United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Washington, DC 20460 EPA/742-F-95-005 May 1995 EPA Standards Network Fact Sheet Role of Voluntary Standards Federal government activities involve the use of products or services that must meet reliable design and/or performance standards. Many of these standards are developed by the private sector through standards developing organizations referred to as "voluntary" standards bodies. The Federal government's participation in these standards bodies can provide incentives and opportunities to develop standards that serve national needs in environmental, health, safety and other areas. Government adoption of voluntary standards can help reduce costs to Agencies and Departments and also further enhances effective public private partnerships. What are Voluntary Standards and Who Develops Them? Originally, the term "voluntary" distinguished the standards development process from governmental or regulatory processes. Private sector standards that come under international trade rules, or are referenced in specifications and contracts, are not voluntary in application. Voluntary standards are also made mandatory at times by being incorporated into law by governmental bodies. A generally accepted definition of standards states that they are sets of rules, conditions or requirements concerned with the definition of terms, classification of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, performance, design or operations; measurement of quality and quantity in describing materials, products, systems, services or practices; or descriptions of fit and measurement size. Voluntary standards can be used by any person or organization, whether private or governmental. International agreements, including the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), define standards and international standards-developing bodies somewhat differently for the purposes of trade-related issues. Voluntary standards are developed by industry, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, and others. Examples of voluntary standards developers in the United States include the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), The Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE) and The National Sanitation Foundation International, Inc. (NSF). Examples of international standards organizations include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Within these bodies, standards-developing groups, such as committees, boards and working groups, write, review and revise standards in accordance with the procedures established by the standards body. ISO's Technical Committee 207 for Environmental Management Standards, for example, is a standards group. What Is ANSI? The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) maintains policies and procedures for the development, review, and coordination of voluntary standards that are designated as American National Standard; however, ANSI is not a standards developer. ANSI, headquartered in New York, is the official U.S. member body to ISO and IEC, and its membership derives from organizations, companies, and government agencies. Why Does the U.S. Government Use Voluntary Standards? OMB Circular No. A-119 provides guidance to Federal agencies in working with, and using the products of private sector standards organizations. The circular sets a policy whereby the Federal government, in its procurement and regulatory activities, is directed to: a. Rely on voluntary standards, both domestic and international, whenever feasible and consistent with law and regulations pursuant to law; b. Participate in voluntary standards bodies when such participation is in the public interest and is compatible with agencies' missions, authorities, priorities, and budget resources; and c. Coordinate agency participation in voluntary standards bodies so that (1) the most effective use is made of agency resources and representatives; and (2) the views expressed by such representatives are in the public interest and, as a minimum, do not conflict with the interests and established views of the agencies. How Is EPA Using Voluntary Standards? EPA uses voluntary standards to support rulemaking compliance activities and partnership programs with industry, such as the Environmental Leadership Program, Green Lights, 33/50 and the Common Sense Initiative. Two examples of using voluntary standards to support rule making include: In a final rule on degradable plastic ring carriers, EPA requires that ring carriers be made of degradable material. Rather than specifying a particular type of degradable plastic, EPA chose a degradability performance standard for ring carriers. To test the degradability of carrier rings, the EPA adopted two ASTM tests, specifically D-3826-91, Standard Practice for Determining Degradation End Point in Degradable Polyolefins Using a Tensile Test, and D-5208-91 Standard Practice for Operating Fluorescent Ultraviolet (UV) and Condensation Apparatus for Exposure of Photodegradable Plastics. In a proposed rule under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r), scheduled to be finalized by Spring of 1996, EPA proposed to require facilities who store extremely hazardous substances on site to develop risk management plans which demonstrate compliance with performance-based standards. Where Can I Get More Information? For additional information, contact: Mary McKiel EPA Standards Network Coordinator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, SW (OPPT-7409) Washington, D.C. 20460 Telephone: (202) 260-3584 Fax: (202) 260-0178 mckiel.mary@epamail.epa.gov Marilyn Hernandez ANSI 11 West 42nd Street New York, New York 10036 Telephone: (212) 642-4915 Fax: (212) 398-0023 mhernand@ansi.org