NSF Seeking Volunteers for Sustainable Countertop Committee

The National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS), a part of NSF International (formerly the National Sanitation Foundation) is beginning development of a Product Category Rule (PCR) for residential countertops in accordance with ISO 14025. The rule will cover natural stone, solid surface, engineered stone, high pressure laminate and recycled materials. It may also apply to concrete, stainless steel, glass and tile.

The NCSS is seeking volunteers to sit on the PCR committee in the areas of countertop manufacturing, life cycle practitioners, and governmental, academic or non-governmental organizations.

PCRs define the parameters of a life cycle assessment  for a particular product group and what to include in the resulting report, called an Environmental Product Declaration. LCAs measure inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan, from cradle to grave. The Environmental Product Declaration is a third-party-verified report that may function like a nutrition label to explain the data generated from a life cycle assessment.

Interested parties will be meeting to develop this document over the course of approximately 6 to 9 months. Meetings will take place either in person or via teleconference. And, NSF has prepared a draft PCR based on and with permission from The Green Standard Environmental Product Declaration System and other available information.  The boundary of the PCR will be determined by the stakeholder group.

Interested parties should contact Mindy Costello, secretariat to the PCR committee at [email protected] or 734-827-6819.