UL AQS Offers U.S. Manufacturers the Ability to Test to New European Product Emissions Standards

UL AQS teams up with UL eco-INSTITUT to provide full suite of services that help manufacturers earn DIBt approval

ATLANTA, July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- UL Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (UL AQS), a pioneer and provider of product emissions testing, announced today that it has earned approval as a third-party testing laboratory—the only one in the U.S.—for the German Institute for Structural Engineering (DIBt). Also this year, UL AQS received renewed accreditation as an approved testing laboratory for Germany's Blue Angel Program for building materials and furnishings. Blue Angel is Europe's preeminent eco-labeling program offering certification for wood furniture, flooring, paints, adhesives, office equipment and more.

"The European Union is serious about protecting human health and ensuring good indoor environmental quality and, increasingly, product emissions testing is required through programs like DIBt," said Dr. Marilyn Black, president of UL AQS. "As an independent third-party product emissions testing laboratory for many of the world's prominent environmental labels, including Germany's Blue Angel Program and AgBB, GREENGUARD, and Green Label Plus, UL AQS offers U.S. manufacturers complete expertise and testing to earn approvals from environmental programs and regulatory agencies around the world."

A provider of product emissions testing for more than 25 years, UL AQS is ISO 10725 accredited and undergoes rigorous third party proficiency testing each year to ensure competency to conduct more than 26 test methods specified in codes, regulations and green building programs worldwide. These accreditations uniquely position UL AQS to provide manufacturers with comprehensive chamber testing and emissions reports to meet IAQ and product sustainability requirements in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia and other parts of the world.

DIBt references the AgBB scheme, the Committee for Health-related Evaluation of Building Products' criteria for testing and evaluating VOC emissions from building products suitable for indoor usage. Manufacturers of flooring products, floor finishes, and adhesives that wish to sell their products in Germany are required to test their products' chemical emissions and earn DIBt approval. In addition to product testing and verification to the AgBB standard, UL AQS can also provide the required onsite auditing services and regular monitoring in partnership with ULeco-INSTITUT, a leading product emissions laboratory in Germany and the sister laboratory of UL AQS. Together, UL AQS and UL eco-INSTITUT can offer comprehensive services to help manufactures navigate the process of gaining approvals from DIBt and other international emissions programs.

Many agencies in the EU are requesting or requiring product emissions testing for manufacturers to sell in member countries. These include ANSES in France, the Indoor Climate Label in Sweden and Denmark, and M1 Emission Classification of Building Materials in Finland, and the Green Building Council in Singapore.

For more information about product emissions testing, international program requirements, or indoor air quality, visit www.aqs.com.

About UL Air Quality Sciences (UL AQS)

UL Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS) is an ISO 17025 accredited indoor air quality testing and research laboratory. With the largest environmental chamber facility in North America, UL AQS conducts innovative product development testing for product manufacturers and provides certification services for the third party programs including GREENGUARD, Green Label Plus , Green Seal, EcoLogo, CHPS, UL Environment, Blue Angel, and USGBC, in testing products for their pollutant emissions. UL AQS has tested over 70,000 products and has over 100 environmental chambers established for low level chemical emission and human exposure studies. For more information, visit www.aqs.com.

SOURCE GREENGUARD Environmental Institute