Scope 3 Standard to be Finalized in December

PracticalSustainability (Baier) - The emerging global standard for companies to measure and track Scope 3 greenhouse gases (GHG) is on schedule for finalization in December. Scope 3 emissions often represent the largest area of a company's GHG impacts by far -- up to 75 percent in many cases -- yet a widely supported industry measurement methodology does not exist.

Initial reactions to the current draft standard vary. Some companies testing the new standard are bullish and plan to implement it, while others are more cautious and taking a wait-and-see approach. Sustainability leaders should continue to track the progress of this standard for this important emissions area to determine if it makes business sense to calculate their own Scope 3 emissions.

GAO Report Advises Federal Role to Manage e-Waste Exports

Environmental Leader - A growing number of states have enacted electronics recycling laws to address the lack of a national approach, raising concerns about a patchwork of state requirements, according to a new federal study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Currently, 23 states have enacted some form of electronics recycling legislation.

The study reveals that one of the biggest issues that still need to be addressed is the export of electronic waste (e-waste). GAO says a greater federal regulatory role over exports could address the authority limitations of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and states to regulate exports, and should be part of any approach, whether it’s state-by-state or at a national level, for managing used electronics.

The GAO report, “Electronic Waste: Considerations for Promoting Environmentally Sound Reuse and Recycling,” finds that the EPA’s efforts to manage used electronics focuses on enforcing its rule for the recycling and exporting of cathode-ray tubes (CRT), which contain significant quantities of lead, and several partnership programs that encourage voluntary efforts among manufacturers and other stakeholders.

The study also finds that the EPA’s partnership programs are limited.

New Bill Proposes to Strengthens Government Authority over Pharma Supply Chain

IndustryWeek (Selko) - Society of Chemical Manufacturers welcomes closer inspection of active drug ingredients manufactured overseas...The Drug Safety and Accountability Act of 2010 was introduced on August 3 by Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado... One of the reasons for the increased scruity of the quality of the medicine is due to the record 1,742 drug recalls in 2009 which is a 400% increase from the prior year. And the emphasis on foreign production is due to the fact that up to 80% of the active ingredients in U.S. drugs are now made overseas, many in countries where regulatory oversight does not meet U.S. standards, according to the Senator.

Public Policy Can Fuel the Clean Energy Economy, Report Shows

SSTI - The clean energy economy has "tremendous potential for growth" due to policies that create incentives to "develop new technologies, infrastructure and processes for clean energy, efficiency and conversation," according to a recent report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Five types of policies - Financial Incentives, Renewable Portfolio Standards, Energy Efficiency Standards, Regional Clean Energy Initiatives and Vehicle Emissions Standards - should continue to fuel the growth of the clean energy technologies over the coming years. Effective leveraging of federal stimulus dollars intended for renewable energies also should help to spur economic growth and innovation in the sector. For example, utilizing $36 million in stimulus dollars, Florida launched its Clean Energy Investment Program to spur long-term growth in the clean energy sector.

The 2010 National Engineering Survey

Consulting-Specifying Engineer conducted a comprehensive survey on a large sample of its total circulation of more than 40,000 engineers...The National Engineering Survey presents a comprehensive look at the role of engineers in today’s building-construction environment. Apparent in the results is that engineers face many challenges, some of which are traditional, while others represent conflicts with traditional engineering practice.

On the one hand, they have to satisfy continually changing codes and standards and the traditional mandate that systems have to be well designed and accurately specified. Just doing this amount of work is becoming harder due to shrinking budgets and tightening schedules, especially in the current economic circumstances. To look more deeply into issues beyond initial construction, i.e., lifecycle issues, which are not codified, seems to be beyond the scope of their contractual requirements.

Introducing ULE 880 - Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations

Green Biz (Makower) - Today, a new sustainability standard for companies is being released for public comment: ULE 880 - Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations, a partnership between UL Environment, a division of Underwriters Laboratories, and my colleagues at GreenBiz.com.

A 45-day comment period opens today, during which we're hoping you will review the draft standard and provide detailed feedback. (More about that in a minute, but if you're in a rush to get there, click here.)

ULE 880 covers five domains of sustainability...

France presents strategy for green economy

EurActiv - Paris hopes to tune into the green economy by increasingly placing eco-labels on everyday products, designing a green industrial policy and developing a more sustainable farming model. French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo this week (27 July) presented another national strategy for sustainable development, for the period 2010-2013. The new strategy identifies nine strategic challenges for achieving "a green and fair economy".

