Standardization News

Manufacturers, buyers and designers who deal with plastics and polymers will be the primary users of a proposed new standard that will allow them to determine whether products contain substances affected by the European Union's Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, known as REACH, or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

The proposed new standard, WK26792, Guide for the Identification of Restricted Substances in Plastic and Polymer Materials, is being developed by Subcommittee F40.02 on Management Practices and Guides, part of ASTM International Committee F40 on Declarable Substances in Materials."A user would know that a specific plastic is in a product," says Lisa Clerici, a global consulting specialist with Bureau Veritas, and secretary of F40. "Once it is approved, users could consult the guide to determine if there may be possible restricted substances present and what those substances are as well as how they are used."All interested parties with knowledge of plastics are encouraged to join F40.02 members in their ongoing development of WK26792.

CONTACT Technical Information: Lisa Clerici, Bureau Veritas • Buffalo, N.Y. • Phone: 716-505-3590 • E-mail: lisa.clerici@us.bureauveritas.com O ASTM Staff: Brynn Murphy • Phone: 610-832-9640 • E-mail: bmurphy@astm.org O Upcoming Meeting: April 21-22 • April Committee Week • St. Louis, Mo.