NSF Developing Eco-Impact Rule on Countertops
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A new environmental assessment for countertop materials is in the works, aided by one of the country’s largest laminate manufacturers.
On Monday, NSF International announced the development of a Product Category Rule for residential countertops to report the impact of products and materials before, during and after use. The effort is being aided by Temple, Texas-based Wilsonart LLC.
Product Category Rules define the elements of a life cycle assessment (LCA) for a particular product group, and what to include in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a third-party-verified report summarizing the data from the assessment. This allows the user to analyze a single product and provides a basis of comparison among related products.
NSF Sustainability, a division of NSF International, provides EPD third-party verification by confirming that the data was collected in accordance with the applicable PCR and meets all ISO requirements. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) rating system includes a pilot credit that recognizes materials with third-party-verified EPDs.
The residential countertop PCR will be established in accordance with the international environmental-labeling standard ISO 14025 through the NSF’s National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS). The effort will include an open consultative process to develop the PCR with participation from an expert panel of countertop manufacturers, suppliers, regulatory agencies, environmental organizations and end users.
“The Product Category Rule will provide the industry a much needed standard for measuring and reporting the environmental attributes of residential countertops, providing a basis for improvement and a process that will enable reductions in environmental impacts over time,” says Steve Lubowinski, Wilsonart research fello and leader of the company’s LCA activities. “We look forward to the positive impact this will make on the industry and those that seek more sustainable building and furnishing materials for their homes.”
“The residential countertop PCR will enable interior designers and architects to source countertops with environmentally preferable attributes using comparative data that has been gathered and reported in a standardized fashion,” says Tom Bruursema, general manager of NSF International’s Sustainability division. “This is crucial in helping homebuilders and remodelers source products that meet their customers’ environmental goals.”
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