The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) recently announced it has proposed modifications to ASTM 1193 “Standard Guide for Use of Joint Sealants” to incorporate terminology that will help position sustainability for industry stakeholders. The recommendations were made during the ASTM’s C-24 meeting in January and will be an agenda item moving forward in 2012. The recommendations were finalized at the ASC’s 2011 Sustainability Summit. The terms recyclability, compostable, embodied energy and renewable content were identified as important to the sustainability effort for sealant stakeholders.

“The next step is for the ASTM C-24 to debate the terms and work toward modifying the ASTM 1193 Standard Guide for Use of Joint Sealants,” said Steve Duren, director of ASC Member Services. “At the end of the day, with strong industry input and discussion, the result will be definitions and/or recognition of how sealants are sustainable and will help guide decision making for designers and applicators on the topic of sustainability. Sustainability continues to be a term that many from our industry use. As such, efforts from this important work in C24 will provide a more transparent connection between ‘sustainability’ and adhesives and sealants products.”

For more information, visit www.ascouncil.org.