Role of accreditation in this sector
The key focal points of this sector are protection of people and the environment and the issue of safety when it comes to supply and disposal.
In the areas of waste disposal or the analysis of hazardous substances, accredited services undertake crucial activities for the benefit of us all, ranging from the analysis of soil or pollutants to the clearance of explosive ordnance. For example, accredited laboratories play an important role in determining the hazardousness of waste and deciding whether to dispose of or recover it. Similarly, the testing of deposits in landfills requires competence demonstrated in an accreditation process. For the testing of sewage sludge, biowaste, waste oil and wood waste, accreditation constitutes the basis for notification by the competent state authorities.
Accredited bodies also make an important contribution to the analysis of water in all of its forms, from drinking water and industrial water to groundwater, waste water, surface water and bathing water in equal measure. In addition, the determination of airborne pollutants, noise and vibrations in emissions and immissions is generally carried out by accredited testing laboratories.
And not least of course, accredited bodies certify the environmental management systems of organisations, allowing them to regulate and improve their corporate environmental protection processes.
Our technical units in the Environment | Supply and Disposal sector
Energy and Emission Trading
This technical unit accredits testing bodies that verify or validate greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14065 as well as accreditations for certification bodies for management systems in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1 for energy management systems. Other areas of activity relate to the areas of renewable energy and nuclear technology. DAkkS accreditations here are in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020.
Certification of Persons and Management systems (cross-sector)
The Certification of Persons and Management Systems (Cross-Sector) technical unit manages the accreditation of certification bodies for management systems in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1 for various management system certification standards and for persons in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024.
Water | Drinking Water | Water Supply
This technical unit covers a wide range of activities relevant to accreditation and relating to the characterisation, use and protection of water. Accreditations in accordance with for example DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17043, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065, DIN EN ISO 17034 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020 are possible.
Environment | Soil | Waste | Recycling
This technical unit manages cases of accreditation for conformity assessment bodies whose responsibilities include the testing of waste for waste declaration covered by the German Waste Management Act (KrWG). Accreditations are in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17021, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17043 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17034.
Immission Control
The determination of airborne pollutants as well as noise and vibrations in emissions and immissions constitute the subject of accreditation by this technical unit. The unit also handles accreditations for analysis of pollutants, noise and vibrations at the workplace and indoors. The unit accredits on the basis of DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17043, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020.
Application examples of accredited services in this sector
- Certification for environmental management systems on the basis of DIN EN ISO 14001
- Measurements of hazardous substances at the workplace in accordance with GefStoffV, the German Ordinance on Hazardous Substances
- Measurements of indoor pollutants and measurements of pollutants in emissions and immissions
- Determination of noises and vibrations in the environment, in particular within the framework of the immission control module
- Testing of waste for waste declaration covered by the German Waste Management Act (KrWG)
- Testing of waste for disposal in accordance with the German Landfill Ordinance (DepV) and deposit (mining law)
- Physico-chemical and chemical analyses by testing laboratories in the area of soil protection and contaminated sites
- Management system certifications in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 in the area of recycling and scrap
- Laboratory tests in accordance with the standards of the “German standard methods for the examination of water, waste water and sludge”
- Analysis and inspections in accordance with the German ordinance on evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators (42nd BImSchV)
- Geophysical detection in the context of explosive ordnance disposal