April 2026: Key Updates to Safety and Environmental Standards for Batteries and Firefighting Foams

April 2026 saw a significant expansion in the field of environmental protection and safety, with the publication of five crucial international standards covering carbon footprint evaluation for industrial lithium-ion batteries and sweeping updates to fire extinguishing foam specifications. As both sustainability and safety move center stage for industry professionals—from engineers and quality managers to procurement leads—these new standards set sharper requirements for product design, operational excellence, and regulatory compliance. This article provides a comprehensive overview of these standards, their major technical requirements, and practical compliance guidance for organizations operating in energy storage, manufacturing, industrial safety, and emergency response sectors.

Overview / Introduction

Environmental protection and safety regulations are constantly evolving, reflecting advances in technology, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and a drive for global sustainability. International standards are at the core of this evolution—ensuring interoperability, safety, and continuous improvement across industries. In April 2026, critical updates were published for:

• The methodology to calculate the carbon footprint of industrial lithium-ion batteries, directly supporting carbon reduction initiatives and supply chain transparency.
• A comprehensive review of foam concentrate standards for firefighting, including all key expansion types (medium, high, and low) and their application to both water-immiscible and water-miscible liquids.

This article will help you understand the scope, impact, and practical application of these five new standards, so your organization can maintain compliance, improve safety outcomes, and contribute to sustainability goals.

Detailed Standards Coverage

IEC 63369-1:2026 - Carbon Footprint Calculation for Industrial Lithium-Ion Batteries

Carbon footprint calculation applicable to industrial lithium-ion batteries – Part 1: General requirements and methodology

This new IEC 63369-1:2026 standard lays the foundation for globally harmonized measurement of carbon emissions associated with industrial lithium-ion battery systems, covering the entire battery life cycle—from raw material extraction to end-of-life recycling. It provides a robust, attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, focusing on four classes of battery service: repetitive supply for mobile and stationary applications (e.g., forklifts, energy storage systems), and on-demand supply (e.g., railways, uninterruptible power in data centers).

Scope & Key Requirements

• Establishes unified carbon footprint calculation principles for all rechargeable lithium-ion chemistries in industrial settings
• Excludes batteries for portable devices, SLI (starting, lighting, ignition), and electric vehicle traction (those are treated in other standards)
• Defines functional units and representative product classes to ensure meaningful comparisons
• Requires manufacturers to collect and provide comprehensive data sets covering production, logistics, use phase, and recycling
• Clarifies boundaries for data quality, electricity modeling (e.g., grid mix vs. on-site renewables), and limits (does not account for second-life applications)

Target Audience & Application

• Intended for battery manufacturers, system developers, and buyers aiming to compare carbon impacts during battery selection, eco-design, and compliance with voluntary or regulatory carbon disclosure schemes
• Can be used in product development, procurement, tendering, and sustainability reporting

Practical Implications

• Enables transparent, comparable lifecycle emission calculations
• Supports selection of batteries based on environmental performance, not just capacity or price
• Facilitates tracking and reduction of carbon emissions over time

Notable Changes

• Introduces mandatory data quality indicators and stepwise lifecycle stage modeling
• Aligns with the latest international LCA standards and regulations

Key highlights:

• Attributional LCA from raw materials through end-of-life
• Defined methodology for stationary and mobile applications
• Encompasses four battery service classes for precise comparison

Access the full standard:View IEC 63369-1:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 1568-1:2026 - Medium Expansion Firefighting Foam for Water-Immiscible Liquids

Fire extinguishing media – Foam concentrates – Part 1: Specification for medium expansion foam concentrates for surface application to water-immiscible liquids

This newly revised European standard (EN 1568-1:2026) addresses the formulation, testing, and performance requirements for medium expansion foam concentrates used in surface firefighting applications on water-immiscible (hydrocarbon) liquids.

