The more stars the better

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

This booklet provides information on

Contents

New Zealand’s new Water Efficiency

Information for consumers

2

Labelling Scheme (WELS) for:

Information for retailers

8

* consumers wanting to buy a new

Other government ecolabels in New Zealand

water-using product

10

* retailers who sell water-using products.

The New Zealand Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) is designed to provide information, through labelling at the point of sale, to consumers buying products that use water. The labelling provides clear information on a product’s water efficiency and water consumption in a standardised form, and helps you to choose products that use less water but are still functional. The WELS applies to six product classes:

* clothes washing machines * dishwashers * lavatories * showers * taps * urinals. The WELS is mandated by Consumer Information Standards (Water Efficiency) regulations 2010 made under the Fair Trading Act 1986.

2

Why is water efficiency important? It’s important not to waste water, particularly in parts of the country that experience periodic water shortages. Conserving water can reduce your water rates if you live in an area that uses water meters, and choosing a product that uses less heated water will help to reduce your energy bills. In other words, using water more efficiently has both economic and environmental benefits. There are many factors that influence your decision when buying a new product such as cost, colour, brand, style, performance, reputation, recommendations and past experience. Saving water and saving on your water bills can be a deciding factor in determining the type of product you buy. If you’re about to buy a water-using product find out first how WELS water efficiency ratings can save you money and help the environment. It’s simple – the more stars on the WELS label, the more water efficient the product is.

3

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

What do the labels look like? The WELS label displays two key pieces of information:

* a star rating indicating

relative water efficiency

* a water consumption or water flow figure.

Star rating Each product label displays a star rating out of six. The more stars the more water efficient. At the moment, showers will only have a maximum rating of three stars, while the other product types can achieve up to six stars. This is because New Zealand and Australia do not yet have a laboratory test to ensure that very low-flow shower products will deliver acceptable performance.

The more stars the more water efficient

WATER RATING [brand]

Water consumption All WELS labels have a water consumption or flow figure in:

* litres per minute (for showers and taps) * litres per wash (for clothes washing machines and dishwashers)

* litres per flush (for lavatories and urinals). Labels on lavatories display figures

for litres per half flush, full flush, and

[model]

Water Consumption

[X] litres per minute When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400

Intended for use in low/unequal pressure systems For more information refer to:

www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

average flush (the average of four half

An example of a 3-star label for shower

flushes and one full flush).

or tap equipment.

4

Water pressure systems

Meeting the Standard

use in mains pressure systems or for use in areas of low or unequal pressure. WELS labels on showers and taps indicate the water pressure system they are intended for use in. Labels on the other product types will not have this information.

O

STAR RA The more stars the more water efficient

D TE

taps depends on if they were designed for

ZER

The water efficiency rating of showers and

WATER WARNING NOT WATER EFFICIENT When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400

www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

AS/NZS 6400 is the Australia/New Zealand Standard for Water efficient products – Rating and labelling. It sets out the tests that must be performed on products to

determine the information for the WELS label. The Standard requires performance tests, so that products tested for water efficiency will also be tested for functionality. A product is still allowed to be sold in New Zealand if it fails any of the tests, but it must carry a zero star-rated WELS label. 5

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

Australian WELS labels Products with Australian WELS labels are already imported for sale in New Zealand. The New Zealand WELS regulations allow this to continue. The Australian label is similar in appearance to the New Zealand label. The star rating and water consumption information on an Australian WELS label is the same as it would be on a New Zealand label for any given model – this information

To be printed as specified in AS/NZS 2040.2

is determined through the same testing regime outlined in AS/NZS 6400. The main difference between the Australian and New Zealand schemes is that in Australia products must pay a registration fee and be listed in an online national database of products and their ratings. New Zealand consumers can use the Australian database to compare products which are sold in both Australia and New Zealand. See www.environment.gov. au/wels_public/searchPublic.do Water-using products which are sold only in New Zealand will not be on this database. The WELS labels are also similar in appearance to the energy-rating labels on appliances. Dishwashers and clothes washing machines should carry both labels because they use both energy and water.

The more stars the more water efficient

WATER RATING Water Consumption

[X] litres per wash

using [stated wash] programme When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400

For more information refer to:

www.waterefficiency.govt.nz An example of a combined energy/water efficiency label for a clothes washing machine.

6

How, where and when are the labels displayed? The WELS applies only to new products

Products imported or manufactured before

and not second-hand products.

1 April 2011 are not required to be labelled

Products will be labelled when supplied or offered for supply (either physically displayed or available to buy online).

until 1 April 2013. All products imported or manufactured on or after 1 April 2011 will require labels.

This will mainly be in the form of the

Be aware, however, that labels will start to

standard WELS label (see page 4) but

appear on various products in New Zealand

in some instances you may see a text

earlier than this.

alternative to the label for unpackaged products. More information on labelling requirements for retailers can be found on the next page.

7

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

Additional information for the retailer Who must display the labels?

Compliance and enforcement

The WELS applies to the supply or offers

Manufacturers, importers and retailers

to supply1 (either physically displayed or available to buy online) of new clothes washing machines, dishwashers, lavatories, showers, taps and urinal equipment. It does not apply to second-hand goods, or products that are for export and that will not be sold in New Zealand. New Zealand importers and

of WELS products in New Zealand will have responsibilities under the WELS regulations. The regulations state that a person must not supply or offer to supply the regulated products unless they comply with the regulations.

manufacturers are responsible for ensuring

The Commerce Commission is responsible

any products they import or manufacture are

for enforcement of Consumer Information

tested and meet the labelling requirements.

