NSF/ANSI 61 Offers Certification for Low Lead Plumbing Products to Support State Requirements
February 27, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
NSF International and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) released NSF/ANSI 61 - Annex G - Weighted Average Lead Content Evaluation Procedure to a 0.25 Percent Lead Requirement.
The new section of NSF/ANSI Standard 61 includes recently enacted legislation in California and Vermont that mandates a maximum weighted average lead content requirement of less than or equal to 0.25%. Other states are also considering low lead content legislation, according to NSF.
Faucet companies Kohler, Moen and Price Pfister were certified under NSF/ANSI 61, Annex G by meeting the lead content requirement. The lead requirements apply to manufacturers of faucets, valves, water fittings and other products that come in contact with drinking water.
NSF/ANSI 61 - Drinking Water System Components - Health Effects was updated in December 2008 to incorporate requirements for use when the greater than, or equal to, 0.25% lead content requirement must be met, in addition to current chemical extraction requirements of the standard.
Compliance is determined by a weighted average calculation involving the maximum percent lead content of material specifications and wetted surface areas.
To ensure ongoing compliance with the new lead requirements, NSF will conduct annual, unannounced inspections of the manufacturing facilities for certified products and retest products on a regular basis.
A verification test methodology is being developed, which may be added to NSF/ANSI Standard 61, experts said.
This methodology can be used when there is a need to verify that the actual lead content of a component is within the stated lead content of the material specification.
The work being done on this verification methodology is being performed through NSF's Lead Task Group and California's Department of Toxic Substance Control. Their goal is to establish a consistent protocol that can be used by all.
Source: NSF International.