The document represents a sort of short upgraded summary of the French green bill, the Grenelle de l’environnement, which sets out a series of commitments and objectives for environmental policy. For sustainable consumption and production, the idea is for the government to act in parallel with consumers and producers in sharing responsibility for changing both purchasing behaviour and manufacturing practices, to integrate sustainability into the whole life-cycle of products and services.

U.S. Automakers Back on Top

IndustryWeek (Katz) - Plant-floor and engineering quality improvements pay off for domestic OEMs...It was the first time in the 24-year history of the J.D. Power report that U.S. brands as a whole scored higher than foreign competitors, though Chrysler still lags near the bottom with 122 defects.

Some of the quality improvements come from the significant strides U.S. automakers have made in the area of lean manufacturing, says Ron Atkinson, past president and current fellow at the American Society for Quality in Milwaukee. Detroit automakers have been practicing lean for several years, but it appears that the companies' continuous-improvement efforts are finally beginning to mature, says Atkinson. The workforce has begun to accept that lean is beneficial and that it doesn't mean firing employees, he says. The waste reduction enabled by lean eventually leads to good quality. "If lean is done properly right from design to the customer receiving the product, you will have a quality product," Atkinson says.

A Global Language for Packaging and Sustainability

Green Biz - More than 30 companies are testing out a packaging sustainability measurement system that one group hopes becomes a worldwide standard.  The system was developed through the Consumer Goods Forum's Global Packaging Project (GPP), and includes a list of 52 indicators (and how to measure them) like weight, recycling rates, virgin content and shelf life. The basics of the system and common packaging principles are explained in the GPP's first report, "A Global Language for Packaging and Sustainability," which was developed with input from more than 80 manufacturers, retailers, trade associations and packaging industry stakeholders.

The indicators are divided into three main sections: Environmental (material waste, recycling/composting/reuse rates, recycled or renewable content), economic (total cost of packaging, packaged product wastage) and social (packaged product shelf life, product safety, responsible workplace practices).

EU President to Push 'Sustainable Materials' Initiative

EurActiv - The Belgian EU Presidency wants to clean up industrial processes in Europe by promoting a "cradle-to-cradle" approach to resource management in the manufacturing sector, EurActiv has learned.  The study, obtained by EurActiv, advocates "a fully integrated way of addressing materials use" in manufacturing in order to limit resource depletion and air, soil and water pollution.

The objective is to move from waste policies to "materials policies," which cover the full life-cycle of products and manufactured goods, from the extraction of raw materials to product design, manufacture, consumption and disposal...In total, the study has identified twelve areas where the SMM approach could be applied, including closed loop industry systems for residues (of construction waste for example), biomaterials, cradle-to-cradle or IT systems that track the logistics supply chain. "IT can give enterprises tools to effectively manage supply chains and to monitor the product and material flow up- and downstream, in turn allowing for material savings," the study says.

State Adoptions of Common Standards Steam Ahead

Education Week (Gewertz) - Nearly half the states have adopted a new set of common academic standards, barely a month after their final release and, in most cases, with little opposition. As of today, 23 states have decided to replace their mathematics and English/language arts standards with the common set. Another flurry of adoptions is expected by Aug. 2, since the $4 billion federal Race to the Top contest gives more points to states that meet that deadline.

Though many challenges remain in crafting curricula and tests that embody the aims of the new standards, the mounting adoption numbers represent a major landscape change in a short time. The NGA and the CCSSO announced the initiative in April 2009. They released the first public draft of the standards in March and the final version June 2. ("Final Version of Common Standards Unveiled.")

90% of UK organisations not registered for CRC efficiency scheme

Energy Efficiency News - Some 90% of the businesses and public sector organisations covered by the Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) are yet to register, according to the Environment Agency. The scheme, which came into force on April 1, requires organisations on half-hourly metered electricity to report annually on energy usage and carbon emissions. After the first registration phase of the scheme, participants will have to purchase carbon allowances to cover their emissions.

Organisations will be ranked annually by the Government in a league table of the best and worst performers and those that show least improvement will be penalised. Participants in the scheme have until September to register with the Environment Agency, and heavier users – which consume more than 6000 MWh per year or spend over £500,000 a year – should have started monitoring energy use and carbon emissions already...The Government hopes that the mandatory scheme will save organisations around £1 billion in energy costs by 2020 and reduce emissions by at least 4.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year.

