Sustainability Standard for Household Clothes Washers Recognized by US and Canadian Standards Bodies

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2016 /CNW/ -- The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), CSA Group, and UL Environment today announced that AHAM 7003/CSA R7003-16/UL 7003, Sustainability Standard for Household Clothes Washers has earned the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) accreditation as an American National Standard and also met the requirements of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). The ANSI and SCC recognition signify that the standard was developed in accordance with the requirements set for the development of consensus standards and has undergone broad-based extensive public review.   

This standard, which was the second in a family of product sustainability standards under development by AHAM, CSA Group, and UL Environment, serves as an objective and practical measurement tool to assist clothes washer manufacturers in evaluating the environmental sustainability of home appliances. It is the second standard in this group of related standards to attain ANSI and SCC accreditation. The standard is intended for use by manufacturers, governments, retailers, and others to identify environmentally preferable products and is based on a lifecycle approach for identifying the environmental impacts of clothes washers in five key areas: energy, materials, end-of-life, consumables, and manufacturing.

"Measuring and comparing the sustainability attributes of home appliances is a priority for consumers, retailers and manufacturers. The AHAM clothes washer standard provides a sound scientific basis for doing this and with the ANSI and SCC designation, reflects a strong consensus of the independent stakeholder community in the U.S. and Canada," explained Joseph M. McGuire, president and CEO of AHAM.

"CSA Group is committed to contributing to a more sustainable world. The new standard will help to evaluate the environmental impact of household washers," said Gianluca Arcari, Executive Director, Standards and Vice President, CSA Group. "This is part of a series of standards that uses a lifecycle approach to help identify more sustainable products starting at manufacturing right through to disposal at the end."

"UL Environment is pleased to participate in the development of standards that improve the sustainability of everyday products and help manufacturers, governments and retailers make more informed purchasing decisions," said Carlos Correia, President of UL's Supply Chain & Sustainability division, UL Environment's parent business division. "This marks the fifth appliance sustainability standard that UL Environment has been a participant of, and the second to receive ANSI and SCC accreditation. It signifies continued dedication by the industry to produce more sustainable home appliances for the marketplace and meet the needs of environmentally conscious consumers."

About AHAM

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) is a not-for-profit trade association representing manufacturers of major, portable and floor care home appliances, and suppliers to the industry and is headquartered in Washington, DC. AHAM is a standards development organization, accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and has authored numerous appliance performance testing standards used by manufacturers, consumer organizations and governmental bodies to rate and compare appliances. You can visit the AHAM web site at www.aham.org

About CSA Group

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous location and industrial, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide. For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

About UL Environment

UL Environment, a business unit of UL, works to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally preferable products, services, and organizations. We help companies achieve their sustainability goals—and help purchasers, specifiers, retailers, governments, and consumers find products they can trust. UL Environment offers environmental claim validations, multi-attribute product certifications, environmental product declarations, indoor air quality certification, product emissions testing, organizational sustainability certification, and consulting. For more information, visit www.ul.com/environment.  

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SOURCE Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Jill Notini, AHAM, 202-872-5955 x318, [email protected]; Allison Hawkins, CSA Group, 416-747-2615, [email protected]; Sarah Partridge, UL Environment, 678-444-4083, [email protected], http://www.aham.org