ASTM publishes first green standards

The American Society for Testing and Materials International has published seven of the nine comprehensive standards for environmentally sustainable meetings. More than 300 meetings and events professionals worked on the standards, which were produced as a partnership between ASTM and the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX). A project that started in 2008, the nine standards cover all aspects of event planning and management and is the industry’s first set of standards for green meetings. The new standards give event planners and suppliers measurable specifications to produce sustainable events.

The seven completed standards are:

• Audiovisual
• Communication and Marketing Materials
• Destinations
• Exhibits
• Food and Beverage
• On-Site Office
• Transportation

The accommodations standard is currently undergoing final balloting through ASTM and the meeting venue standard is being prepared for publishing. Each of the standards addresses specific sustainable elements such as staff management and environmental policy, communications, waste, energy, air quality, water, procurement and community partners. For more information on the standards visit the CIC site.