Lead
Reduction Requirements Effective January 1, 2010
NSF
International announced the development of a new compositional standard for
products that come in contact with drinking water, including faucets. The new
requirements are incorporated into the NSF/ANSI American National Standard for
Drinking Water Products to help protect the public from exposure to lead.
Annex G –Weighted Average Lead Content Evaluation Procedure to a 0.25
Percent Lead Requirementallows manufacturers to demonstrate
compliance to recently enacted legislation in California that limits the
weighted average of lead content in plumbing products, which come in contact
with drinking water, to 0.25 percent.
The annex was recently incorporated into NSF/ANSI Standard 61:Drinking Water System Components - Health Effects, a
standard that includes procedures to evaluate products that come in contact
with drinking water and to screen out those products that could contribute
excessive levels of contaminants into drinking water. Products covered in the
standard include: pipes and related products; protective and barrier materials
(including cements/coatings); joining and sealing materials (including gaskets,
adhesives, lubricants); process media (including carbon, sand, zeolite, ion
exchange media); mechanical devices (including water meters, in-line valves,
filters, process equipment); mechanical plumbing devices (faucets, drinking
fountains, and components); and potable water materials (non-metallic
materials).
The
inclusion of Annex G (http://www.nsf.org/media/enews/AnnexG.pdf)
is important for manufacturers selling products in California who must comply
with the new lead content requirements in addition to the current chemical
extraction requirements of NSF/ANSI Standard 61. California recently passed legislation
that requires manufacturers20to meet the 0.25 percent weighted average lead
content. Other states are also considering low-lead content legislation.
“Annex G
establishes a protocol to determine product compliance with the 0.25 percent maximum
weighted average lead content requirement of the California Health & Safety
Code. It is our expectation that states with low lead requirements will
recognize Annex G in their regulations, and this will provide a uniform method
for product evaluation,” said Pete Greiner, Technical Manager, NSF Water
Treatment and Distribution Systems Program.
The annex
was developed by NSF’s Lead Task Group with guidance from key regulators,
proponents of the California lead bill, industry representatives and the NSF
Standard 61 Joint Committee. The NSF Joint Committee is comprised of equal
representation from public health, user communities and industry to ensure an
open, transparent and consensus process.
While
California lead content requirements are not scheduled to go into effect until
2010, NSF is providing product evaluations against the annex now, and updating
NSF 61 listings to indicate compliance with the low lead requirement.
"Annex
G is a consensus standard that took into consideration comments from key
stakeholders in California and nationwide. It gives companies a valuable tool
for assessing compliance with California's lead content standard. California is
leading the way on getting toxic chemicals out of products. Companies that meet
the standard will be a t a competitive advantage. In conjunction with
applicable verification testing, this standard provides valuable information
for our laboratory to use in our work,” said Bruce La Belle, Chief, California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory.
Click
here for more information on Annex G and NSF/ANSI Standard 61. For
more information on NSF/ANSI Standard 61 requirements or NSF testing and
certification services to the standard, contact Pete Greiner at 734.769.5517 orgreinerp@nsf.org.
To view the entire release, visithttp://www.nsf.org/info/press/index.asp?p_id=16419.
NSF Develops Standard For Low Lead Plumbing Products In Support of New California Requirements
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