Standard regulations under the Fair Trading

Retailers also have a role to play in ensuring products they display and supply comply with the labelling requirements. Anyone supplying or offering to supply a product covered by the WELS must ensure products

Act 1986, including the WELS regulations. Offences under the Fair Trading Act may attract fines of up to $200,000 for a company and $60,000 for an individual per offence.

clearly display a legible and applicable

Anyone, including consumers and

WELS label and in such a way that it is

competitors, is able to inform the

clear which product the label applies to.

Commerce Commission if they suspect breaches.

When does the WELS take effect? The new WELS regulations allow for a transition period before the labelling of products is compulsory, so not all products will be labelled right away. All products manufactured in New Zealand or imported into New Zealand on or after 1 April 2011 must comply with the WELS regulations,

As defined by the Fair Trading Act 1986,

1

and from 1 April 2013 all existing stock

“supply” includes gift, sale, exchange, lease,

must also be labelled.

hire or hire purchase.

8

Labelling requirements Water-using equipment must, when supplied or offered for supply, have the following displayed in a way that is easy to read, clearly visible and attributable to the equipment: Equipment

Unpackaged

Packaged

Websites

Clothes washing machines

Unpackaged clothes washing machines and dishwashers must either carry their WELS label on the product itself or on both sides of a swing tag affixed to the product.

If the product is packaged, the WELS label for that product must be displayed on the packaging.

For products offered for sale online, either a reproduction of the product’s WELS label must be displayed or text information may be used which: for products with one or more stars includes the phrase “water efficiency” together with the star rating and the phrase “water consumption” together with the water consumption (along with the intended water supply pressure for showers and taps, the rated load capacity for clothes washers, and rated capacity for dishwashers)

Dishwashers

Lavatories Showers Taps Urinals

The WELS label for these products must either: be on the product itself, or

*

on both sides of a * be swing tag affixed to the product, or placed adjacent to the * be equipment on a display for the equipment, or

* be text information which: »» for products with one

or more stars includes the phrase “water efficiency” together with the star rating and the phrase “water consumption” together with the water consumption

»» for products with a star rating of zero stars includes the phrases “WATER WARNING” and “NOT WATER EFFICIENT when tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400”.

*

products with a * for star rating of zero stars includes the phrases “WATER WARNING” and “NOT WATER EFFICIENT when tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400”. The stated wash programme and rated load capacity/rated capacity for clothes washing machines and dishwashers must also be displayed online.

9

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

Other government ecolabels in New Zealand The WELS label supplements other

Vehicle fuel

government labels that help consumers

economy labels

choose products that will genuinely

help consumers

benefit the environment and can often

know how much fuel a vehicle uses and

result in lower running costs. For more information on ecolabels refer to

how much it costs to run. In New Zealand,

www.sustainability.govt.nz/shopping/

the label must be displayed on new and

ecolabels

late model used vehicles available for sale Energy rating labels provide consumers with information on how much electricity an appliance uses in a year, plus a star rating to show how energy

by registered motor vehicle traders and on internet listings. www.energyrating.govt.nz/standardsand-ratings/vehicle-fuel-economy-labels Life cycle ecolabels are based on the most significant measurable life cycle

efficient it is.

impacts of a product group. In addition to

www.energyrating.govt.

energy or water efficiency, these typically

nz/standards-and-ratings/energy-rating-

include reduction of toxic materials,

labels

post-consumer waste reduction, and Energy Star is the global mark of energy efficiency.

manufacture.

It is typically awarded to

These are also called Type 1 or ISO 14024

the top 25 per cent most

ecolabels. Examples can be found at

energy efficient appliances,

www.globalecolabelling.net

home electronic products and office equipment in each category.

10

sustainable resource harvesting and

Environmental Choice New Zealand is New Zealand’s voluntary Type 1 ecolabel. Initiated and endorsed by the New Zealand Government, Environmental Choice recognises genuine moves made by

More information on ecolabels: Eco-labels: a short guide for New Zealand producers www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/ sustainablesoc/business/trade/documents/ eco_labels.pdf

manufacturers to reduce the environmental impacts of their products and provides a credible and independent guide for

Ecolabels and Sustainability Claims

consumers who want to purchase products

www.med.govt.nz/ecolabels

that are better for the environment. www.enviro-choice.org.nz

The Fair Trading Act – Guidelines for Green Marketing www.comcom.govt.nz//Publications/ ContentFiles/Documents/The%20Fair%20 Trading%20Act%20-%20Guidelines%20 for%20Green%20Marketing0.pdf

Further information on water efficiency For more ideas on easy steps to take to further reduce your household water consumption please refer to www.sustainability.govt.nz/water and www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

Published in April 2010 by the Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao PO Box 10362 Wellington Phone 04 439 7400 Fax 04 439 7700

ISBN: 978-0-478-33268-1 (print) 978-0-478-33269-8 (electronic) Publication No: ME 1005 This publication is also available on the Ministry’s website at www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

11

The more stars the better

www.waterefficiency.govt.nz