Over the years, earthmoving machinery reaching the end of its useful life has significantly contributed to the total volume of waste needing to be treated or disposed of. For this reason, end-of-life recycling has today become a market requirement and an integral phase of a machine’s life cycle. To ensure environmentally sound treatment of a machine and all its components when the time comes, it is essential that eventual recovery issues are already taken into account during the design phase, along with safety, emissions, fuel consumption and other design considerations.
The publication ISO 16714:2008, Earthmoving machinery – Recyclability and recoverability – Terminology and calculation method, aims to provide manufacturers with a much needed and internationally agreed tool to evaluate the ability and potential of new machines to be recovered and/or recycled.
The standard is applicable to machinery designed to perform excavation, loading, transportation, drilling, spreading, compacting or trenching of earth, rock and other materials, as defined in ISO 6165:2006, Earthmoving machinery – Basic types – Identification and terms and definitions.
The specified method of calculation is based on four main stages reflecting the typical treatment of end-of-life machines. As noted by Nobukazu Kotake, Chair of ISO/TC 127/SC 3, “ISO 16714 will help manufacturers to calculate the reuse and recycling percentage of machines, their components and materials before they are put on the market. Dismantlers and recyclers will also find this standard useful to help identify what parts of a machine are recoverable, with a view to recycling or reusing the materials or components for new applications.”
ISO 16714: 2008 was developed by subcommittee SC 3, Machine characteristics, electrical and electronic systems, operation and maintenance, of technical committee ISO/TC127, Earthmoving machinery.
The outstanding achievements and international expertise of ISO/TC 127 were publicly recognised in October, when the technical committee was presented with the 2008 edition of the Lawrence D. Eicher Leadership Award at the 31st ISO General Assembly in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Every year, the award provides recognition for superior performance by one of ISO’s standards development groups.
ISO 16714:2008, Earthmoving machinery – Recyclability and recoverability – Terminology and calculation method, is available from ISO national member institutes. It may also be obtained directly from the ISO Central Secretariat, price 64 Swiss francs, through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing & Communication department. www.iso.org