Shanghai, China to host ASTM Declarable Substances meeting.

Press Release Summary:



ASTM Committee F40 on Declarable Substances in Materials will hold its next business meetings in People’s Republic of China from March 10–13, 2014. Along with 20–25 international technical committee experts representing global manufacturers of products that incorporate identified hazardous materials restricted by legislation, participants will include representatives from 15 nations taking part in Committee F40, with Chinese membership leading the number of international participants.



Original Press Release:



Shanghai, China to Be Site of Next ASTM International Declarable Substances Committee Meeting



W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa . — ASTM Committee F40 on Declarable Substances in Materials will convene its next business meetings in the People’s Republic of China in March 2014. The four-day session will include participation from 20 to 25 international technical committee experts who represent global manufacturers of products that incorporate identified hazardous materials restricted by legislation. Representatives from 15 nations participate in Committee F40 with Chinese membership leading the number of international participants. The meetings will be held at the Thermo-Fisher facilities in Pudong, Shanghai, China, March 10-13, 2014.



The meetings will begin with two days of technical standards development sessions, which are open to all registered attendees, regardless of membership in ASTM. In addition, the committee intends to arrange two technical exchange events. The first session is intended to better understand the status of chemical regulatory issues in China. China has a robust chemical regulatory framework covering hazardous, toxic and new chemical substances. The workshop and interaction will allow U.S. participants a better understanding of regulatory process in China and the obligations to their industry for compliance. In addition, Chinese industry and regulators will have the opportunity to discuss how these requirements impact industries and potential areas of collaboration. The second of the two technical exchange sessions will focus on the topic of rare earth materials, of which China is the leading producer.



Existing legislation has placed restrictions on the content of certain hazardous substances in materials used in several industries, including packaging, vehicles, and electrical and electronic devices. REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) and RoHS (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment), two such regulations, aim to restrict hazardous substances in products to minimize exposure to people and the environment.



To respond to the need for standards that enable industry to comply with these directives, Committee F40 organized in 2005. F40 includes more than 130 members who develop test methods for substances within materials; research existing laws, codes, regulations and standards; and act as a liaison among the various groups interested in standardization related to substance regulations.



Focused on developing standards to test raw materials and assist with supply chain movement, Committee F40’s approach will ultimately bring down the cost of compliance because it allows the entire supply chain to refer to the raw material purchase order to meet compliance. The current work of the committee is facilitated by the following subcommittees:



F40.01 Test Methods: The development of standard test methods related to declarable substances in materials and products to assist manufacturing supply chains in various industries with compliance requirements.  Key standards include:

• ASTM F2617, Test Method for Identification and Quantification of Chromium, Bromine, Cadmium, Mercury and Lead in Polymeric Material Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDXRF)

• ASTM F2853, Test Method for Determination of Lead in Paint Layers and Similar Coatings or in Substrates and Homogenous Materials by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry Using Multiple Monochromatic Excitation Beams



F40.02 Management Practices and Guides: Establish standards for the management of information for the declaration via paper or electronic means of substances in materials. Key standards include:

• ASTM F2577, Guide for Assessment of Materials and Products for Declarable Substances

• ASTM F2931, Guide for Analytical Testing of Substances of Very High Concern in Materials and Products

F40.03 Monitoring and Research of Legislation and Regulations



F40.04 Rare Earth Materials: Development of standards for rare earth materials, with an initial focus on material recycling, reuse and recapture as well as physical characterization and terminology.  Key Work Items include:

• ASTM WK44003, Test Method for Identification and Quantification of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Rare Earth Materials (REMs) by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry



ASTM encourages all interested stakeholders from the public and private sectors to join this collaborative effort to develop quality, technical standards that enable industry to comply with existing directives and regulations.



To purchase ASTM standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation, or contact ASTM Customer Relations (phone: 877-909-ASTM; sales@astm.org). ASTM International welcomes participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.



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ASTM Committee F40 Next Meeting: March 10-13, 2014, Shanghai, China



ASTM Staff Contact: Alyson Fick, Phone: 610-832-9710; afick@astm.org

ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

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