Scope & Key Requirements

• Specifies minimum performance, chemical stability, physical properties (sediment, freezing point, viscosity, pH, surface tension)
• Fire performance is tested under standardized conditions including both fresh and sea water compatibility
• Mandates annual quality checks and clear container marking for traceability
• Provides requirements on occupational health and ecotoxicology (aligning with European regulations such as REACH and CLP)
• Improves guidance for temperature and wind speed measurements in performance tests

Target Audience & Application

• Fire safety engineers, foam manufacturers, facility operators, and emergency planners responsible for storage or handling of flammable, water-immiscible liquids (e.g., petrochemical, aviation, marine sectors)

Practical Implications

• Ensures reliable fire suppression and prevents sub-standard foam performance in critical incidents
• Helps users ensure product suitability according to hazard type and regulatory requirements
• Clarifies documentation and labeling needed in procurement

Notable Changes

• Clarifies solid deposit testing for both synthetic and protein foams
• Enhances consistency of performance testing for real-world scenarios

Key highlights:

• Medium expansion foam performance standardized for water-immiscible fires
• Clear annual quality assessment and health/ecotoxicology integration
• Precise guidance on temperature effects and testing

Access the full standard:View EN 1568-1:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 1568-2:2026 - High Expansion Firefighting Foam for Water-Immiscible Liquids

Fire extinguishing media – Foam concentrates – Part 2: Specification for high expansion foam concentrates for surface application to water-immiscible liquids

The revised EN 1568-2:2026 builds on the previous edition to specify requirements for high expansion firefighting foams designed to combat water-immiscible liquid fires. These foams are essential for covering large volumes swiftly in contained environments, like chemical storage or aircraft hangars.

Scope & Key Requirements

• Covers chemical and physical properties such as sedimentation, viscosity, freezing point, pH, surface tension, and drainage time
• Stipulates minimum fire performance benchmarks in both fresh and saline water
• Requires occupational health and eco-toxicological verifications per EU regulatory frameworks
• Annual foam quality check is recommended
• Robust marking and technical documentation required for each container

Target Audience & Application

• Fire protection engineers, industrial and municipal fire brigades, facilities handling significant hydrocarbon inventories, and foam concentrate manufacturers

Practical Implications

• Ensures consistent, high-volume foam performance during large-area fire emergencies
• Enables specification and procurement of the optimal foam for local hazards and scenarios
• Emphasizes product integrity and safety for both users and the environment

Notable Changes

• Improved test procedures for synthetic and protein foams
• New annual foam quality monitoring guidance
• Enhanced test clarity for real-world firefighting scenarios (including temperature and wind speed controls)

Key highlights:

• Standardizes high expansion foam for oil, fuel, and similar hazards
• Strong quality control, environmental, and health protection requirements
• Direct alignment with newest EU chemical directives

Access the full standard:View EN 1568-2:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 1568-3:2026 - Low Expansion Firefighting Foam for Water-Immiscible Liquids

Fire extinguishing media – Foam concentrates – Part 3: Specification for low expansion foam concentrates for surface application to water-immiscible liquids

EN 1568-3:2026 specifies the requirements for low expansion foams, which are widely used for liquid hydrocarbon fires in storage tanks, process vessels, and logistics terminals.

Scope & Key Requirements

• Comprehensive criteria for sediment, viscosity, freezing point, pH, surface tension, and foam stability
• Fire test protocols for both gentle and forceful application scenarios
• Occupational health and ecotoxicological testing required
• Annual quality assessment is explicitly included
• Compatible with both fresh and seawater applications

Target Audience & Application

• Refinery, fuel depot, and tank farm fire safety managers, emergency planners, foam suppliers
• Users needing versatility in foam usage: some products conform to multiple parts—can be used for low, medium, or high expansion applications

Practical Implications

• Enables safer, more effective liquid fuel fire management
• Supports procurement decisions for facilities needing flexibility across fuel types
• Informs ongoing foam stock checks and operational readiness

Notable Changes

• Harmonized performance criteria and sampling instructions
• Expanded annual quality check section

Key highlights:

• Standardizes low expansion foam for water-immiscible liquids
• Fire testing for both general and extreme conditions
• Strong focus on long-term product quality

Access the full standard:View EN 1568-3:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 1568-4:2026 - Low Expansion Firefighting Foam for Water-Miscible Liquids

Fire extinguishing media – Foam concentrates – Part 4: Specification for low expansion foam concentrates for surface application to water-miscible liquids

EN 1568-4:2026 is dedicated to foams applied to fires involving polar, water-miscible liquids—such as alcohols, ketones, and certain solvents. This standard is crucial for industries storing or processing chemicals with fire properties distinct from hydrocarbons.

