Standards & Compliance Briefing: BPI Compostable Logo, 2012 IgCC, WEEE, LEED, ISO 50001

by | Jan 12, 2012

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The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) “Compostable Logo” effort will now be administered by NSF International. The NSF will verify claims of compostability in large-scale composting facilities, reviewing data on the biodegradation, disintegration and absence of eco-toxicity. Products include compostable bags, foodservice items, packaging materials, and other consumer products. After certification, companies can license the BPI’s “Compostable Logo” for marketing. NSF will also review certification requests for BPI-certified products that to meet ASTM D6400 or ASTM D6868 standards for compostability, BPI said.

The 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) will include an approach to minimum thermal requirements for roof and wall systems and extends the minimum thermal requirements to all low-slope roof replacements involving above-deck insulation, writes Building Design + Construction. The new standard, in which roof R-values will be calculated by reducing the current International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) roof U-values by 10 percent, is expected to be released this spring, writes Structural Engineer.

The European Parliament and the Commission reached a decision to reject a higher, single 85-percent WEEE recycling target, and are expected vote January 19 to introduce a 45-percent target for 2014, which rises to 65 percent by 2019. Member states would be required to collect WEEE in proportion to the amount of electronic goods on the market, and retailers will have to develop free collection depots, writes LetsRecycle.com.

In the UK, a new study suggests that 58 percent of WEEE disposed of in 2010 was reused, reprocessed or recovered, higher than the 37 percent reported through approved authorized treatment facilities (AATFs). AATFs are licensed sites for WEEE recycling, which includes depollution, disassembly, shredding, recovery or preparation for disposal, and can issue evidence of recovery. Additional recycling occurs at Authorized Treatment Facilities (ATFs), which are permitted to process WEEE but are not able to issue accountable recovery notes, reports LetsRecycle.com.

Irrigation products and services provider Rain Bird is a new Water Management Certification partner with the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), CLCA said. The program requires that potential partners manage at least one property on a water budget for one year, and continued certification stipulates the property stays on the budget. CLCA’s water certification also carries the EPA’s WaterSense Label.

The UPS Corporate Office in Atlanta has been assessed and awarded LEED Gold certification and Energy Star certification. It is the first UPS site evaluated for environmental standards. The building, constructed in 1994, earned points for natural habitat preservation, heat reduction, roofing, materials and recycling, systems and lighting, UPS said, and the company estimates savings of $100,000 per year in energy costs.

Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI), a manufacturer of engineered nonwoven materials, announces that its Suzhou, China, plant has earned LEED Silver status for an expansion and installation of a new spunmelt line. Features of the project included use of low-emitting materials, water-efficient landscaping, energy management and restoration of habitat. PGI said it will try to achieve the designation at other plants, including its Waynesboro, Virginia, plant.

Maran Tankers Management, Inc. (MTM), oil tanker management company of the Angelicoussis Shipping Group, has earned ISO 50001 certification. MTM has an energy-management system for their 36-ship fleet, which tracks upcoming regulations and customer requirements, and also holds ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. Lloyd’s Register’s marine and management systems divisions (LRQA) conducted the audit, and issued their first 50001 certificate, LRQA said.

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