|
Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), responsible for the development of quality infrastructure and raising awareness on quality in Abu Dhabi, today announced the launch of ‘Trustmark for Environmental Performance’ - a new application of the Abu Dhabi Trustmark that certifies products for compliance to environmental and sustainability standards.
Gaining the Trustmark for Environmental Performance is voluntary. Products that do not bear the certification can still be retailed in the market despite not meeting the Trustmark’s sustainability criteria. However, product recall and action can be taken towards products that prove to be unsafe.
Moving forward, Abu Dhabi regulators could make it mandatory for products to meet the Trustmark for Environmental Performance certification according to the requirements of the emirate’s industry.
His Excellency Hussain Salem Al Katheeri, Secretary General, QCC, said: “In our role as a council of regulators and industry representatives, we consider it our core priority to offer conformity schemes and certifications that are aligned with the strategic objectives of the emirate. Through this strategy, it is our aim to sustain a certain level of product quality. The Abu Dhabi Trustmark for Environmental Performance indicates that certified products perform with certain environmental stewardship.”
A conformity scheme is a documented program outlining the process of certification by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council. The document outlines the method of acquiring certification, detailing the standards and equivalencies, application requirements, testing regime, as well as the certification process.
The Water Efficient Fixtures Conformity Scheme is the first initiative to be launched under the Trustmark for Environmental Performance. The scheme, developed through consultation with regulators and industry leaders, presents suppliers of water fixtures with an opportunity to obtain voluntary certification of products that meet Abu Dhabi’s Plumbing Code set by the Department of Municipal Affairs, and the Urban Planning Council’s sustainability criteria Estidama.
Focusing on water flow rate, the scheme has been specified for six water fixtures to ensure the efficient use of water in public and private bathroom taps, shower heads, kitchen faucets, bidets, urinals, and toilets. Currently, domestic usage accounts for approximately 33 per cent of the water consumption within the emirate.
Salem Bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Senior Specialist – Conformity Scheme Services, QCC, said: “With the introduction of the Water Efficient Fixtures Conformity Scheme, consumers can identify products that are of high quality and meet the plumbing and sustainability needs of Abu Dhabi. The Trustmark for Environmental Performance will help consumers identify products that meet the sustainability criteria. Consumers can make a choice between an environmentally sustainable product that meets quality standards and a product that does not comply with those standards.”
Products that achieve certification through testing against the environmental criteria of the QCC will be granted the right to use the Trustmark for Environmental Performance in product packaging, promotion and merchandising. Currently, applying and gaining the certification is available for no charge.
The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council was established in 2009 to raise the quality of Abu Dhabi’s exports and products traded locally, while protecting the interest of the emirate’s consumers and supporting its competitive economy. This is achieved through enabling regulators to establish and implement product safety, legal metrology and conformity schemes. QCC also sets guidelines and benchmarks to identify and verify that the products manufactured and traded in the emirate conform to the highest quality standards.
For more information on QCC’s certification process, requirements and criteria, please visit www.qcc.abudhabi.ae
|
New
Review
Abu Dhabi International Airport - 41°F
