01/07/2005 - Australia's
first 6-star Water Efficiency Labelling and
Standards (WELS) scheme opens for business
today, the Minister for the Environment and
Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, has announced.
Chairing a meeting of the Environment Protection
and Heritage Council in Perth, Senator Campbell
urged manufacturers and importers of dishwashers,
washing machines, showers, toilets, urinals
and some kinds of taps to register their products
and start labelling them under the scheme.
"Voluntary labelling is possible from
today, and manufacturers are already responding
enthusiastically to the scheme, with labelling
mandatory for most products from next July,"
Senator Campbell said.
"The WELS scheme is one of a comprehensive
raft of measures to save water under the $2
billion Australian Water Fund and follows
the launch yesterday of the Australian Government's
$200 million Community Water Grants.
"I am pleased to confirm today the states
and territory environment ministers have backed
the Australian Government's efforts and have
pledged at today's EPHC meeting to work collaboratively
to implement these and other elements of the
National Water Initiative."
The development and implementation of the
Smart Approved WaterMark scheme is already
working to complement the WELS scheme by focusing
on outdoor water using products, services
and organisations.
Other measures progressed today include a
joint effort with health ministers to develop
water quality guidelines progressed under
the National Water Quality Management Strategy;
the development of national health and environmental
guidelines for water-sensitive urban design,
targeting safe recycling of sewage and grey-water
and the capture and use of stormwater; and
guidelines for evaluating options for water-sensitive
urban developments.
The council also discussed a national strategy
to reduce the salts and other chemical fillers
that provide bulk in many washing detergents
but make recycled water difficult to reuse.
It will work with the Water Services Association
of Australia and the industry group that represents
detergent manufacturers, Accord, to develop
options for national product standards for
detergents.
