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Dishwashers

July 2022

Technical bulletin on amending the standards

On April 2, 2022, the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) issued a Notice of Intent which identifies its intention to amend Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations (the Regulations) to align household dishwashers with energy efficiency and testing standards in the United States. In particular, these amendments would align energy efficiency and testing standards with the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) energy conservation standard and test procedure rulemakings currently underway. The Notice of Intent issued for Canadian Federal requirements indicated that these considered requirements would apply in 2024.

This technical bulletin has been released to initiate the consultation process and to collect stakeholder views on the requirements being considered for household dishwashers.

Input received during this stage of the process will inform the development of the next amendments considered. In addition, NRCan will undertake a cost-benefit analysis using the best available Canadian market data to assess the economic and environmental impacts of these updated standards and to ensure Canadian consumers and businesses benefit from their implementation.

The Government of Canada intends to pre-publish a regulatory proposal in the Canada Gazette, Part I, in 2023.

Background

In Canada, household dishwashers manufactured as of February 3, 1995, are subject to the Regulations.

The efficiency standards for household dishwashers save energy and water while reducing overall costs for Canadians. The efficiency standards also reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and encourage manufacturers to adopt efficient product designs.

In 2018, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the United States Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Regarding the Canada–United States Regulatory Cooperation Council was signed to move forward on energy efficiency and foster alignment of federal regulations where feasible and appropriate. In 2021, NRCan and the U.S. DOE signed the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Department of Natural Resources of Canada and the Department of Energy of the United States of America Concerning Cooperation on Energy, which acknowledges that both countries will collaborate on new and updated energy efficiency and testing standards where feasible and appropriate.

On December 22, 2021, the U.S. DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to the test procedure for dishwashers (86FR72738). Separately, on January 24, 2022, the U.S. DOE published a notice pertaining to dishwashers, which introduced the preliminary analysis results for revised energy efficiency standards (87FR3450).

NRCan is considering amending the Regulations to align with energy efficiency and testing standards currently under development by the U.S. DOE.

Product description

A dishwasher is defined in the Regulations as an electrically operated household dishwasher.

The size category of a dishwasher is based on its capacity:

  • less than eight place settings and six serving pieces; or
  • equal to or greater than eight place settings and six serving pieces.

Testing standard

NRCan is considering incorporating the testing standards for household dishwashers currently under development by the U.S. DOE, using an ambulatory incorporation by reference. Information on recent and ongoing U.S. DOE regulatory activities for this product is available online through the U.S. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Energy efficiency standard

NRCan is considering incorporating the energy efficiency standards for household dishwashers currently under development by the U.S. DOE, using an ambulatory incorporation by reference. Information about recent and ongoing activities related the DOE rulemaking for this product category is available online through the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Important dates

These regulations would come into force six months after the date of publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

NRCan is considering applying the updated energy performance and test standards to household dishwashers manufactured on or after December 31, 2024.

Labelling requirements

NRCan is not considering any changes to the existing labelling requirements for this product. An EnerGuide label must be attached to every new household dishwasher subject to the Regulations and sold in Canada.

Verification requirements

NRCan is not considering any changes for the energy efficiency verification requirements for this product.

These products will continue to carry a third party verification mark indicating that the product meets the energy efficiency standard and that the information to be reported has been verified.

The verification mark is the mark of a Standards Council of Canada accredited certification body that operates an energy efficiency certification program for the product.

Reporting requirements

Energy efficiency report

NRCan is not considering changes to the energy efficiency report requirements at this time, though changes may be considered in the future to ensure alignment with the final test procedure and energy conservation standard rulemakings currently in development by the U.S. DOE.

The Regulations apply to products imported or shipped inter-provincially for sale or lease in Canada. This report must be submitted, by the dealer, to NRCan before the product is imported into Canada or traded inter-provincially for the first time.

Import report

There is no change to import reporting.

Comments invited

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide stakeholders with the technical detail required to comment on the requirements under consideration for household dishwashers. 

NRCan is interested in getting feedback on the manufacturing date under consideration, namely December 31, 2024, and its:

  • implications for certification bodies;
  • implications for manufacturers; and
  • benefits to Canadians.

It is important to NRCan that we engage the public and stakeholders on amendments to the Energy Efficiency Regulations. If you are aware of any dealer, manufacturer, importer, retailer, utility provider, small business, consumer group, organization, or representative of a specific group(s) of the population (including, but not limited to, women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, socio-economic status, residency, housing status, etc.), Indigenous peoples/communities, and/or other person or group that may be interested in participating in the amendment discussion and/or may be negatively impacted by this proposal, please forward them or the representative this bulletin. Please email equipment-equipement@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca to be added to the email distribution list (emails are used to notify stakeholders of upcoming amendments, technical bulletins, webinar registrations, and official publication in the Canada Gazette).

Additional information on Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations including a current list of Standards Council of Canada accredited certification bodies can be found on the Department’s website.

We welcome your comments by October 31, 2022. All correspondence should be forwarded to:

Natural Resources Canada
Office of Energy Efficiency
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E4

E-mail: equipment-equipement@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

All correspondence should contain the following subject line:
Bulletin – Dishwashers – Lave-vaisselles – July 2022 juillet

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