Combining NSF/ANSI Standards 60/61 Annex D and Annex E
Introduction Drinking water pass/fail criteria in NSF/ANSI Standards 60/61 are currently located in two separate annexes Annex D (normative) and Annex E (informative) In each annex, there are multiple tables (D1-D4 and E1-E2) As the annexes are currently maintained separately for Standard 60 and Standard 61, pass/fail criteria for chemicals may be listed in one Standard but not the other and duplicative entries are more challenging to identify Maintaining multiple tables in two Standards makes it difficult for users to locate pass/fail criteria
Recommendations Consolidate the drinking water criteria currently in Annex D and Annex E into a single annex Combined annex would be identical and appear in NSF/ANSI Standard 60 and Standard 61 Recommendation is supported the Joint Peer Review Steering Committee (JPRSC)
Joint Peer Review Steering Committee Established to consolidate efforts among ANSI accredited certification bodies to prioritize risk assessments for review by the HAB and reconcile action levels derived from duplicate risk assessment efforts Membership includes HAB chair and representatives from five certification bodies Officially reached agreement to harmonize efforts in April 2013
Joint Peer Review Steering Committee Why establish the JPRSC? Reconciliation of Action Levels Significant differences found in pass/fail criteria between certifiers Differences may arise based on the time assessment was created Differences may arise based on interpretation of toxicology data >2000 chemicals currently being reviewed Increased transparency of assessment process Reduced liability for clients
Normative/Informative Currently, NSF/ANSI Standards 60/61 distinguish between normative and informative pass/fail criteria Normative Criteria Under Annex D, pass/fail values listed are to be used in the determination of product compliance with the Standard Informative Criteria Under Annex E, a chemical that exceeds the informative criteria should be subject to a complete toxicity data review and risk assessment prior to using the informational evaluation criteria to determine compliance with the Standard A consensus among the JPRSC membership was that no distinction is currently made between normative and informative values when evaluating compliance
Addition/updates of pass/fail criteria
New Pass/Fail Criteria Based on reconciliation efforts and development of new risk assessments, NSF International, along with the remainder of the JPRSC membership, is recommending the addition (or update) of 541 pass/fail criteria to Annex D/E of both Standards
Sources of New Criteria NSF International – Peer Reviewed Risk Assessments Peer reviewed in 2012 or 2013 by the Health Advisory Board NSF International – Threshold of Evaluation Chemicals JPRSC – Initial List of Reconciled Values JPRSC – Threshold of Evaluation Chemicals
Questions How could the DWA JC and DWTU JC effectively bridge conversations related to action levels? Should action levels be pulled out of standards into separate standard? If pulled out, what does oversight look like? New JC? Combined JC? Others?