The Responsible Jewellery Council and non-profit group Solidaridad have announced collaboration for more transparent and accountable practices throughout the gold supply chain. A key focus will be a Solidaridad pilot project that uses RJC’s Code of Practices and Chain-of-Custody standard as tools for improving practices at industrial gold mines, the groups said.
The UK’s Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment said that it has completed its recommendations to update the ISO 14001 standard, which is currently under revision. IEMA also said that more than 250,000 organizations worldwide are certified to the standard in 155 countries.
The NAHB Research Center announced a 30-day public comment period for a specific revision to the second draft of the 2012 edition of ICC 700 – National Green Building Standard. The scope of this public comment period is limited to the restoration of skylights and tubular daylighting devices as a separate category eligible for points within the energy efficiency chapter.
The Basel Action Network has released a request for qualifications seeking a company to independently administer the e-Stewards Certification program. Administration of the standard will include overseeing the quality control of the entire accredited certification program, providing services to the community of e-Stewards Certified recyclers, and updating and maintaining the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment, BAN said. The RFQ closes July 15.
BAN also announced that Abington Reldan Metals, a greater Philadelphia area company that reuses and recycles precious metal scrap, is now a certified e-Stewards Recycler. The metals company also has a 2010-built refinery that is LEED Silver and ISO 14001 certified.
CalPortland said that its Rillito Cement Plant, located in Rillito, Ariz., has earned the EPA’s Energy Star certification, indicating that the facility performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets EPA energy efficiency performance levels. Among the actions the facility took to earn the certification, the plant installed a new gas conditioning tower with a baghouse modification that led to a 2.6 million kWh/year savings.
Sealed Air announced that its PakNatural loose fill solution, a protective packaging product made from non-food, renewable materials, has been certified as biodegradable and compostable by three independent international organizations. The product received Biodegradable Products Institute certification under the ASTM D6400 test for compostability; German certification organization’s DIN CERTCO, for compostable material; and Belgium-based independent testing and research organization Vincotte’s certification for “OK Compost.”
Forsgate Industrial Partners’ 226,000- square-foot distribution center for Coca-Cola Refreshments in South Brunswick, N.J., has earned LEED Silver certification. The facility, designed by KSS Architects, of Princeton and Philadelphia, features a fully day-lit interior with with day lighting sensors, cool roofing, and a 1 MW rooftop PV array, Greater Media Newspapers said.