ASTM Approves Plastics Revision Standard

ASTM Approves Plastics Revision Standard

Plastics Business

ASTM International’s Committee on Plastics (D20), West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, recently approved the latest revisions to a standard used by the US Department of Agriculture’s biopreferred program and the Environmental Protection Agency to help improve the sustainability of plastics.

The standard, D6866, Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis, teaches how to experimentally measure biobased content using radiocarbon analysis. The sustainability of plastics has emerged as a major issue, leading to re-engineering efforts for greener plastics. These efforts include using biobased carbon feedstocks, such as agricultural crops, residues and plant biomass rather than petro/fossil feedstock; and reducing carbon footprints in harmony with the rates and timescale of the biological carbon cycle.

D6866 provides for a transparent, accurate and absolute test method to establish the biobased carbon content of plastics. D6866 is also used by many large corporations throughout the world that are increasingly using biobased products.

For more information, visit www.astm.org.