ASTM International has announced the planned formation of a new technical committee on sustainability. An organizational meeting for the new standards writing committee will be held Oct.1, 2008, in Miami, Fla.

ASTM Standards: Bringing Sustainability into the Mainstream
Numerous environmental, social and economic challenges have brought issues of sustainability to the forefront in recent years.  While both the public and private sectors have offered various programs that advance sustainability, widespread support is still lacking across several mainstream markets. The new ASTM committee will bring diverse stakeholders together to create the consensus standards that will further promote and integrate sustainable development across multiple industry sectors.

Dr. Mary C. McKiel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Standards Executive, commented, "ASTM's proven ability to produce globally-used consensus based standards in environmental and sustainability areas make it well suited to support the goals of this new standards writing activity and the open process needed to ensure its utility."

Addressing a Broad Scope of Standardization Requirements
The planned scope for the new main ASTM technical committee will focus on the stimulation of research and the creation of standards related to sustainability - that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the future. Preliminary standards development efforts will focus on terminology and general principles that are applicable to multiple industry sectors, as well as the development of sustainability standards for specific markets, including building and construction, consumer products, hospitality, agriculture, finance and corporate management, healthcare, water management and others.

The new committee will also assume coordination for ASTM standardization efforts on sustainability currently managed throughout other existing ASTM committees. These include the activities of Subcommittee E06.71 on Sustainability, which is part of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings. A newly formed E06.71 task group on Green Meetings and Events is currently pursuing the development of standards and sustainable practices for application in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industries.  View a short video on this new activity on the ASTM Web site.

Dru Meadows, principal of theGreenTeam Inc. and chair of Subcommittee E06.71, said, "The formation of ASTM's new main committee on sustainability will be a precedent setting activity. Consensus standards will break down barriers to global sustainable development, moving it beyond the discussion stage and into widespread implementation throughout mainstream markets. ASTM's highly organized and accessible forum is the perfect place where cross industry stakeholders can make these goals a reality."

Calling All Interested Stakeholders
ASTM International welcomes the participation of all interested stakeholders in the new activity on sustainability. Join us for the committee's organizational meeting on Oct. 1, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa during the ASTM October committee week in Miami, Fla.  For membership or meeting information, contact Pat Picariello, director, developmental operations, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9720; ppicarie@astm.org).

Release #8043