3M Purification is the first to achieve WQA Sustainability Certifications under the new WQA Product Sustainability standards. The products include water filtration products for the home and water appliances. 3M Purification joined a task force of other leading industry manufacturers and suppliers to assist the Water Quality Association (WQA) in developing a new suite of sustainability standards for drinking water treatment products. Following a successful third party inspection, six 3M, Aqua-Pure and Water Factory Systems water filtration products are now the first in the industry to be certified under these important new standards.

The WQA set out to create the standards in order to give consumers, water professionals, and other stakeholders meaningful sustainability information about water filtration products, as well as to drive sustainability and innovation in the industry. For an activated carbon water filtration product to carry the WQA Sustainability Certification label, the product must first be certified to the appropriate safety/performance standard. Also, the manufacturer must meet two new WQA Sustainability standards. The first, WQA S-801, is a Sustainable Management standard that examines corporate governance factors such as: social responsibility; environmental policies, goals and communications; as well as supplier sustainability performance. The second standard, WQA S-803, is a Product Sustainability standard for Activated Carbon Water Filtration Systems. This standard encompasses cradle-to-grave attributes of a product, including raw material sourcing, manufacturing and assembly, packaging and end-of-life management.

“As the first company to receive WQA Sustainability certification, 3M has proven itself to be a leader in environmental responsibility,” says Dave Haataja, CEO of WQA. “This certification distinguishes 3M as a conscientious corporate citizen. Committing to environmental sustainability is the right thing to do, and consumers will respond positively.”

The six products that have been certified will carry a WQA Certification Symbol on their packaging and include:

• The 3M Full Flow Drinking Water System 3MDW201, an under-sink system that operates through the existing faucet;
• The 3M Advanced Drinking Water System 3MDW301, an under-sink system that operates through a dedicated faucet;
• The 3M Advanced Whole House Filtration System Model 3MPF301, a large capacity system for city water;
• The Aqua-Pure 3MFF100 Full Flow Drinking Water System, an under-sink filter with a nominal filter pore size of just 0.2 microns;
• Water Factory Systems FM DWS 1500, an under-sink carbon filter drinking water system; and
• Water Factory Systems FM 1500-B Faucet Mate, an under-sink carbon filter drinking water system with faucet.