BETHESDA, MD – The full ASTM D14 Adhesives Committee approved three definitions related to sustainability submitted by the Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) at its recent meeting in Phoenix, AZ. The approved definitions of sustainability, renewable resource and lifecycle assessment will be added to the ASTM document D907 (Standard Terminology for Adhesives) by July.

The approved definitions are as follows:  sustainability - the maintenance of ecosystem components and functions for future generations; renewable resource - a resource that is grown, naturally replenished or replaced a rate that exceeds depletion of the useable supply of that resource; and lifecycle assessment, LCA - a method for evaluating a product by reviewing the ecological impact over the life of the product.

ASC and the D14 Committee will continue their cooperation on developing a definition for the term carbon footprint, which is expected to be re-balloted by members of the full ASTM committee later this year.