Water Sustainability
December 1, 2011
NSF DWA Joint Committee
What is Sustainability?
• Meeting the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Brundtland Commission of the United Nations, 1987
Three legged stool analogy:
• People (social responsibility)
• Planet (environmental responsibility)
• Profit (economic responsibility)
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“Sustainable” Products
• Common market language, but lack of common understanding
and definition.
• Hundreds of “ecolabels” exist in the market.
– Most are industry/standard specific.
• Federal Trade Commission has issued requirements for proper
labeling of claims.
• USEPA has issued a Sustainability Policy for water
infrastructure
• What can you do as a business and an industry?
– Define for your category the relevant measurements.
– Work within defined, recognized structures of evaluation to ensure
claims are consistent and credible.
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Consideration of Product Life Cycle
ENVIRONMENT
IMPACTS
HUMAN
HEALTH
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COMMUNITY
National Center for Sustainability
Standards
Sustainability standard development:
• NSF/ANSI 140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet
• NSF/ANSI 332 Sustainability Assessment for Resilient Floor
Coverings
• NSF/ANSI 336 Sustainability Assessment for Commercial
Furnishings Fabric
• NSF/ANSI 342 Sustainability Assessment for Wallcovering Products
• ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard
• NSF/GCI/ANSI 355 – Greener Chemicals and Processes Information
Standard
• NSF 347 – Sustainability Assessment for Single Ply Roofing
Membranes
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National Center for Sustainability
Standards
Product Category Rule (PCR) development:
• PCR for Flooring
– Includes wood, laminate, ceramic, carpet, resilient
• PCRs for Furniture
– Initial project for Seating
– Others to follow
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Product Category Rules
• “A set of specific rules, requirements, and
guidelines for developing Type III environmental
declarations for one or more product categories”
(ISO 14025)
• The PCR defines the product attributes and life
cycle assessment criteria that must be reported for
the Type III environmental declaration
• Goals of PCR - can be applied to Business to
Business or Business to Consumer products
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Life Cycle of Products
Manufacturing
Raw
Materials
End of
Life
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Distribution
Use
Environmental Product Declarations
Equal comparisons using
standardized LCA data based on
the PCR for that product type
(e.g., office chairs)
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Type III Environmental
Declaration Process
Product
Category
Rule
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Life Cycle
Assessment
Environmental
Product
Declaration
Third Party
Verification
Value of EPDs
• Utilize EPD to showcase the environmental and
economic value of the product.
• Implement process improvements based on findings
from LCA.
• Compare products based on the same measurable
attributes.
• Business to Business or Business to Consumer
product communication.
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Topics Covered in NSF Sustainability
Assessment Standards
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Product Design and Materials Selection
Water Use and Conservation
Energy and Atmosphere
Human and Ecological Health
Social Responsibility
Disposal and End of Life
Aggregation of single attribute criteria to assess
product on a life cycle basis
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Potential for Tiered Performance
• Common template of “credits” earned toward a minimum
threshold of performance.
– LEED for buildings
– NSF building material sustainability standards
• Level 1/Silver
• Level 2/Gold
• Level 3/Platinum
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Comparison of EPDs to Sustainable Product
Certifications
Environmental Product
Declaration:
• Environmental data focus
• Life cycle assessment
required
• PCR provides framework of
data reporting for a life
cycle assessment
• Summarizes environmental
impacts
• Independently verified
Technical Report
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Sustainable Product
Certification:
• Triple bottom line
• Multi-attribute, life cyclebased
• Defines sustainability
metrics and levels of
achievement
• Ranks products on
sustainable performance
• Certification with tiered
ranking
Creating a Sustainability Toolbox for the
Water Industry
Water
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Sustainability
Next Steps for NSF
• Presentation to all upcoming NSF Water Joint
Committees
• Introduction
• Initial feedback
• NSF Water Sustainability Webinar
• December 6, 2011,1:00 pm EST
• More in-depth discussion
• Kick-off meeting
• Q1 2012
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Looking Forward to Your Input
Tom Bruursema, General Manager
Environmental and Sustainability Services
734-913-5575
bruursema@nsf.org
Jane Wilson, Director
NSF Standards Department
734-827-6835
wilson@nsf.org
www.nsfsustainability.org
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