What Are The Certification Requirements To Sell Bottleless Water Coolers In Canada and America?

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Olivia Ong

Hi, I’m the author of this post, and I have been in this field for more than 10 years. If you want to import, wholesale bottleless water cooler or other drinking water products, feel free to ask me any questions!
certificate post pic

There are things needed before you can sell bottleless water coolers in the US and Canada. Without these things, it will be difficult to make sales.

These water coolers need to have the relevant certificates. If not, you will make little sales. Another problem can also be the inability to clear goods from customs.

 

An American importer imported a batch of bottleless water coolers. But due to the lack of certification, the goods were not cleared or listed on time. This resulted in an early-stage empty advertisement. Not being able to sell the goods he advertised on time.

This also made the importer miss the market opportunity.

 

To sell bottleless water coolers in the US and Canada, you need:

  • Energy Star Approval
  • ETL Certificate
  • NSF/ANSI Certificates
  • IAPMO R&T
  • ISO 9001
  • Bisphenol-A free products
  • WRAS

 

Industry Standards And Certification Options For Bottleless Water Coolers

To sell bottleless water coolers in Canada and America, there are necessary certifications. These certifications help to ensure quality management. Which helps to meet a range of set goals.

These goals include improving the processes and performance of the products.

For selling bottleless water coolers, certification is important. They show quality management and are important for customer satisfaction.

 

Examples of these industry standards and certifications are:

 1. Energy Star

The first on this list is the Energy Star certification. This is because it is good for both your budget and the environment.

 

Bottleless water coolers that are Energy Star approved are energy efficient. That is, they meet the strict guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy.

energy star

An energy-efficient bottleless water cooler won’t strain your budget. Because aside from being cheap, they won’t burden your utility bill.

 

 2. ETL Certificates

The next on the line is ETL certification. Bottleless water coolers that are ETL-certified grants peace of mind. Either for your business or your homes.

etl listed mark

ETL certification shows a bottle of water cooler has met their standards. If you are going to sell water coolers, you should look out for this too. They are great for your business.

 

 3. NSF/ANSI

National Sanitation Foundation or as they are now called NSF International. They provide testing as a third party.

 

Their test helps to prove the safety and quality of products. It includes bottleless water coolers, water dispensers, and bottled water coolers.

In America and Canada, every product in any commercial kitchen is NSF certified. This is because NSF certification is accepted everywhere. Their product testing is thorough.

nsf

ANSI stands for American National Standard Institutes. They accredit organizations like NSF. Which establishes the standards of products and certifies them.

ANSI evaluates and monitors NSF standards and certification processes. They also make sure NSF reaches the standard of ISO 17065.

To sell bottleless water coolers in the US or Canada, the product must meet this standard.

The NSF/ANSI certificate shows that the bottleless water cooler reaches NSF standards. Remember that NSF is accredited by ANSI.

 

 4. IAPMO R&T

IAMPO stands for International Association of plumbing and mechanical officials. The R&T stands for research and testing.

IAPMO R&T confirms the safety and quality of bottleless water coolers. They check water systems, bottleless water coolers, and other mechanical and plumbing products.

iapmo r&t

They are important when sourcing plumbed-in water coolers.

Water coolers that meet their guidelines have a water-quality platinum seal. In addition, there is a UPC shield. Together, they both show a bottleless water cooler that met their standards.

 

 5. ISO 9001

We can’t mention industry standards and not mention the ISO 9001. They are internationally accepted standards for any organization. Especially organizations that have incorporated quality management.

iso9001

The ISO 9001 ensures a bottleless water cooler manufacturer has consistent quality.

 

 6. Bisphenol-A Free

Bisphenol-A in living organisms produces toxic endocrine effects. These effects are mutagenic and carcinogenic.

Bisphenol-A increases the risk of obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes in humans. So the exposure to it is a concern because of the health effects on humans.

While importing bottleless water coolers, ensure they are bisphenol-A-free. Most plastic products contain Bisphenol-A.

 

 7. WRAS

Last but not least. It stands for Water Regulation Advisory Scheme. These schemes test the quality of water and water products. They make sure that bottleless water coolers meet their rigorous requirements.

wars

They are concerned with the management and prevention of waste.

In addition to all these certificates and industry standards. There are some to also look out for. Like the UL and the CSA.

 

Materials And Products Requirements For Each Type Of Certification

 I. ETL certifications

It’s easy to sell bottleless water coolers in Canada and America. But you’ll need ETL-certified products. The products that have been listed, classified or recognized by ETL.  Products recognized by any NRTL. Which means Nationally Recognized Test Laboratory. This is accredited by OSHA. It means Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

etl

The requirements for it include:

  • Safety
  • Energy efficiency
  • Chemical used
  • Type of refrigerant and
  • Sanitation

To get more information, check out their manual.

