ANSI recently sponsored an independently conducted market analysis looking at current and future use of environmental labels and declarations. This study was designed and conducted in order to explore the level of stakeholder interest in the development of a program to determine the eligibility of program operators for Type III environmental labels and declarations and to assess the competence of certification bodies that verify and/or validate EPD. The study confirmed that there is a growing demand for such an accreditation program based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, with the expectation that ANSI play a leading role in its development.
Program operators for Type III environmental labels and declarations seeking to achieve eligibility for participation in the pilot program will comply with the requirements and processes contained in ISO 14020, Environmental labels and declarations - General Principles, and ISO 14025, Environmental labels and declarations - Type III environmental declarations Principles and procedures, as well as ANSI procedures PRO-PR-165-ISO 14025, Requirements/Process to determine Eligibility of a Type III Environmental Declaration Program, and PRO-FR-104-ECO-ISO14025, Application for Eligibility of Type III Environmental Declaration Programs. After completing the process of eligibility determination, each program operator will demonstrate conformance with established international environmental declaration standards and the applicable procedures of ISO conformity assessment standards.
Certification bodies seeking to be accredited by ANSI to conduct validation/verification of EPD are required to comply with applicable requirements and processes found in ISO 14020, ISO 14025, and ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services, as well as ANSI Policy - PL - 102, Manual of Operations for Accreditation of Product Certification Programs. Following completion of a successful assessment of their competence in accordance with these requirements, certification bodies will be granted ANSI accreditation of their process in accordance ISO/IEC 17065.
To obtain an application to take part in this new pilot accreditation program, please contact Reinaldo Figueiredo ([email protected]; 202-331-3611), ANSI senior program director for product and process accreditation, or Nikki Jackson ([email protected]; 202-331-3623), ANSI senior manager for ANSI's product certification accreditation program.