Understanding the NSF Certification Policies
There are two documents which outline all of the requirements for NSF Certification of wastewater treatment units. They include the NSF standard, as applicable to the particular type of technology, and the NSF Certification Policies for Wastewater Treatment Systems, applicable to all products certified regardless of the specific standard.
The NSF Standards define the specific requirements to which a product must conform, such as those relating to materials, design, construction, product literature, treatment performance criteria, test methodologies, and service related obligations.
The policies address additional areas, focusing more on the requirements of the manufacturer and their conditions for implementing certification into their operations. The policies include both general requirements, applicable to all of the NSF Certification programs, and program specific requirements, applicable to the NSF Certification program for wastewater treatment units. Manufacturers are required to comply with both the general and program specific policies.
General Program Policies (examples)
- Marking of the certified product for complete systems and components, and proper use of manufacturer's model designation.
- Annual audits, as performed at the manufacturer's facility, and in some cases at the distributor's facility. Audits are conducted by NSF representatives to assess that the product being manufactured continues to comply with all of the specifications which define the certified product.
- Corrective action steps to be taken by the manufacturer in the event certified product is found to be no longer in compliance with the requirements of certification.
- Enforcement actions taken by NSF for general noncompliance with the requirements for certification.
- Administrative review provisions, as requested by any party directly affected by a decision or action of NSF regarding the certification of a product.
- Appeals process, as requested by any party directly affected by a decision or action of NSF resulting from an administrative review.
- Complaints process in the event NSF receives complaints relating to certified products, or misuse of the NSF Mark by a certified or non-certified company.
- Advertising requirements for proper use of the NSF Mark on sales literature, technical publications, promotional materials, packaging, catalogs, et cetera.
- Records maintenance relating to the certified product, including purchased materials, production, shipment, and inventory.
- Confidentiality provisions for the non-disclosure of any confidential information supplied to NSF by the company regarding the product, including formulations, components, processes, ingredients, or the identity of the company's suppliers and distributors.
Program Specific Policies (examples)
- Listing Book information for all certified products, including such things as company name, telephone number, and address, product description, trademark/model designation, effluent class rating, rated capacity, et cetera. Listing books for wastewater treatment units are published three times per year.
- Testing of products, including such things as use of constructed shelters, insulation, data compilation and distribution, and certification of additional models based upon the testing of one. Policies for testing also relate to the periodic reevaluation of the certified product at defined intervals.
- Authorized Representative information, including the names, telephone numbers, addresses, for all authorized representatives of certified products.
- Service Related Obligations of the manufacturer are defined in the policies for those manufacturers listed under NSF/ANSI Standard 40.
