ISDI’s role during the crisis

TOGETHER IS BETTER

MANUFACTURING • AFFILIATIONS AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE PROMOTE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN STEEL DRUMS, ISDI SAYS

STEEL DRUMS TRANSPORT more than 50m tonnes of both hazardous and nonhazardous materials around the world every year. Because of this staggering statistic, steel drum manufacturers have needed to continue operations throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, being designated ‘Essential Businesses’ by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in accordance with the DHS Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

The Industrial Steel Drum Institute (ISDI), a North American non-profit trade association representing manufacturers of steel drums in the US, Canada and Mexico, worked hard to promote the common interests of its members during this difficult time through government relations, technical research, education and information exchange, media relations and marketing efforts.

This is nothing exceptional for ISDI, which regularly provides its members with up-todate information, represents the industry before federal agencies and the US Congress, acts as liaison with other industry groups and individual corporations, and plays an active role with international organisations, including the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. This cooperation enables members to realise operational and regulatory benefits that they may not have been able to attain individually.

For instance, through the Institute’s affiliation with the International Confederation of Drum Manufacturers (ICDM), an alliance between ISDI and similar organisations in Europe and Asia, members can provide expertise on packaging proposals that influence regulations. In fact, just this year, ISDI’s leadership of ICDM helped other countries communicate the essential nature of steel drums and, consequentially, kept the industry open around the globe. ICDM’s member organisations – ISDI, Syndicat Européen de L’industrie des Fûts en Acier (SEFA) in Europe and the Asia Oceanic Steel Drum Association (AOSD) – have also recently collaborated on promoting the many advantages of the steel drum.

TRAINING FOR QUALITY Another avenue ISDI uses to represent its members is through the sponsorship of TRANSCAER, a voluntary national outreach effort that educates and assists first responders in communities near transportation routes. Through this partnership, ISDI trains emergency responders on the proper use of steel drums and how to best respond to a potentially hazardous situation. Through live trainings, virtual webinars and videos, ISDI helps first responders do their jobs with greater safety.

ISDI’S STEEL DRUM MANUFACTURER MEMBERS PLAY

A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING TRADE MOVING, A ROLE THAT

HAS BEEN RECOGNISED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES DURING

“Through our live and virtual trainings and TRANSCAER’s new Learning Management System, we’re able to share a lot of critical information – from the unique components of steel drums to the different types of drums and their safety advantages to the typical transportation practices,” says Susan Nauman, ISDI’s executive director.

Through its affiliation with industry groups, the interests of ISDI members are alongside makers of other industrial packagings around the world, too. In 2003, ISDI teamed up with the associations of three competing industrial packaging types to form the Industrial Packaging Alliance of North America (IPANA), which addresses domestic and international regulatory issues that affect all types of industrial packaging. IPANA consolidates various industry-related meetings into more cohesive, cost-effective events, where independent affiliates can deliberate on their respective business and technical needs, and learn about evolving political, regulatory and technical issues of interest to all packaging manufacturers.

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION ISDI’s efforts extend beyond its affiliations with other organisations. ISDI has worked hard to educate steel drum manufacturers, customers and consumers alike on very technical topics in easy-to-consume ways. Through its use of video, ISDI has explained the benefits steel drums provide to manufacturers and shippers, how to decode the many parts of the UN mark as well as the added benefits of fusible plugs. All of these videos, as well as frequent alerts that inform the industry on a variety of topics – like changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) hours of service regulations and UN/DOT mark requirements – can be found on ISDI’s website.

Through information exchanges with organisations such the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), VMV (the German Metal Packaging Association) and many others, ISDI is increasing its efforts to highlight steel’s sustainability worldwide, too. Steel’s attributes, including its inherent durability and recyclability, make it an ideal fit for a sustainable circular economy. Once produced, steel can be continually recycled into new steel products. And, while many other products can only be downcycled into a lower-quality product, steel can be recycled over and over again and remade without any loss of quality.

ISDI’s efforts to promote the common interests of its members has expanded over the years and will continue to do so as it moves into the future. To learn more about ISDI and steel drums visit whysteeldrums.org.