CAN/CSA-ISO GUIDE 64-98 (R2007)

This National Standard of Canada is equivalent to International Standard ISO GUIDE 64:1997. 1 Scope 1.1 This Guide covers the consideration of environmental impacts in product standards. It is intended for standard writers; its purpose is a) to raise awareness that provisions in product standards can affect the environment in both negative and positive ways; b) to outline the relationship between product standards and the environment; c) to help avoid provisions in product standards that may lead to adverse environmental impacts; d) to emphasize that addressing environmental aspects during the development of product standards is a complex process and requires balancing competing priorities; e) to recommend the use of life-cycle thinking and recognized scientific techniques when addressing environmental aspects of a product being standardized. 1.2 In order to achieve the purposes listed in 1.1., this Guide a) sets forth some general considerations that should be taken into account when developing product standards that achieve a proper balance between product function and environmental impacts; b) outlines ways in which provisions in product standards may affect the environment during the stages of a product's life cycle; c) addresses techniques for identifying and assessing the environmental impacts of provisions in product standards; d) highlights some ways to reduce adverse environmental impacts resulting from provisions in product standards. To reflect diversity of environmental impacts that products can have, this Guide may need to be supplemented by sectoral guides.