ALEXANDRIA, Va. — February 12, 2021 — TRSA’s Production Manager Job Analysis report, which helps define the role of production managers (outlining the tasks, skills and knowledge required to successfully serve in that position) is now available in the TRSA store located at www.trsa.org/store.

Created with consulting firm PSI (an industry leader that helps organizations identify competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics required for jobs), the analysis was the result of peer-directed focus groups of TRSA operator members who compiled surveys from more than 100 operators.

The analysis aided in the development of TRSA’s Certified Professional Laundry Manager (CPLM) certification self-study program, which is also available for purchase in the store.

The analysis addresses competency covering 38 task statements and 47 knowledge statements sorted by frequency and order of importance:

• Laundry Processing
  • Soil Sort, Wash Aisle, Drying, Finishing
• Management
  • Workflow, Business, Inventory Control and Safety

Further analysis of these tasks and knowledge statements has been added in the form of a matrix showing their critical value in helping to attain the CPLM certification. “The laundry industry is constantly evolving,” said TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci. “TRSA’s commitment to the protection of the integrity and the advancement of professionalism in the areas of plant and production management is vital. The need for ongoing professional development provides the opportunity for managers and trainees to continuously improve their skills and credibility as the industry’s technology and associated productivity requirements become more complex.”

Posted February 12, 2021

Source: TRSA

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — February 12, 2021 — ASTM International’s geosynthetics committee (D35) is developing a proposed standard that covers vinyl sheet piling used in marine and geotechnical fields for seawalls, retaining walls, flood walls, erosion control, and pollution cut-off.

According to ASTM member Steve Hargrave, the proposed standard (WK75165) will fill the need for a specification for vinyl sheet piling used for structural walls to hold back soil, separate land from water, mitigate flooding and erosion, and control water flow. Structural, civil, and design engineers will be the primary users of the standard.

“Vinyl sheet piling is also used for barriers to seepage through dams or levees and barriers to underground pollutant flow,” says Hargrave, innovation and engineering director, CMI Limited. “These products are often made with recycled materials, have a lower carbon footprint than traditional materials, are inert in the environment, and can be recycled at the end of lifespan.”

This effort directly relates to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6 on clean water and sanitation because the standard contributes to pollution mitigation and erosion control.

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member at www.astm.org/JOIN.

Posted February 12, 2021

Source: ASTM International

TOTOWA, N.J.  — February 11, 2021 — Precision Textiles — a supplier of coated fabrics, nonwovens and laminations for the bedding, automotive and healthcare industries — is keeping ahead of a growing trend by states to tighten fire-retardant (FR) chemical regulations in consumer products. By constantly upgrading its portfolio of chemical-free FR solutions for quilted mattress panels and borders, FR filler cloth, FR sock, cap and laminated FR solutions, the company is helping its customers before they encounter situations that could impede their production.

The first state to regulate these materials was California, whose legislature passed Assembly Bill 2998 in 2018 prohibiting the sale of mattresses, upholstered furniture and juvenile products containing FR chemicals. The Massachusetts government enacted a similar law, Amendment S.2988, in December 2020. The International Sleep Products Association is also tracking two new proposed bills in Georgia and Delaware which are expected to recommend similar guidelines.

Precision Textiles’ products that meet these regulations include the EcoFlex, IQFit, IQFit Natural and FireFlex mattress barriers; the Celluloft barrier for panels and borders; EcoLoft FR quilting fiber; the Endure FR filler cloth; and PureLoft, an organic FR barrier made with materials that are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard, the Wool Integrity Program and the PGG Wrightson Wool Integrity Program.

“We’ve always been ahead of the curve regarding FR chemical regulations. We expect that other states will follow these states’ lead, so we encourage our customers to get ahead of this trend before it becomes an issue,” said Keith Martin, vice president of Precision Textiles. “We have been manufacturing products without harmful chemicals long before states began regulating their use, and as more and more states begin to implement new legislative regulations, our team is constantly monitoring the policies that may affect our customers. We pride ourselves in forecasting solutions before they become concerns, giving bedding manufacturers the reassurance that by partnering with Precision Textiles, their products will always be in compliance.”

Posted February 11, 2021

Source: Precision Textiles

ZURICH — February 10, 2021 — During a side session organized by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) at the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector held online from February 1-5, the two organizations unveiled their joint initiative, the SCI or Standards Convergence Initiative. The SCI will serve as a global industry wide platform to discuss and develop a strategy as well as the tools to accelerate the reduction of audit and standard fatigue in the clothing and textile industries.

The auditing conduct of standard holders, along with brands, retailers and other buyers’ decisions determines if we are moving firmly in the direction of less unnecessary overlap of audits and standards. Therefore, one of the first steps of the SCI, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), is to create transparency in the conduct of the main standard holders, brands and retailers and 3rd party standard holders, measuring to what extent they are contributing to the reduction of audit and standard fatigue.

For this purpose, the SCI has identified four criteria to use as a yardstick to judge standard holders’ commitment to reduce audit and standard fatigue. The four criteria are:

1. Willingness to harmonize standards;
2. Compliance with OECD and ILO guidelines;
3. The use of existing platform to avoid audit duplication; and
4. Global certification of auditors.

The four criteria will provide a foundation for a structural monitoring of standard holders’ efforts to reduce audit and standard fatigue that will be carried out by ITC. During the session at the OECD Forum, the ITC explained how its unique Standards Map Database will be used to measure and monitor standard convergence in the industry. First results of the monitoring are expected in the third quarter of 2021.

In addition to this monitoring exercise, from its global, industry wide vantage point, the SCI will actively foster collaboration between different actors that are each working on a partial solution. And, because large brands and retailers sticking to their own standards block the reduction of standard fatigue, the SCI will continuously call on these brands and retailers to either drop their proprietary standards in favour of 3rd party standards or to collaborate in other ways that observably reduce audit and standard fatigue.

More information about the SCI is available at www.standard-convergence-initiative.org

Posted February 10, 2021

Source: International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)/International Apparel Federation (IAF)

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — February 10, 2021 — Sun Chemical released its Winter 2021 Regulatory Newsletter for customers which is available for download at www.sunchemical.com/sustainability/regulatory-newsletters.

“As a leading global supplier of sustainable solutions, Sun Chemical is pleased to provide regulatory updates to help educate and inform our customers regarding ever changing global regulations,” said Gary Andrzejewski, Corporate Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Sun Chemical. “We’re proud to offer our regulatory newsletters to our customers which offer guidance to better respond to and navigate these global and regional regulatory updates.”

The latest newsletter features details about the reclassification of titanium dioxide in Europe as well as regulatory updates for cosmetics, toys and more. Here’s a list of some of the regulations featured in the newsletter:

• European Commission’s Cosmetic Products Regulation EC No 1223/200;
• China’s State Council;
• Indonesia’s updated version of the 2010 regulation on cosmetics notification;
• South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety;
• India’s standards bureau;
• Amendments to the EU Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC);
• India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry;
• GCC Standardization Organization (GSO);
• The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA);
• The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China;
• The United States Environmental Protection Agency; and
• California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).

As a global leader in sustainable, eco-efficient business practices, Sun Chemical strives to produce bio-renewable, recyclable and compostable products to help its customers meet regulations and reach sustainability goals. Sun Chemical’s annual Corporate Sustainability Report focuses on its commitment to new sustainable products and services to meet customer demand. The most recent report can be found here: www.sunchemical.com/sustainability/sustainability-report/.

Posted February 10, 2021

Source: Sun Chemical