국제 공공보건기구 NSF International은 제품유형규격개발(PCRs)과 환경제품선언검증(EPDs)을 위한 프로그램 운영기구이며, 미국규격협회(ANSI)로부터 처음으로 인정받은 바 있다. NSF International은 운영기구로서 과학 기반의 환경 데이터, 보고 및 검증을 규격화하기 위해 증가하는 수요를 충족시키는 데 도움을 주고 있다.

환경제품선언검증은 제품 제조업체들이 고객들로부터 명료한 환경 데이터를 받는 것을 가능하게 함으로써 여러 산업에 걸쳐 사용이 증가되고 있으며, 이해 당사자들이 속한 위원회에서 형성된다. 또한, 제품분류에 따라 제품수명주기를 정하는 역할을 하는 제품유형규격개발에 의해 성립된다.

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ANSI Accreditation to Help Meet Demand for Environmental Reporting and Verification in Green Building Industry

Global public health organization NSF International is among the first organizations to be recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a program operator for both the development of product category rules (PCRs) and the verification of environmental product declarations (EPDs). As an EPD and PCR program operator, NSF International will help meet the growing demand for standardization of science-based environmental data, reporting and verification.

EPDs are increasingly used across many industries to enable product manufacturers to bring transparent environmental data to customers.  An EPD’s specifications are established by a PCR, which is created by a committee of interested stakeholders and defines how to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) for a product group. In the building industry, EPDs can assist architects and designers with determining a specific product’s environmental impact within its category and to meet green building rating system criteria in both LEED v4 and the latest edition of Green Globes.

The detailed ANSI accreditation process included on-site and remote audits that assessed NSF International’s policies and procedures and reviewed PCRs published and EPDs verified under the program.

Prior to earning accreditation, NSF International participated in the ANSI pilot program, which was designed to bring the PCR and EPD process into compliance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards: ISO 14020 and ISO 14025, as well as ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment ? Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services.

NSF International helps companies build a portfolio of sustainable products and spans the complete PCR/LCA/EPD process by supporting PCR development, verifying LCA and EPD data, and providing third-party verification of final EPD reports. The NSF National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS) develops PCRs and American National Standards in sustainability for a wide range of product categories, including chemicals, commercial furnishings, flooring, building products and materials, and water treatment and distribution systems.

“Demand for standardized environmental impact information is growing quickly in many industries and around the globe. Earning ANSI accreditation as a program operator demonstrates NSF International’s strength and leadership in developing PCRs and verifying EPDs that bring quality, science-based reporting that is essential for environmentally-minded decision making in many industries and in the building industry in particular,” said Jessica Evans, Director of NSF International’s National Center for Sustainability Standards.

 

NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies create more sustainable products, operations, systems and supply chains.  Additional NSF services include Education and Training, safety audits for the food and water industries, nutritional/dietary supplement certification, organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International) and management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR). NSF-ISR services include ISO 14001 environmental management systems registration, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certifications.

[출처 = NSF International / 2015년 7월 16일]