ISO 18934:2006 provides suggested guidelines for four storage macroenvironments for archives that contain a variety of recording media, based on the corresponding ISO storage standards for those media. Whenever possible, it is advisable to follow the storage environments in the ISO storage standards. ISO 18934:2006 does not replace these ISO storage standards. In addition to environment recommendations, those standards also include other vital information pertinent for the long-term keeping of recording materials such as inspection, housing, and handling guidelines. Although microenvironments within a storage enclosure can be dependent upon the macroenvironment, they are not the focus of ISO 18934:2006.

The storage of traditional paper collections is not within the scope of ISO 18934:2006. However, many archives containing mixed recording media also include such collections. Archivists are encouraged to review the appropriate standards for those materials. Nitrate base photographic films are also included in ISO 18934:2006 since they are often stored together with other materials in spite of the fact that nitrate films represent a fire hazard and they need to be stored in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association standard in the United States, or other applicable national standards. Moreover, fumes from decomposing nitrate film and acetate-base film can have very detrimental effects on other materials stored in the same area. It is necessary to isolate such films in a separate storage area.