The IEEE 1680 draft standards that will form the basis of EPEAT Imaging Equipment and Television environmental ratings – which will cover printers, copiers and TVs – have been approved by more than 75 percent of IEEE voters. The approval is an important step toward publication and implementation expected later in 2012, EPEAT said.
The European Commission has adopted the recast of the WEEE directive, the legislation restricting the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and promoting recycling. The European Parliament had adopted a compromise text in January 2012. The next step is now publication in the Official Journal, which is expected to take place this summer, the commission said.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, CSA Group, and UL Environment have released AHAM 7001-2012/CSA SPE-7001-12/UL 7001, Sustainability Standard for Household Refrigeration Appliances, the first voluntary sustainability standard for home appliances. The standard is based on a lifecycle approach for identifying environmental impacts in five areas: energy, materials, end-of-life, performance, and manufacturing, AHMA said.
Ten standards developed by ASTM International Committee D19 on Water have been included in a final published EPA rule to approve methods for measuring regulated pollutants in wastewater – “Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act Analysis and Sampling Procedures.” Most of the standards in the rule deal with analysis of cyanides in water, the organization said.
Hudson, Ohio-based electronics recyclers E-Waste has obtained its R2 and ISO 14001 certifications. The company said the certifications are in response to customer demand for verified industry recycling and environmental standards that mitigate e-waste disposal risks, writes Recycling Today.
Milan headquartered plant extract specialist, Indena, has been granted ISO 14001 certification for a production site in France, marking the second certification for its five production sites, writes Nutra Ingredients.
Itron has two new ZigBee Smart Energy certified products – the EM425 meter, an IEC-certified electric smart meter for the UK market, and the M2 Gateway, a communications module for third-party meters. Itron’s ZigBee adoption covers the ANSI-certified meters domestically and IEC-certified meters internationally, writes Energy Business Review.
Health care and surgical products manufacturer Medline Industries has received ISO 14001 certification for four facilities. The company said it achieved the standard for its world headquarters in Mundelein, Ill., its sterile procedure tray assembly facilities in Waukegan, Ill., and Chateaubriant, France, and its ReadyCare division, also located in Waukegan.