On July 24, the seminar, “Bio-Based Product Initiative,” will be presented 5-6 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo., by ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics during their July 24-26 committee meetings.

The seminar will focus on “the greening of the federal logistics pipeline” with bio-based products purchased and used by the Department of Defense (DoD) and affiliates. Featured speakers are Ron Buckhalt, USDA agency representative to the White House Task Force on Recycling and Waste Prevention, USDA Agriculture Research Service, Beltsville, Md., and Nancy Royal-Jones, chief, DoD Pollution Prevention Section, Environmental and Safety Policy Office, HQ Defense Logistics Agency, Ft. Belvoir, Va.

Buckhalt will describe the effects of Executive Order 13101—Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition, a USDA-sponsored provision that encourages federal procurement officials to purchase bio-based products as part of the federal effort to clean up and protect the environment. He’ll also relay his efforts to promote the utilization of renewable agricultural materials to produce bio-based products and bio-energy. Buckhalt worked with the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive on Executive Order 13101, and represents the USDA Inter-Agency Working Group implementing Executive Order 13134—Developing and Promoting Bio-Based Products and Bio-Energy.

Royal-Jones will explain how the Defense Logistics Agency uses their purchasing power to influence increased use of environmentally-oriented products and markets those products in the federal-wide cataloging system. Bio-based cutlery is a DLA managed item and is leading the effort to infuse bio-based cutlery into the federal supply system. Royal-Jones has established partnerships with the USDA and ASTM to develop a nationally recognized bio-based cutlery standard that can be used in federal solicitations. Her efforts focus on the inclusion of bio-based products into the federal supply system.

On Nov. 1, ASTM Committee D20 will host a seminar on ISO/Quality Systems 9000, 5-6 p.m. at the Omni Rosen Hotel, Orlando, Fla., as part of their committee meetings, Nov. 13-15. Leon Przybyla, manager, Quality Services, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, Ill., will present “Quality Systems Revisited.” Further details will be announced.

Technical comments may be directed to Paul Sample, Ph.D., Samples, Inc., 308 Walden Rd., Wilmington, DE 19803-2424 (302/656-3212). For further meeting or membership details, contact manager Kathie Morgan, ASTM, (610/832-9721; fax: 610/832-9666). //

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