Examples of Performance Claims and Verification Approach

Contaminant Removal/Recovery
A claim specifies that a technology removes/recovers at least 95% of specified contaminants in specified matrices (air, liquid, solid) with specified initial (feed) concentrations. This claim could be verified by providing data on the amount of the contaminants removed/recovered by the technology to the total amount of contaminant treated by the technology. The amount of contaminant could be measured on a mass basis or a concentration basis, and could be expressed per process unit or per unit of time.

Contaminant Destruction (conversion)
A claim specifies that a technology destroys cyanide an a cyanide-bearing solution to a maximum effluent concentration of 0.01 mg/L under specified operating conditions. This claim could be verified by providing data on cyanide concentrations in the solution and the effluent.

Mass Conversion
A claim specifies that a technology converts a specific quantity (on a mass basis) of a material from a contaminated matrix (such as soil, air, water) to another matrix. The conversion process must not yield extraneous contaminants or by-products which may be deemed contaminants.

Effluent/Emission Characteristics
A claim specifies that an air-pollution control device has an efficiency of 99% in reducing the emissions of particulate matter from a process, under specified operating conditions. This claim could be verified by providing data on the total mass of particulate matter a the inlet and outlet of the control device over a period of time, to allow a mass balance for the system to be calculated.

Examples of other Performance Claims

Product Characteristics
A claim specifies that a product created to support (quantify/characterize) environmental management or restoration (remediation) performs in a specified manner that is based on sound engineering and scientific principles.

Resource Utilization Requirements
A claim specifies that a product or technology uses a specified level of resources to accomplish the environmental performance.

Testing/Monitoring Equipment
A claim specifies that testing/monitoring equipment can provide quantifiable measurements with a specified assurance and/or precision and/or efficiency.

Instrumentation
A claim specifies that an instrument can provide measurements and/or control of environmental measurements with a specified accuracy and/or precision and/or efficiency.