scope:

IEC Guide 109, which is intended for standards writers, gives guidance on how to consider aspects relating to the impact on the environment of electrotechnical products when preparing standards for such products.

Its purpose is:

a) to raise awareness that provisions in product standards can affect the environment in both negative and positive ways;

b) to outline the relationship between product standards and the environment;

c) to help to find provisions in product standards that may lead to improved environmental performance and to avoid such provisions that may lead to adverse environmental impacts;

d) to emphasize that addressing environmental aspects during the development of product standards is a complex process and requires balancing competing priorities; and

e) to recommend the use of life cycle thinking when addressing environmental aspects in the context of product standardization.

This Guide exclusively addresses writers of technical product standards and specifications. It is consistent as much as possible with ISO Guide 64.

Electrotechnical product- or sector-specific standardization documents that explicitly deal with environmentally conscious product design should be based on IEC 62430.