ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF International, an independent global organization that writes standards, tests and certifies products for the commercial furnishing, construction, food, water and consumer goods industries, has collaborated with the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) to develop a Product Category Rule (PCR) for the seating industry. This seating PCR provides a science-based and internationally recognized method for reporting the environmental impact of seating products throughout their entire life cycle.
Product Category Rules define how to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) for a particular product group and what to include in the resulting report, called an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). LCAs measure inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan, from cradle to grave. The EPD is the third-party-verified report that may function like a nutrition label to explain the data generated from a life cycle assessment.
The seating PCR was established in accordance with international environmental management guidelines (ISO 14025) through the NSF National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS). The NCSS utilized an open stakeholder process to develop the seating PCR with participation from an expert panel of seating manufacturers, suppliers, regulatory agencies, environmental organizations, and end users. The NCSS has developed PCRs and American National sustainability standards for a wide range of product categories, including chemicals, commercial furnishings, flooring, building products and materials, and water treatment and distribution systems.
“We are pleased to partner with NSF International in developing PCRs for the seating industry,” said Thomas Reardon, executive director of BIFMA. “NSF is an expert in developing rigorous and science-based PCRs that will help move the industry toward a more sustainable future. These seating PCRs are the first in a series that will be developed for commercial furniture products.”
“The development of Product Category Rules for seating products helps to meet the increasing demand for transparency in environmental claims,” said Tom Bruursema, general manager of NSF International’s Sustainability division. “NSF Sustainability’s scientific and internationally-accepted methods for verifying environmental claims provide customers a reliable basis for evaluating the environmental impact of their seating products.”
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