Environmental & Sustainability Solutions

What are the environmental & sustainability solutions?

With new sustainable manufacturing methods constantly being unveiled, manufacturers must regularly assess the potential environmental impact of their existing processes. Worldwide, consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and switching to products that comply with environmental best practices. To remain in step with changing market expectations, manufacturers require expert analysis, advice on compliance to international environmental standards and independent assessment to ensure that their products do not adversely affect human health or natural ecosystems.

Why are environment services important?

Environmental services from an expert partner will help you fulfil your environmental commitments to internationally recognised standards and best practices. Our knowledge and in-depth understanding of various aspects of environmental concerns also serve to provide informed decision making so that you can streamline your manufacturing processes, minimise risk, reduce consumption of resources such as energy and water, maximise reuse opportunities and enhance brand reputation.

Our environmental services:

• Lifecycle Assessments (ISO 14040) – This is a standardised tool for recording the descriptive environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire lifecycle. TÜV SÜD supports manufacturers to enhance the credibility of lifecycle assessments through a professional critical review.

• Product Water Footprint (ISO14046)– The water footprint of a product is a quantifiable assessment of the potential direct and indirect impacts on water, as a result of all processing stages of its production. A product water footprint tells us how much pressure that product has put on water resources.

• Product Carbon Footprints (GHG Protocol) –  A product carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product’s entire lifecycle. TÜV SÜD supports manufacturers to enhance the credibility of a carbon footprint through a certification.

• Renewable resources verification (TÜV SÜD Standard CMS 71)– This service deals with certification of the use of renewable resources in support of a claim that informs buyers how their purchasing behaviour impacts the transition from fossil to renewable resources in the value chain.

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) – We can undertake a full EIA to allow our clients to understand the environmental effects of a product, plant or proposed project, taking into account socioeconomic and health impacts so that mitigation plans can be put in place.

• Developing products in a Circular Economy (training / awareness programmes) – Our training and awareness programmes aid manufacturers in developing processes that reflect Circular Economy principles and values.

• REACH Regulatory Testing (EC 1907/2006) – Registration Evaluation Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) restrictions serve to limit or ban substances that pose excessive risks to human health or the environment. Our testing services help manufacturers to fulfil their chemical safety testing obligations under REACH.

• RoHS testing (Directive 2011/65/EU) – We assess manufacturers for compliance with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, which restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in the manufacturing of various types of electrical and electronic equipment.

• WEEE (Directive 2012/19/EU) – This Directive covers waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). We support manufacturers to comply with this Directive concerning the recycling of electrical and electronic products.

• Energy Efficiency (ErP Directive 2009/125/EC)– TÜV SÜD supports manufacturers in achieving energy efficiency, reducing the amount of energy required to provide products and services.

• Packaging and packaging waste (Directive 94/62/EC) – We support manufacturers with this Directive, which deals with the problems of packaging waste and the currently permitted heavy metal content in packaging.

• Corporate Social Responsibilities Audit – TÜV SÜD conducts audits on companies for compliance with the SA8000, Business Social Compliance Initiative, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production, SEDEX and Code of Conduct audits.