 

 II. Energy Star

Bottleless water coolers with an Energy Star rating are almost like standard products. Their only difference is that they use less energy. There are several requirements for a bottleless water cooler to get an Energy Star.

energy star

  • Input power of water coolers with less than or equal to 1500 watts
    • It should have a voltage of 115v(ac) and a tolerance of +/- 1%.
    • The frequency should be 60 Hz and a tolerance of +/- 1%.
  • For input power higher than 1500 watts. The voltage tolerance should be +/- 4%.
  • The ambient temperature should be 23.8 °C +/- 1.5 degrees Celsius.
  • The relative humidity should be between 10% to 80%.
  • The average temperature for cooling units should be 7.8 °C.
  • For the on-demand needs, the highest time limit should be 4 minutes.

For more information, check out the Energy Star manual.

 

 III. NSF/ANSI

When it comes to bottleless water coolers, these are two main standards. These two standards cover the requirements for health and safety.

 

These standards cover:

  • Bottleless water coolers
  • Bottled water coolers
  • Water dispensers with bottles
  • Water treatment
  • Water filter

 

   1. The NSF/ANSI 61

This includes hygiene and how effectively a user can clean the system. It is also concerned with water treatment and distribution.

nsf ansi 61

The testing method is extraction testing.

   2. The NSF/ANSI 18

This standard includes requirements for materials that come in contact with beverages. It also includes the materials for their design and construction.

nsf 18

This is based a great deal on the United States Codes of Federal Regulations. This standard includes the requirement for drinking water system components. It deals a lot with the health effects of these materials.

   3. The NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 58

These are used for water filters and reverse osmosis treatment processes.

nsf ansi 42,53

   4. The NSF/ANSI 25

This is the standard for vending machines.

nsf:ansi 58

For bottleless water coolers, NSF/ANSI 61 and NSF/ANSI DWTU 42, 53, and 58 are the standards. They cover:

  • The material safety.
  • The contaminant reduction.
  • User instruction
  • Structural integrity

 

 IV. IAPMO R&T

The materials and product requirements for this certificate include public health safety. It also involves good performance.

 V. WRAS

The material and product requirements for this certification include waste management.

 

 VI. ISO 9001.

The material and product requirement for this involves key quality management. It helps to ensure consistent quality service.

These materials and requirements are only for North America and the USA only.

 

How To Know If A Bottleless Water Cooler Manufacturer Passes The Certification?

A certified bottleless water cooler manufacturer is necessary for quality assurance. And there are several ways to check if a manufacturer passes the certification.

 

First, you have to check the manufacturer’s website. When you get there, look out for certain things. Like its certification marks or logo.

If you do, you need proof to verify its authenticity.

You can request to see the manufacturer’s certificate of registration. The certificate should be issued by relevant bodies.

You should also look for the time frame and requirements for certification. Make sure the document belongs to the manufacturer.

 

On the certificate, look for an authentication stamp. If there is, next is to check its validity.

Go to the certificate site and seek relevant reports.

How To Check The Authenticity And Validity Of Water Coolers

Before going into selling bottleless water coolers, you should know the relevant certificate. Apart from knowing them, you have to know if a product passes certification.

 

And even if the products have this certificate, are they original?

A certified bottleless water cooler has an endorsed certification mark. It is also known as the conformity mark. It is always in the part of the water cooler where it is easy to find.

Furthermore, it allows you to be able to track down the type of certification. It also helps you to understand the requirements of the product.

To check the validity of a certificate, check if the issuing company is accredited by the USA or EU.

 

Here are some relevant links for certification authenticity

CPSC

Rheinland

SGS

Intertek

TUV

ETL

CSA

UL

NSF

Energy Star

 

What Certification Documents Are Required For Local Custom Clearance?

Any goods moving from one country to another need custom clearance. Several countries have different laws regarding these clearances. These laws are implemented by the government.

 

During custom clearance, lots of documents need to be verified. They are either submitted electronically or by hand. They help the relevant authorities to calculate import duties and taxes.

The documents needed are dependent on the origin of the products. It also depends on the destination of the products.

custom clearance documents

They include:

  • Proforma invoices
  • Custom sparking list
  • Country of origin certificate
  • Customs invoice
  • Shipping bill
  • Export license
  • Indent
  • Packing list
  • Acceptance of credit
  • Buying order.
  • Letter of credit
  • QC certificates
  • GR forms.
  • Bill of lading
  • Bill of sight
  • Warehouse receipts
  • Health certificates
  • ETL certificate
  • CSA certificates
  • Energy Star certificates
  • ISO 9001
  • NS/ANSI

And any other certificates that prove quality and safety.

 

Conclusion

It is not easy to identify good suppliers from the tens of thousands of Chinese suppliers.

And about 80% of these suppliers are unqualified.

 

This article will and can help you avoid them.

I do hope that this article meets your needs and can help you.

Do not hesitate to subscribe to get updates later.

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