Standardization News

Official Event of United Nations' International Year of Chemistry

ASTM International was a session co-sponsor of the 15th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, an official event of the United Nations' International Year of Chemistry 2011. The conference, held from June 21 to 23 in Washington, D.C., was organized by the American Chemical Society's Green Chemistry Institute. More than 650 international participants attended the conference, which featured five keynote speakers and 30 technical sessions for students, researchers, corporate leaders and funding organizations.

During the conference, Pat Picariello, director, developmental operations, ASTM, presented a life cycle assessment session titled "Standards Development: Collection and Processing of Electronic Material and Devices."

During his presentation, Picariello discussed the evolution of a proposed standard on the collection and processing of electronic material and devices that is currently being developed by ASTM International Committee E60 on Sustainability. The proposed standard is intended to provide clarity and transparency for the recycling process by enabling product tracking through the supply chain from material supplier, product manufacturer, retailer, processor and on to final disposition.

The U.N. International Year of Chemistry is a means to highlight the vital contribution that chemistry is making toward the achievement of the goals of the U.N. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014.