Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Discuss Year 2000 Issues -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Mansfield who wrote (1188)	3/15/1998 4:31:00 AM
From: John Mansfield	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9818

Some other programming work that has to be ready before 1/1/2000 GOVERNMENT The number of companies subject to new volatile organic compound (VOC) control rules is growing for makers of automotive coatings. Now component suppliers to seven types of coating manufacturers will also have to meet VOC emission limitations that EPA's proposing. Originally, only manufacturers of the final product were covered by EPA's 1996 auto refinishing proposal under the Clean Air Act. But now, makers of individual components - like the hardener that's part of a formulation for top coats, surfacers and primers - would also be covered by the VOC limits, EPA says. To monitor compliance, EPA also proposes to spot-check products by using package directions to make sure the end products meet VOC limits. (Environmental Compliance Alert, 1/30/98, pg. 6) To ensure that the European countries systemize their use of the metric system, the European Union has mandated that, beginning January 1, 2000, all products sold within its borders must be labeled and specified only in metric measurement. Consequently, European businesses can no longer use nonmetric measurements in product advertising, catalogs, technical manuals, user instructions and packaging design. Dual measurements on product labels - such as listing both ounces and liters - will also be prohibited, which means that U.S. goods shipped to the EU can no longer be measured in inches, pounds or any other nonmetric system. This presents a challenge for U.S. manufacturers and exporters, who have held onto the "inch/pound" measuring system long after most other industrialized nations have abandoned it for commercial purposes. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Metric Program offers U.S. exporters help in meeting the EU's metric requirement by providing information, leadership and assistance for metric conversion and use in business, government, standards organizations, trade associations and education. An electronic version of the NIST guide titled "Standards Setting in the European Union - Standards Organizations and Officials in EU Standards Activities" lists European standards and regulatory communities directly affected by the metric policy. It may be viewed on the Metric Program's Web site, www.nist.gov/metric. (Quality Digest, 2/98, pg. 10) globalmfg.com