Extended transitional arrangement until 21 March 2023 for the conformity attestation of the hygienic suitability of products in contact with drinking water relieves manufacturers in the light of the COVID 19 pandemic

Cologne / Frankfurt am Main, 14th July 2020 – Good news for manufacturers of products in contact with drinking water: The German Environment Agency has updated the transitional arrangement for the replacement of guidelines by evaluation criteria for plastics and other organic materials in contact with drinking water as well as the recommendation for attestation of conformity of product hygiene suitability for drinking water. 

It grants product manufacturers an extended and prolonged transitional arrangement until 21 March 2023 to ensure that, despite the severe effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, an orderly procedure is in place to confirm the hygienic suitability of products. This provides, inter allia, for verification on the basis of a type test, whereby the test reports used for this purpose must have been prepared after 21 March 2013.

Figawa and the VDMA Valves had advocated for the industry in this matter. Against the background of the necessary hygiene measures during the corona pandemic, the inspections and audits required for attestation of conformity could not be carried out by the accredited certification bodies. This situation is still ongoing.

The extended transitional regulation now ensures that the assessment and verification of compliance with the drinking water hygiene requirements, as well as the attestation of conformity can be carried out in accordance with the evaluation criteria. This is of crucial importance, because in future only products that comply with the fully applicable assessment basis may be used for the construction or maintenance of facilities for the production, treatment or distribution of drinking water.

More information via www.figawa.org and arm.vdma.org.

Contacts for more information:
Lars Neveling, figawa, Phone: +49 221 37668-58, neveling@figawa.de

Stefan Oberdörfer, VDMA Fachverband Armaturen, Phone: +49 69 6603-1238, stefan.oberdoerfer@vdma.org