Standards & Compliance Briefing: Cadmium Jewelry Standard, WEEE, IEEE SmartGrid Portal

by | Sep 27, 2011

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The U.S. jewelry industry, still reeling from revelations that children’s products contained dangerous amounts of cadmium, is pushing back against strict limits passed by many states, The Associated Press reported.  The industry says that unless the its new voluntary standard is adopted as a national standard, the patchwork of state rules will cause chaos for manufacturers and retailers.  With the help of ASTM International, the industry set a cadmium standard last week.  The head of the ASTM subcommittee that wrote the rules called the new limit “way more conservative than necessary.”

In WEEE news, Ghana is the latest country to become a dumping ground for toxic e-waste, e-week Europe reported.  The United Kingdom’s Environmental Investigation Agency said that large numbers of broken televisions and other electronics have been illegally dumped in the country by parties falsely labeling the equipment as “donations.”

E-Waste Systems Inc. has announced that it has entered an agreement to purchase Tech Disposal Inc., an electronic waste recycling firm based in Ohio. E-Waste Systems said the acquisition is part of its strategy “to create an integrated business that unifies the rapidly emerging WEEE industry.”

Holcim Inc. announced that its plant in Holly Hill, SC has earned the EPA’s Energy Star certification for energy efficiency for the second consecutive year.  In addition to the Holly Hill facility, three other Holcim plants were earned the certification: Ste. Genevieve in Bloomsdale, MO, the Portland plant in Florence, Colo., and Devil’s Slide in Morgan, Utah.

The Syracuse Centre of Excellence headquarters in Syracuse, N.Y, a five-story campus on three acres, has earned LEED Platinum certification from the U.S Green Building Council, World Interior Design Network reported.  The 55,000 square foot building has extensive windows and a vapor intrusion system underneath its foundation to remove contaminants in the indoor air.

IEEE announced on Tuesday that it will launch a redesigned version of its Smart Grid Web Portal.  IEEE said the portal, which debuted in January 2010, will now include its SmartGrid Newsletter among other improvements.

Bridgestone announced on Tuesday that it has received ISO:14001 certification for all of its European tire plants, one year ahead of schedule.  The final certification was granted to its subsidiary, Bulldog Remoulds Ltd., for its tire-retreading facility.  With this certification, Bridgestone said that all 13 of its plants in Europe are ISO:14001 certified.

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