3M Purification says it is the first company to achieve certification under the new WQA Product Sustainability standards from the Water Quality Association. 3M can now apply a sustainability label to six products, include water filtration devices for the home and water appliances. To carry the label, products must meet safety and performance standards as well as two WQA sustainability criteria: WQA S-801, a sustainable management standard, and WQA S-803, a product sustainability standard for activated carbon water filtration systems. 3M Purification was part of the task force that helped develop the new standards.
Clemson University and the South Carolina Forestry Commission have received Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification for over 103,000 acres of land, and the South Carolina state forests also certified to American Tree Farm System standards. (The Clemson forests have been ATFS certified since 1987.) The certifications count towards the SFI Forest Partners Program, supported by corporate partners including the National Geographic Society, Time Inc., Macmillan Publishing and Pearson, which aims to make certification more accessible for medium-sized forest landowners, and aims to certify 5 million acres by the end of 2014.
The Department of Energy has issued a notice of interim determination, classifying UL Verification Services as a nationally recognized certification program for small electric motors. DOE will accept comments, data, and information until October 17.
The UK Environment Agency issued guidance on small mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which some reprocessors and compliance programs fear will increase administrative burdens. Technical notes from the agency state that any small WEEE collected from civic amenity sites should be classed as both hazardous and non-hazardous, Let’s Recycle reports.
NeoTech Aqua Solutions has achieved NSF/ANSI Standard 61 certification, confirming that all materials used in the company’s line of UV water treatment systems complies with the NSF’s requirements for drinking water systems.
