As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) encourages its members and relevant stakeholders to comment on an ISO new work item proposal focused on the circular economy by close of business (COB) on Friday, August 10, 2018.
AFNOR, the national standards body for France, submitted the proposal to ISO for a new ISO Technical Committee (TC) to focus on standardization in the field of circular economy. The TC would develop requirements, frameworks, guidance, and supporting tools related to the implementation of circular economy projects. The proposal applies to any group of organizations wishing to implement circular economy projects including commercial organizations, public services, and not-for-profit organizations.
What is a Circular Economy?
The World Economic Forumdefines a circular economy is "an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. A circular economy replaces the end-of-life conception with restoration, shifts towards the use of renewable energy, eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of the materials, products, systems, and business models."
As the ISO proposal explains, the different uses of the circular economy can be defined as:
- Sustainable procurement
- Ecodesign
- Industrial symbiosis/ecology
- Economy of functionality
- Sustainable consumption
- Life use extension
- Effective management of materials and end-of-life products
The TC will contribute to sustainable development and especially to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
All interested U.S. parties are invited to review the proposal, which includes an initial proposed work plan, information on how it may relate to existing international standardization work, and relevant stakeholders and organizations.
Please submit comments to Steve Cornish, ANSI senior director of international policy ([email protected]), by August 10, 2018. Based on the input received from U.S. stakeholders, a recommended ANSI position and any comments will be developed and presented to the ANSI ISO Council (AIC) for approval before the ISO voting deadline of September 18, 2018.
ANSI has published an explanatory information document outlining the process used to develop U.S. positions on issues and activities under consideration by ISO and IEC.