SDGs: Standardization for the planet

In addition to the greater focus on life cycle considerations given in the 2015 edition of ISO 14001, other standards in the ISO 14000 series include requirements and guidelines for life cycle assessments, guidelines for incorporating eco-design, and integrating environmental aspects into product design and development. A new ISO standard on sustainable procurement (ISO 20400) is under development. In the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) arena, ITU has developed a standard on green public procurement for ICT goods and services, to help drive sustainable procurement practices within the ICT sector that are useful, understandable, equitable, and economically and environmentally viable for all suppliers.

An estimated 41.8 Million tons of electronic and electrical equipment was discarded in 2014,  only one-fifth of which is recycled. A number of IEC and ITU standards, including those on the interoperability of external power supplies for mobile terminals and other hand-held ICT devices, and DC power supplies for notebook computers, open the way to a significant and very real reduction of e-waste, and some of these standards have already been adopted by regulators in Europe and elsewhere. The ITU has also developed a series of standards dedicated to reducing the e-waste burden and creating a circular economy, as well standards that provide information on recycling procedures for rare metals in ICT goods.