This practice provides a method for conditioning packaging systems using climatic conditions that occur in actual distribution. The recommended exposure levels are based on available information on shipping, handling and storage environments, current industry practices, and published studies. They are not absolute extremes, but recorded daily averages in cold and hot climates of the world.

1. Scope

1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis for evaluating, in a laboratory, the ability of a packaging system to withstand a range of climatic stresses that a packaging system may be exposed to during distribution throughout the world and still provide the product protection from damage or alteration.

1.2 This practice is designed as conditioning prior to testing for overnight or two-day delivery systems of a single parcel packaging system or as a standalone test for climatic stressing of packaging systems.

1.3 This practice does not cover refrigerated, frozen food storage, or cryogenic storage conditions. Only the climatic environments encountered in various regions of the world are covered by this practice.

1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environments

D4332 Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging Components for Testing

E337 Test Method for Measuring Humidity with a Psychrometer (the Measurement of Wet- and Dry-Bulb Temperatures)

F17 Terminology Relating to Flexible Barrier Packaging

Keywords

desert; distribution environment; freeze; handling; packaging systems; shipping; storage conditions; transit; tropical;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 55.040 (Packaging materials and accessories)

Citing ASTM Standards

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