2.14 National and International Standards in Product Design Flashcards
British Standards Institution (BSI)
National organisation that devises agreed standard procedures
Currently exceeds 30000 standards
Kitemark shows the standard has been met - influential when customers decide on product purchases
Standards accepted by the European standards organisation carry the prefix ‘BS EN’
E.g. BS EN 71-1:2014 safety of toys - mechanical and physical properties
BS EN 50361:2001 electromagnetic effect of mobile phones
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)
Consists of 150 national standards bodies including BSI
Implements internationally recognised standards
Promotes quality and safety in products by testing and certificating
E.g. BS ENG ISO 9001 - quality management systems
BS EN ISO 14000 environmental management
BS EN ISO 50001 energy management
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive
A European directive first introduced in 2006
Restricts the use of hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium in electronic/electrical products
Aims to prevent damage to human health and the environment
Battery directive
A European directive came into force in 2006
Limits the use of hazardous substances in batteries such as mercury and lead
Applies to cordless tools from 2017
Crossed-out wheelie bin indicates the need for specific disposal methods
Requires provision of instructions for safe removal and disposal
Packaging and packaging waste directive
EU directive last updated in 2014
3 key requirements:
Minimising packaging volume and weight
Reduction of hazardous substances and materials
Introduction of reusable or recoverable packaging designs
Promotes recycling and reuse
Materials identification is specified
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive
European directive that came into force in 2006
Covers the end of life of electric and electronic equipment
It is a ‘producer responsibility directive’ which means producers are required to take financial responsibility for the environmental impact of products they place on the market - a direct or indirect ‘take back scheme’
Must comply with RoHS directive
Requires provision of how the product should be safely disposed - dismantling guides
Manufacturer’s must be registered and regularly declare the materials used in their products
Crossed-out wheelie bin shows compliance
End of Life Vehicles (ELV) directive
European directive aimed at making the dismantling and recycling of ELVs more environmentally friendly
Möbius loop recycling symbol
International recycling symbol
Often used with a polymer ID code
Facilitates separation of different polymers
European Ecolabel
Voluntary certification for products’ life cycle assessment
Identifies products which are environmentally preferable within their category overall
For example washing machine requirements:
Clear settings for fabrics and washing cycle options
Specified maximum energy/water usage for standard load
Clear information on noise levels
Consideration of disassembly
NAPM recycled mark
This was the National Association of Paper Merchants’ scheme to encourage the use of recycled content in paper and card
EC Energy Label
Compulsory European scheme to indicate the energy consumption of household appliances
Colour coded A-G scale for easy comparison
Pictograms introduced in 2010
Scale has changed to A+++ to D due to improved energy efficiency levels
Energy efficiency label and logo
Certification mark issues by the Energy Saving Trust
Only awarded to the most energy-efficient products
Available for washing machines, fridges, light bulbs, heating boilers etc
Also used for insulation products
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo
Applies to timber products sourced from managed forests
Local people and wildlife must be protected
Insists on the use of local, fairly paid m, fully trained workers in a safe environment
Harvested trees must be replaced to prevent deforestation
EU Energy Star
Collaborative scheme between EU and USA
USA began the scheme in 1992 as the EPA (environmental protection agency) Energy star
Standardises IT equipment energy labelling
Database facilitates informed decisions
Scheme covers computers, displays and peripherals
Key standards/legislation/labels
RoHS
Packaging and packaging waste directive
Battery directive
WEEE directive
ELV directive
European Ecolabel
EC energy label
EU energy star
FSC
NAPM recycled mark
Energy efficiency label and logo