International Appliance Manufacturing 2008 - (Page 68) Confidence in Clothes Whirlpool Duet HT clothes washer was one of several Whirlpool appliances that were first to meet the testing requirement for the new NSF Protocol 172. ation Sized Sanitiz cial, Familyer Comm P172 ential and otocol id NSF Prrmance of Res es Washers Perfo Cloth New sanitization protocol for clothes washers ensures quality and safety. by patrick davison Patrick Davison is senior project manager, NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich. rograms like Energy Star and the American Water Works Association’s Water Wiser initiative have become increasingly pervasive in recent years demonstrating consumers’ increasing support for the environment. These and other conservation initiatives continue to grow in scope and in their influence over consumers’ purchasing decisions. These broad trends in environmental conservation have also changed the consumer’s perception of modern manufacturing of clothes washers. New machines are expected to use far less water and energy and, typically, less abrasive detergents. Despite these changes in the engineering and use of modern washing machines, consumers still expect their washing machines to clean and sanitize clothes with the same quality and functionality as before. How can manufacturers continue the trend of efficiency and still ensure their P appliances are performing as promised? And how can energy-efficient washers provide the sanitization necessary to meet demands of customers, especially those with small children or compromised immune systems? A new protocol from NSF International can help. NSF International’s Protocol P172, “Sanitization Performance of Residential and Commercial, Family-Sized Clothes Washers,” combines three sets of well-established provisions — those of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Energy — under one protocol to ensure that energy and water efficiency are maintained without sacrificing quality, power or sanitization. Protocol P172 allows manufacturers to address consumer concerns and perceptions of energy and water conservation while ensuring consistent product quality and san- 68 International Appliance Manufacturing 2008
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.