ASC Submits Definitions Related to Sustainability to the ASTM D14 Adhesives Subcommittee

Bethesda, MD -- Responding to suggestions by participants of its Sustainability Summit in the mid of year, the Adhesive and Sealant Council submitted six terms and definitions related to sustainability to the ASTM D14 Adhesives Subcommittee on Terminology for inclusion in the ASTM D907 (Standard Terminology for Adhesives).

The ASTM Subcommittee reviewed and approved the submission for balloting by the full ASTM D14 Committee, beginning in January 2012. The six terms to be included in the January balloting process are:

• life cycle assessment (LCA)
• life cycle
• sustainability
• renewable resource
• biobased products/material
• carbon footprint

"One of the outcomes the Councils Sustainability Summit was a clear need for establishing common terminology related to sustainability that industry can recognize," said Mark Collatz, Director of Government Relations at ASC.

"This cooperative effort between ASC and ASTM is a first step in creating a baseline of understanding for sustainability terminology within the adhesive industry." The terms to be balloted were initially identified by the 86 attendees of the July Summit. Following the Summit, ASCs Technical Committee undertook a desktop research project and identified existing definitions for each term. The committee then came to a consensus on what they deemed most appropriate for the industry. The term definitions will be balloted though March 2012. Should there be objections, industry will have the opportunity to respond at the April ASTM Terminology Subcommittee meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

ASC and its Technical Committee expect to undertake a similar process with ASTMs C24 Sealant Committee for additional terms and definitions related to Sealants in 2012.