Latest news from Kiwa

Following a successful audit by Kiwa, Sloop- en Handelsbedrijf Doldersum B.V., specialized in demolition, metal trading and recycling, has achieved certification for ISO 14001, the CO2 Performance Ladder and WEEELABEX. This marks an important step for the family owned company in Westerhaar-Vriezenveensewijk, Netherlands, as it continues to develop its business and expand its activities.

Every day, our customers and the organizations in their supply chains make decisions based on a Kiwa certificate, test report, inspection finding or consultant’s analysis. They decide whether a product is of the right quality and can go to market, whether a building or structure can be safely occupied or used and whether important data is secure across their value chain.

A joint in a plastic piping system made of, for example, polyethylene (PE) must function reliably for many years, often under high pressure and in critical applications such as drinking water and gas networks. Therefore, it is essential to accurately assess the quality of these joints.

Sometimes liquids occur unintentionally in the gas distribution network. These include, for example, condensed gases from the gas network, often referred to as ‘natural gas condensate’. Liquids in the gas network can be harmful to both human health and the environment. Therefore, correct procedures for removing these liquids are essential. The procedures depend on the type of liquid, which cannot always be determined by visual inspection. Fortunately, there is a solution: infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This measurement method makes it possible to identify the type of liquid.

In recent years, NIS2 has mainly been about awareness, impact analyses and preparations. The phase has now begun in which organizations must not only make plans, but above all demonstrate that they’re actually implementing them. The question is no longer: ‘Do we need to do something with NIS2?’ but: ‘Can we demonstrate that we are managing our cyber risks?’.

At the request of Dutch drinking water company Vitens, Kiwa conducted an energy and decarbonization scan for Spannenburg, the largest drinking water production site in the Netherlands. The scan provides insight into Spannenburg’s energy consumption and explores possible measures to make the site more sustainable. The results provide building blocks for further steps towards reducing CO2 emissions.

EEW Energy fromWaste Delfzijl B.V. recovers energy and raw materials from waste streams and was recently certified by Kiwa at Level 1 of the CO2 Performance Ladder version 4.0. This means that EEW has demonstrated that its CO2 management system meets the strengthened requirements of the updated Handbook 4.0 of the CO2 Performance Ladder.

The NIS2 Directive introduces new requirements for organizations that must be able to demonstrate that their cybersecurity is under control. This goes beyond securing your own organization. Under NIS2, supply chain responsibility also plays a key role. Organizations must understand the cyber risks associated with suppliers, IT service providers, cloud providers and other supply chain partners, and take appropriate measures to manage those risks.

Artificial intelligence is developing at a rapid pace. More and more organizations are using AI to automate processes, perform analyses or support decision-making. At the same time, the need to control the risks associated with AI is increasing. How do you ensure that AI is applied reliably, transparently and responsibly? And how do you demonstrate that your organization uses AI in a controlled manner?

As the only independent certifier in the world, Kiwa offers companies in the plastic recycling sector the opportunity to certify their business processes and products according to both the European RecyClass and the US APR schemes. This enables organizations operating in multiple markets to use one international certification partner to demonstrate the quality and traceability of recycled plastics.

Metal recycling companies operate in an environment where legislation and regulation are increasingly decisive in how material streams are processed and traded. Kiwa experts see that especially the WSR, End of Waste and WEEELABEX play a major role here. What does this mean for your organization?

The energy transition is leading to a growing need for excavation work in the Netherlands. The installation, replacement and reinforcement of cables and pipelines increasingly requires work to be carried out underground. Careful excavation is essential, as damage to data cables can disrupt internet, television and telephone services, causing inconvenience for users and costs for companies and society.

The European defense sector is evolving, increasing the importance of robust quality, compliance, and supply chain transparency for organizations involved in defense and NATO-related projects. Many organisations looking to enter this market will sooner or later encounter AQAP, NATO’s quality standard. A frequently asked question is therefore: if we are already ISO 9001 certified, how big is the step towards AQAP?

Regulations related to recycling are changing. This affects not only organizations that collect or recycle waste, but also companies involved in producing, transporting and processing plastics. As an organization, you will face stricter regulations, increased oversight and new requirements for handling waste and raw materials. What does this mean, and who does it apply to? What does it mean for your organization?

For companies supplying equipment or components to military programs, proving reliability is just as important as designing the technology itself. Products must operate safely and consistently under extreme environmental and operational conditions. Nadiya Trushnikova, laboratory manager at Kiwa Primara GmbH in Kaufbeuren, Germany, explains how Kiwa helps defense suppliers navigate complex qualification standards and deliver the independent test evidence required to enter and succeed in the defense supply chain.

In this article, you will read how ISO 50001 can help organizations gain control over energy use, both at organizational level and in international contexts. We explain what the standard entails and how organizations can use it not only to comply with laws and regulations, but also to achieve continuous improvement.