Scope & Key Requirements

• Defines fire performance testing (using acetone and isopropanol) as a baseline; users must verify foam efficacy against their specific fuel risks due to significant variation among water-miscible fuels
• Details chemical and physical specifications: sediment, viscosity, pH, surface tension
• Mandates marking, technical sheets, and occupational health/ecotox assessments
• Introduces foam expansion performance sensitivity testing
• Strong warnings about product approval being invalidated by any composition change

Target Audience & Application

• Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers, warehouse operators, fire engineering teams handling solvents, alcohols, and similar

Practical Implications

• Facilitates selection of foam that works effectively on polar solvent fires
• Reduces operational risks by aligning with robust and consistently tested foam concentrate performance
• Protects against inefficiency due to inappropriate foam-fuel pairings

Notable Changes

• New fuel expansion sensitivity and small-scale fire test requirements
• Materials for test equipment standardized for improved repeatability

Key highlights:

• Performance tested on acetone and isopropanol, with explicit warnings about variations for other fuels
• Foam expansion sensitivity testing now required
• Annual quality checks and full compatibility documentation

Access the full standard:View EN 1568-4:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The 2026 standardization updates introduce both new opportunities and compliance essentials for organizations involved in manufacturing, energy, chemical processing, emergency services, and industrial safety. Adopting these standards enables:

• Enhanced transparency in lifecycle carbon emissions, supporting environmental and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) reporting, crucial for market access and investor confidence
• Improved firefighting preparedness and risk management by ensuring firefoam performance, compatibility, and regulatory adherence
• Streamlined procurement and tendering—suppliers meeting harmonized international criteria gain a competitive advantage

Compliance Considerations:

• Most standards (especially foam) require annual verification of product quality and effectiveness
• Supply chain partners may demand evidence of adherence to carbon footprint methodologies, especially for public projects and critical infrastructures
• Non-compliance risks include regulatory penalties, insurance claim denials, reputational damage, and severe operational hazards in case of safety system failure

Timelines:

• Immediate adoption is advisable for new procurements and projects. Organizations should align ongoing quality checks and product sourcing with the new standard requirements.

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements Across the Standards

• Data quality indicators: Required for lifecycle and product testing data
• Repeatable test procedures: Standardized for fire performance and foam property measurement
• Marking and traceability: Containers and documentation must clearly indicate compliance, batch, and unique identifiers
• Occupational health and ecotoxicology: Product safety is mandates to minimize health and environmental risks
• Compatibility testing: Especially relevant for foam used in multiple applications or with different water types

Implementation Best Practices

1. Early Supplier Engagement: Engage suppliers early to ensure that only compliant products are procured and installed.
2. Regular Quality Checks: Institute annual testing aligned with the latest standard procedures—both for carbon footprint data and foam stock performance.
3. Documentation Diligence: Retain full technical sheets, certificates, and test reports for all purchased equipment and materials.
4. System Integration: For battery systems, integrate the carbon footprint calculation (and supporting data flows) into your design, procurement, and reporting processes.

Testing and Certification Considerations

• Seek third-party laboratory accreditation (e.g., EN ISO/IEC 17025) for product and process testing
• Maintain clear calibration records for all test equipment used in foam and chemical property measurement
• For foam concentrate users, run parallel small-scale and operational fire tests to validate real-world performance before full-scale deployment

Conclusion / Next Steps

The April 2026 update to international environmental protection and safety standards represents a major advance for organizations aiming to combine performance, compliance, and sustainability. These new standards for industrial lithium-ion battery carbon footprinting and the full suite of firefighting foam concentrates are essential reading for all who manage risk, safety, or environmental impact in their operations.

Recommendations:

• Review and integrate these standards into procurement, operational, and reporting procedures.
• Schedule training sessions for technical and compliance teams to understand test methods, requirements, and ongoing obligations.
• Monitor relevant updates and access the full text of each standard for project-specific guidance: visit iTeh Standards for direct access.

Stay ahead of regulatory and operational trends by leveraging the latest standards for safety, environmental responsibility, and market competitiveness.