Washington, D.C., will be the location of the 2009 spring meeting of the ASTM International board of directors. The ASTM board meetings, as well as outreach events, will take place in the U.S. capital during the week of April 26.

The 24-member ASTM International board of directors comprises industry and government executives with responsibilities in global standardization, including: the standards executive for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the director of the Defense Standardization Program Office at the U.S. Department of Defense; the directors general of the national standards bodies of Brazil (ABNT) and Germany (DIN); the director of Mattel/Fisher-Price worldwide product safety; and the chief scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, among others.

ASTM International is engaged in Washington, D.C., where the Society maintains an office to build stronger government and industry awareness. In the United States, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) directs federal agencies to adopt private-sector standards whenever possible, especially those developed by organizations such as ASTM International that use open, formal procedures and rely on consensus among affected parties.  ASTM’s world headquarters are located outside of Philadelphia, Pa.

“The intersection of standards and public policy makes Washington, D.C., a most appropriate location for the ASTM board to meet. The board and staff of ASTM welcome this opportunity to engage key stakeholders that shape policy, trade agreements and corporate decision-making.  Meeting here demonstrates ASTM International’s commitment to serve the needs of industry and regulators, and to advance the acceptance and use of ASTM standards,” says ASTM International President James A. Thomas.  ASTM standards are embedded in the technical regulations of countries all over the world, and industry associations are active in ASTM technical committee work.

In addition to the formal board sessions, which begin on April 26, ASTM’s time in D.C. will include a full day of outreach visits to the main offices of government regulatory agencies, consumer organizations and trade associations that reflect some of the key sectors covered in ASTM standards: building construction, consumer safety, energy, global commerce, infrastructure and metals.

Washington, D.C., joins other world capitals as host cities for the ASTM board. Previous meeting locations include Stockholm, Beijing, Berlin, Toronto and Mexico City.  For more information on the ASTM board meeting in Washington, D.C., contact Jeff Grove, vice president, ASTM global policy and industry affairs (phone: 202-223-8505; jgrove@astm.org). 

Release #8234