ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ASTM International

ASTM International is like a big club of people who make rules for things like toys and buildings.

Imagine you’re having a tea party and you have some toys that you want to share. But, you’re worried that some of the toys may not be safe for your guests to play with. That’s where ASTM comes in. They create rules for how toys should be made and tested so that they are safe for people to use.

But, ASTM doesn’t just make rules for toys. They also make rules for all sorts of things like buildings, bridges, and medical equipment. They want to make sure that everything we use is safe and works properly.

So, when you see something that has an “ASTM” label or mark, that means it has been approved by the big club of people who want to make sure everything is safe and works the way it should.