Many buying changes happen over lengthy periods of time
By Staff -- Purchasing, 4/23/1998
For many industries, compliance with federal environmental, health, and safety regulation continues to involve changes in purchasing choices. The following three examples briefly demonstrate the slow, inexorable movement that takes place in the progression from proposed regs to adopted ones (contacts in parentheses can provide more information).* CFCs. Manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons for propellants and refrigerants has been banned since the end of 1995. Yet about 69% of some 80,000 large chillers (100-ton plus) reliant on CFCs are still in use, according to a survey taken by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). The problem of keeping these chillers serviceable, says ARI spokesman Ed Dooley, is the higher cost of non-CFC refrigerants and dwindling supplies of virgin CFCs and reclaimed CFCs used to recharge the older units. Replacing the latter with the newer non-CFC chillers has been "slower than expected," says Dooley. But case studies of the new units have shown them to be 40% more efficient, thus reducing the cost of operation. "You'll probably see more of the old ones being taken out than in the past," he adds. (For performance ratings of non-CFC chillers, write on letterhead for the Directory of Certified Applied Air Conditioning Products to ARI, 4301 N. Fairfax Dr.,Suite 425, Arlington, Va. 22203.) (major credit cards accepted) or call 703-525-1695.
* Fasteners. A second "final rule" implementing the Fastener Quality Act (FQA) is due out this month. Industry officials hope it will address enough concerns to be workable. Rule is scheduled to take effect on May 28. Ed McIlhon, president of the National Fastener Distributors Assn. and co-chair of an industry coalition that has been working with federal regulators, gives the May 28 date a 50-50 chance of being met after Commerce delayed original implementation a year ago [PUR: Dec. 11, '97; pp. 25-26]. Commerce officials working on the reg say it is complete except for a few "last-minute snags." Buyers may not see much change in the quality or marking of fasteners, says McIlhon. Reason: Manufacturers have improved proc-esses, quality testing, and labeling markedly since the FQA's passage nine years ago. Enforcement against bogus or nonstandard fasteners, however, will be made easier by the lab certification or quality-assurance certifications that will be required. McIlhon says nist hopes to have 460 facilities approved for validating fastener quality by the deadline. An official of the American Automotive Manufacturers Assn. says Commerce "definitely has come a long way in addressing the use of quality-assurance systems as an alternative to lab certification." (For info on the law, regs, lab certifications, visit nist.gov/fqa.)
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