An introduction to the New Zealand Water Efficiency Labelling … › sites › default › files...

An introduction to the New Zealand

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme

The more stars the better

Contents

Information for consumers 2

Information for retailers 8

Other government ecolabels in New Zealand 10

This booklet provides information on

New Zealand’s new Water Efficiency

Labelling Scheme (WELS) for:

* consumers wanting to buy a new

water-using product

* 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

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.

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

average flush (the average of four half

flushes and one full flush).

www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

For more information refer to:

The more stars the more water efficient

litres per minute

Intended for use in low/unequal pressure systems

[brand]

[model]

[X]

WATERRATING

Water Consumption

When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400

An example of a 3-star label for shower

or tap equipment.

4



Water pressure systems

The water efficiency rating of showers and

taps depends on if they were designed for

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.

Meeting the Standard

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.



NOT WATEREFFICIENT

WATERWARNING

ZER

O STAR RATED


5

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

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. www.waterefficiency.govt.nz

For more information refer to:



litres per washusing [stated wash] programme

[X]

WATERRATING

Water Consumption

To be printed as specified in AS/NZS 2040.2

6



An example of a combined energy/water

efficiency label for a clothes washing machine.

The WELS applies only to new products

and not second-hand products.

Products will be labelled when supplied

or offered for supply (either physically

displayed or available to buy online).

This will mainly be in the form of the

standard WELS label (see page 4) but

in some instances you may see a text

alternative to the label for unpackaged

products. More information on labelling

requirements for retailers can be found

on the next page.

Products imported or manufactured before

1 April 2011 are not required to be labelled

until 1 April 2013. All products imported

or manufactured on or after 1 April 2011

will require labels.

Be aware, however, that labels will start to

appear on various products in New Zealand

earlier than this.

How, where and when are the labels displayed?

7

Compliance and enforcement

Manufacturers, importers and retailers

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.

The Commerce Commission is responsible

for enforcement of Consumer Information

Standard regulations under the Fair Trading

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.

Anyone, including consumers and

competitors, is able to inform the

Commerce Commission if they

suspect breaches.

Additional information for the retailer

Who must display the labels?

The WELS applies to the supply or offers

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

manufacturers are responsible for ensuring

any products they import or manufacture are

tested and meet the labelling requirements.

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

clearly display a legible and applicable

WELS label and in such a way that it is

clear which product the label applies to.

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,

and from 1 April 2013 all existing stock

must also be labelled.

8



1 As defined by the Fair Trading Act 1986,

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

hire or hire purchase.

Equipment Unpackaged Packaged Websites

Clothes washing machines

Dishwashers

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)

* 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”.

The stated wash programme and rated load capacity/rated capacity for clothes washing machines and dishwashers must also be displayed online.

Lavatories

Showers

Taps

Urinals

The WELS label for these products must either:

*be on the product itself, or

*be on both sides of a swing tag affixed to the product, or

*be placed adjacent to the 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”.

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:

9

The WELS label supplements other

government labels that help consumers

choose products that will genuinely

benefit the environment and can often

result in lower running costs. For more

information on ecolabels refer to

www.sustainability.govt.nz/shopping/

ecolabels

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

efficient it is.

www.energyrating.govt.

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

labels

Energy Star is the global

mark of energy efficiency.

It is typically awarded to

the top 25 per cent most

energy efficient appliances,

home electronic products

and office equipment in each category.

Vehicle fuel

economy labels

help consumers

know how much fuel

a vehicle uses and

how much it costs to run. In New Zealand,

the label must be displayed on new and

late model used vehicles available for sale

by registered motor vehicle traders and on

internet listings.

www.energyrating.govt.nz/standards-

and-ratings/vehicle-fuel-economy-labels

Life cycle ecolabels are based on the

most significant measurable life cycle

impacts of a product group. In addition to

energy or water efficiency, these typically

include reduction of toxic materials,

post-consumer waste reduction, and

sustainable resource harvesting and

manufacture.

These are also called Type 1 or ISO 14024

ecolabels. Examples can be found at

www.globalecolabelling.net

10



Other government ecolabels in New Zealand

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

manufacturers to reduce the environmental

impacts of their products and provides

a credible and independent guide for

consumers who want to purchase products

that are better for the environment.

www.enviro-choice.org.nz

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

Ecolabels and Sustainability Claimswww.med.govt.nz/ecolabels

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 efficiencyFor more ideas on easy steps to

take to further reduce your household

water consumption please refer to

www.sustainability.govt.nz/water and


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

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The more stars the better


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