Current standards on chemical industry
Chemistry - Controlled power
Extending the durability of wood, analysing drinking water or examining soil quality - that are a few examples of the manifold tasks of chemists. International, European and Austrian standards help us to comply with legal requirements. They define a framework based on health and ecological considerations in order to optimise the benefits of chemistry.
- Credit: ÖNORM Z 1000-2
Reasonable utilisation
Limits are imposed on chemistry and what it may do. In Austria, the Chemicals Act and the nation-wide List of Toxic Substances provide protection against dangerous chemicals.
National and international standards regulate what may be done with certain substances, how they may be used and which minimum requirements they have to meet. In this respect, paints and varnishes are an important field of standardisation.
- Credit: ASI prm
Paints and more
Numerous international standards deal with tests for paints and varnishes. These products are applied at our homes and workplaces and must pass numerous tests before they are used.
Vapour transmission properties, abrasion resistance and hiding power are examined on the basis of standards. After their application to wood or steel, paints and varnishes release substances.
For the first time, a pioneering international standard focuses on the resulting air pollution and contributes to the determination of limit values.
Paints and varnishes - international (examples):
ÖNORM EN ISO 4618: Paints and varnishes - Terms and definitions
ÖNORM EN ISO 12944 (eight parts): Paints and varnishes - Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems
ÖNORM EN ISO 16000 (nine parts): Indoor air - Sampling strategies
- Credit: ASI prm
Pioneering
In Austria, standards on paints and varnishes take care of their utilisation, composition and the evaluation of results.
Paints and varnishes - national (examples):
ÖNORM C 2321: Evaluation of optical defects on varnished surfaces of furniture, internal doors, wood and wood-based wall claddings and ceiling finishes
ÖNORM C 2354: Transparent sealing materials for wooden floors and sealings made thereof
ÖNORM C 2380: Paints and varnishes - Oils and waxes for timber surfaces
- Credit: pixelio.de
Water of life
Water is required for life and, at the same time, constitutes one of the most important natural resources. Environmental protection, purity and hygiene are comprehensively regulated in legislation and standardisation.
In Austria, the central Water Act is supplemented by ordinances on drinking water, pesticides, nitrates, etc. Standardisation has the task to define how water is correctly treated, analysed and tested. The Austrian standards on drinking water are closely connected with the Codex Alimentarius that lists substances that may be used nation-wide.
Water standards (examples):
ÖNORM EN ISO 5667: Water quality - Sampling
Part 1: ... - Guidance on the design of sampling programmes and sampling techniques
Part 3: ... - Guidance on the preservation and handling of water samples
ÖNORM M 6246: Water analysis - Expression of results in drinking water analysis
- Credit: ASI prm
Soil of life
The Austrian body of soil standards is the most comprehensive set of specifications in this field all over Europe. National experts actively contribute to international standardisation. Here, the main focus is on the definition of analysis steps.
In the Soil Framework Directive, Europe has laid out the legal basis. Austria has set a special priority in standardisation by concentrating on soil as a plant site.
Soil standards (examples):
ÖNORM L 1050: Soil as plant site - Definitions and test methods
ÖNORM L 1053: Chemical analyses of soils - General considerations
ÖNORM L 1061 (two parts): Physical analysis of soils
ÖNORM L 1059: Sampling of forest soils
ÖNORM EN ISO 16720: Soil quality - Pretreatment of samples
The challenge
Chemistry is an important basis of modern life. The challenge is to reconcile the benefits of chemical development with health and environmental protection. Standards provide the tools and systems needed for that purpose.
