Quality and environmental systems
The Oras quality and environmental system covers the development, production, marketing, and sales of faucets, valves, and related accessories, as well as after-sales services.
Providing Oras quality means fulfilling the needs, expectations, and statutory obligations related to our products and services in a cost-efficient and environmentally conscious way.
We develop our environmental know-how according to the principle of continuous improvement. Our goal is to achieve “more for less” over the entire lifecycle of our products and to prevent any damage to the environment from our operations. All our work has either an internal or an external customer. Each Oras employee is responsible for the quality of our work and for the environmental impact of our operations. We openly provide reliable information on quality and environmental standards.
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates
On September 11, 1996, Det Norske Veritas Certification OY/AB granted Oras Oy a quality certificate for compliance with Quality System Standard ISO 9001. This certificate was updated to meet the requirements of the new ISO 9001:2000 standard on September 20, 2002.
The good management of environmental issues is an important element of Oras quality and the Oras management system. Thus environmental certification was a natural next step in developing the quality system, and an environmental certificate for compliance with the ISO 14001 standard was awarded to Oras on May 26, 1998. This certificate, too, was issued by Det Norske Veritas Certification OY/AB. The certificate was updated to meet the requirements of the ISO 14001:2004 standard on November 7, 2005.
Substantial investments and utilization of the best technology available are necessary to minimize the environmental impact of the manufacturing processes used in several of Oras's operations. Such processes include casting, grinding, polishing, and chrome-plating.
Oras sets an example also when it comes to reconciling modern technology with green values. In addition to metal and plastics technology, Oras has introduced electricity and microprocessor-controlled electronics to faucets and faucet manufacturing. Electronics enhances safety, adds smart operating features, improves ease-of-use and hygiene, and saves water and energy.
Recycling of material
Oras products do not contain any materials classified as hazardous. As Oras is an environmentally responsible company, we hope that all products will be disposed of appropriately at the end of their life. One important principle of our environmental program is to recycle all materials. Materials that cannot be recycled should be utilized for energy production.
The main material used in faucets is brass, which can be recycled. The best way of disposing of used products at the end of their lifecycle is to bring them to the nearest metal recycling site.
The plastic we use in our products is mainly thermoplastic and therefore recyclable. An exception are plastic shower hoses, which are made of PVC plastic. They can be disposed of at a landfill site.
Nearly all our packaging material is fiber-based and recyclable. The plastic parts can be incinerated and utilized as energy.
Batteries and electronic parts should be disposed of by specialized companies.