathway to certifying and tracking biochar-based carbon removal, distinct from third-party crediting platforms like Puro.earth. If you're already pursuing EBC certification, it's worth knowing this exists as an alternative or additional route, though the two pathways, EBC C-Sink and a platform like Puro.earth, aren't the same programme and shouldn't be assumed interchangeable without checking the specific requirements of whichever one you're pursuing.
What this means in practice
These are genuinely three separate pieces of work: getting your biochar EBC or WBC certified confirms the product itself is safe and sustainably produced, and is usually the starting point since buyers in most markets expect it regardless of carbon ambitions. Pursuing carbon credit eligibility through a platform like Puro.earth is a separate, additional process on top of that, assessing the removal claim rather than the product. Because requirements, timelines and costs vary by facility, feedstock and target market, and because Puro.earth's methodology has been revised in recent years, it's worth treating any specific timeline or cost figure you're given as an estimate for your situation rather than a fixed industry standard.
Working out which pathway fits your operation?
Between EBC, WBC and carbon credit eligibility, the right starting point depends on your target market and what you're actually trying to achieve, export access, carbon revenue, or both. If you'd like to talk through which combination makes sense for your production and target markets, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between EBC and WBC?
Both are run by Carbon Standards International and apply the same underlying quality and safety standards. EBC's classes are built around EU regulation, including fertilising product and organic production rules, while WBC applies the same scientific quality bar for markets outside the EU, using its own Premium, Agro and Material classifications.
Does EBC or WBC certification include carbon credits?
No. Both certify the biochar product itself, feedstock sourcing, production emissions, and contaminant limits, not the carbon removal claim. Carbon credits are issued separately by carbon crediting platforms such as Puro.earth, through a different assessment process.
Do I need EBC or WBC certification before I can get carbon credits?
Puro.earth's published materials don't state this as a formal requirement. In practice, most producers pursuing carbon credits also hold a quality certification, both because buyers tend to expect it and because the underlying sustainability documentation overlaps significantly.
How long is EBC or WBC certification valid for?
Certification is issued per production batch and is valid for up to 12 months. Renewal requires a new sample, new laboratory testing, and a fresh on-site inspection rather than being an automatic extension.