Eco Alkalines™ Batteries Run on
NSF Carbonfree® Certification

Growing consumer demand for sustainable goods means that companies are updating their supply chains with environmentally responsible products to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, manufacturers are finding ways to eliminate or “neutralize” the carbon footprint of their products. Eco Alkalines batteries recently used an NSF Sustainability partner, Carbonfund.org, to reduce the CO2 and climate change impact from the production, distribution and disposal of alkaline batteries.

NSF Sustainability, an exclusive partner of Carbonfund.org, offers Carbonfree® certification as a meaningful, transparent way for companies worldwide to provide environmentally friendly, carbon neutral products. Certification also strengthens brand differentiation, corporate social responsibility and environmental goals. The partnership leverages Carbonfund.org’s expertise in product sustainability and NSF’s global certification management resources.

The Carbonfree® certification process uses lifecycle assessment (LCA) to determine a product’s carbon footprint. Companies are encouraged to reduce the carbon footprint of their product wherever possible. The rest is offset by third-party validated carbon reduction projects that counterbalance remaining emissions. This enables companies to take an important step in minimizing their product’s environmental impact over its entire life cycle.

LEI Electronics Inc., a leading supplier of consumer electronics in Canada, received Carbonfree® certification for Eco Alkalines™ batteries to reduce the CO2 and climate change impact from the production, distribution and disposal of alkaline batteries.

Eco Alkalines™ are the world’s first certified carbon neutral batteries, containing no mercury, lead or cadmium. The batteries use recycled materials wherever possible and contain at least 98 percent recyclable contents. They can be used to satisfy certain LEED credits and prerequisites.

[CarbonFree Logo] Carbonfree® certification provides LEI a competitive market edge. "Certification definitely sets us apart from our competitors," says Jessica A. Bell, Sales and Marketing Manager at LEI Electronics. "We are currently the world's only disposable alkaline battery with this certification. We expect certification will help increase our market share and create customer and brand loyalty among consumers who are seeking to purchase and use eco-friendly products."

Certification also gives credibility to a newer brand in a marketplace of well-known products. Bell says, "Many products claim to be ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’, but those terms are used loosely or without a clear description of what that means. We wanted third-party verification from a trusted and recognizable organization so that consumers would understand and have faith in our green claims."

Among the carbon reduction projects that are supported by companies like LEI Electronics are:

Carbonfree® certification involves five easy steps:

  1. Perform a life-cycle assessment (LCA) to determine the carbon footprint of your product(s)
  2. Calculate carbon emissions based on the LCA and projected sales volume, resulting in the amount of offset credits needed to achieve net zero emission
  3. Register and certify your product as Carbonfree® and use the certification mark on the product and in promotional materials
  4. Offset the product’s carbon footprint quarterly, based on sales, by purchasing offsets from third-party validated carbon reduction projects
  5. Renew your product annually

To learn more about NSF International Carbonfree® product certification, contact Dennis Gillan at 734.476.2543 or dgillan@nsf.org or visit our web site at www.nsfsustainability.org.