The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has formed a new Project Committee to develop an international standard for sustainable raw materials: ISO PC 348.
Sustainable raw materials, including critical minerals, are required in a wide range of strategic industries, including aerospace, medicine, and defense. They are also essential to renewable energy technologies required for carbon emissions to reach net zero.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is forming a U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to contribute to the development of the standard and is seeking broad participation from U.S. stakeholders. A virtual informational meeting will be held at 3:00-4:00pm ET on August 26, 2024. Contact Jason Knopes ([email protected]) for more info.
PC 348 and Related ISO Activities
PC 348 will build on the work of the ISO International Workshop Agreement on Sustainable Critical Minerals Supply Chains (IWA 45), due to be published in September 2024. U.S. stakeholders including industry, academia, civil society organizations, and government were engaged in IWA 45. IWA 45 discussions highlighted the importance of coherence among international standards, and the need to engage all impacted stakeholders in standards development activities. PC 348 will hold its launch meeting on October 30, 2024, in Berlin, Germany, to review and confirm its scope and strategy, and to begin development of a future standard.
U.S. TAG to PC 348
ANSI formed the new U.S. TAG in response to interest from U.S. stakeholders, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and others.
“Critical minerals and materials are crucial to the way we live our lives every day. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards are vital to improving U.S. critical mineral security and competitiveness while upholding the Administration’s commitment boosting strong labor and environmental protections, environmental justice and Tribal consultation” said Isabel Munilla, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Market Development, Climate and Multilateral Engagement within the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Navis Bermudez, Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continued: “ANSI’s formation of the new U.S. TAG will assure that U.S. perspectives are represented in PC 348. We are pleased that the U.S. TAG will be open and inclusive to all U.S. stakeholders, who will work together to form consensus-based U.S. positions.”
“With a global, interconnected supply chain that powers manufacturing and trade worldwide, international guidelines are essential in furthering the use of sustainable raw materials as we strive to reach net zero,” said Fran Schrotter, ANSI senior vice president and chief operating officer. “Recognizing the critical importance of this activity to U.S. interests, ANSI encourages broad and robust engagement in the U.S. TAG.”
Prospective U.S. TAG participants or those seeking additional information can contact Jason Knopes ([email protected]).
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