Baxter Highlights First Carbon Trust Certification for Medical Product

Baxter - As part of its efforts to advance product stewardship and sustainable practices in manufacturing, Baxter recently received Carbon Reduction certification from the UK-based Carbon Trust for FLEXBUMIN [Albumin (Human)] -- the first and only albumin therapy in a flexible, plastic container, and the first and only medical product to receive this certification...FLEXBUMIN received certification from the Carbon Trust based on a verification of comparative carbon footprint analyses combined with a commitment by Baxter to continue to decrease the carbon footprint of FLEXBUMIN during the next two years. The analyses were conducted in accordance with the BSI PAS 2050 Standard for product carbon footprinting and quantified the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the 50ml and 100ml FLEXBUMIN and BUMINATE container systems and transportation, from resource extraction through end-of-life.

"As the first and only medical product in the world to receive the carbon footprint certification from the Carbon Trust, it is clear that Baxter has a strong commitment to sustainable product design and manufacturing practices," said Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust. "This certification reflects Baxter's continuous commitment to further reduce its carbon footprint."

Carbon footprinting - the next step to reducing your emissions

Carbon Trust - This guide introduces two types of carbon footprinting that affect businesses – one that measures an organisation’s overall activities, and one that looks at the life cycle of a particular product or service.

Calculating either or both of these footprints is a useful starting point for any wider work to reduce your organisation’s carbon emissions, and will give you an initial benchmark against which to measure your progress. In this guide we explain what is included in both types of footprint, how you can measure and communicate them, and the benefits of doing so. We also set out the specific steps you need to take to calculate your footprint(s), and some of the key things to consider if you do.

Finally, we explain how the Carbon Trust can help you calculate your carbon emissions, and work with you to develop a full carbon management strategy for your organisation.  Download Here

5 Reasons Why GRI is the New LEED

Triple Pundit (Boynton) - Pick a framework, any framework. While LEED is the name of the game in green building standards, a clear winner in the sustainability reporting framework race has yet to emerge. You’ll hear many pundits say that the landscape for sustainability reporting is too confusing for your average company to grasp – a problem which leads to disengagement...Triple Pundit thinks the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) fits that bill pretty well. Here are 5 reasons why we believe GRI will become the standard in sustainability reporting, just as LEED is the standard for green buildings...

Resource-use indicators seen as first step to efficiency

EurActiv - Resource efficiency is one of the flagship initiatives of the 'Europe 2020' strategy for economic growth. Stakeholders stressed the need to establish coherent and clear indicators to evaluate the bloc's use of resources and progress made towards a more eco-efficient economy...But the main issue is figuring out how to measure resource use, said Pietikinen, who is also chair of GLOBE EU, a cross-party group of MEPs interested in shaping EU policy developments in the fields of the environment, sustainability and global warming.

Technology-Transfer Groups Form International Body to Set Standards

The Chronicle of Higher Education (Blumenstyk) - With more and more universities making a push to commercialize their research, five academic technology-transfer associations from around the world have formed a new organization that will set standards of professionalism for people working in the field. Backers of the new organization, the Alliance for Technology Transfer Professionals, said it is designed "to help further professionalize and promote technology and knowledge transfer" on a global basis.

Through the alliance, the European association and four other organizations—the Association of Technology Managers in Taiwan; the Association of University Technology Managers, based in the United States; Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia; and PraxisUnico, in Britain—will develop internationally recognized standards, and training in them, for technology-transfer professionals. The new organization, equally owned by the five associations, will be the body that handles certification for the "Registered Technology-Transfer Professional" designation. Hap Tip: Innovation Daily

Final Version of Common Standards Unveiled

Education Week (Gewertz) - The final set of common academic standards was released today, capping months of closed-door work to write them and months more to revise them with feedback from state education officials, teachers’ unions, and other education interest groups. The project is an attempt to address the uneven patchwork of standards that results in differing expectations among schools, districts, and states and leaves many students unprepared for work or college.

A New Sustainability Standard for Business

Green Biz (Makower) - The standard is being developed in partnership with UL Environment, a business unit of the venerable Underwriters Laboratories, the 115-year-old standards and certification organization best known for its ubiquitous "UL" logo associated with safety assurance on millions of products. UL Environment was established 18 months ago to do for the environment what UL has done for safety: create credible standards where they are needed. The initial focus of UL Environment has been on product standards.

For the past year or so, my team at GreenBiz.com has been engaged with UL Environment to develop and commercialize a company-level standard for sustainability — that is, environmental, social, and corporate governance issues — to be used as a procurement tool for companies, government agencies, and others...

Industry Leaders in Lean and Quality Certification Programs Join Forces

Society of Manufacturing Engineers - In a move that aligns manufacturing professionals toward a single standard for Lean Certification and workforce development, ASQ (American Society for Quality) is joining with the triune of organizations that currently are responsible for the Lean Certification program. The Lean Certification program was launched in 2006 by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence and The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence in response to the market need brought forward by their members and constituents.