Certifications for Extractors & Extraction Facilities: A Comprehensive List

Adhering to industry certifications is one of our 10 signifiers of professionalism in botanical extraction. This action puts you into the top tier of professional extractors, as it leaves little doubt that you not only take this industry seriously, but you also care deeply about worker safety, consumer concerns, and the quality of the products you are putting out into the world. 

Here are the most common extraction equipment and extraction lab certifications you should strive to achieve for your facility. 

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 stands for International Standard for Organization and it provides requirements for an organization’s quality management system (QMS). There are many different levels of ISO certification, but ISO 9001 is among the best-known standards. When an extraction facility has an ISO 9001 certification, it means the organization and its products and services meet quality standards. 

Intertek Certified

Intertek is a company that provides certifications for manufacturers to ensure the quality and safety of products, processes, and systems. For plant oil extraction equipment, an Intertek certification establishes that any and all machinery is in strict accordance with the National Electrical Code in the U.S. and the Canadian Electrical Code in Canada, along with multiple other requirements. This includes fluid storage and transfer. 

UL Certified to ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 1389

ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 1389, by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), is the recently published standard for safety in plant oil extraction equipment. It covers equipment for installation and use in both hazardous locations and non-hazardous (ordinary) locations. UL is one of the world’s oldest safety certification companies, recently making a foray into plant oil equipment such as extractors, extraction booths, post-processing equipment, and more. 

UL Listed Components

UL Listed refers to stand-alone products with a specific function, tested against UL’s published and nationally-recognized standards for safety for a specific category of equipment. A UL Listed Components certification validates that product and equipment components meet durability expectations and compliance requirements.

CE Marked

Mainly required by countries across Europe, a CE marking demonstrates that a product has met EU health, safety, and environmental requirements that all guarantee consumer safety. These are the countries that require a CE marking:

Greece

Norway

Germany

United Kingdom

Netherlands

France

Turkey

Malta

Finland

Switzerland

Luxembourg

Estonia

Sweden

Lithuania

Denmark

Spain

Liechtenstein

Czech Republic

Slovenia

Latvia

Cyprus

Slovakia

Italy

Croatia

Romania

Ireland

Bulgaria

Portugal

Iceland

Belgium

Poland

Hungary

Austria

PSI (Pressure Safety Inspectors)

Pressure Safety Inspectors (PSI) provides field verification, engineering peer reviews, and consulting services to the extraction industry. Peer reviews by a certified professional engineer—such as those at PSI—are a requirement of all primary extraction equipment. 

ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)

A certification from ASME, which was developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, regulates the design, manufacture, installation, and inspection of pressure vessels. It is the universally accepted set of safety standards for such equipment. The ASME safety standards include:

• ASME B31.3

• • • The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B31.1 code specifies the design requirements of high-pressure pipes. Code ASME B31.1 ensures your components can withstand the natural processes of THC extraction. 

• ASME BPVC Sect. V111, Div. 1

• • Used to calculate the thickness measurement of pressure vessels operating at pressures that exceed 15 psi (internal or external), ASME BPVC Sect. V111, Div. 1 also addresses connections and bends in pipes, as well as reinforcement. 

C1D1 (Class 1 Division 1) & C1D2 (Class 1 Division 2)

C1D1 and C1D2 are the labels given to any laboratory setting that’s considered a hazardous area due to the risk of fire or injury. This hazard exists because of the use of flammable gas, liquids, or vapors. C1D1/C1D2 compliance refers to the safety standards for these areas as designated by the National Fire Protection Association’s Publication 70 and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

cGMP & GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)

Enforced by the Food and Drug Administration, Good Manufacturing Practices is the main regulatory standard for ensuring pharmaceutical quality. These standards also apply to botanical extraction products and assure the proper design, monitoring, and control of manufacturing processes and facilities. The “c” in cGMP simply stands for “current,” and is an important notation in your certification, as standards are in a constant state of flux and you are required to stay current on all requirements. 

CRN (Canadian Registered Number)

A Canadian Registration Number (CRN) is a number issued by each province or territory of Canada to the design of a pressure vessel or fitting. The CRN identifies the design has been accepted and registered for use in that province or territory.

CSA (Canadian Standards Association)

CSA Group (formerly the Canadian Standards Association; CSA) is a standards organization that publishes standards and provides training and advisory services. When a product has a CSA registered mark, it shows that there has been rigorous testing and certification in order for the product to meet standards for safety and/or performance. A CSA mark is recognized and accredited in the U.S. by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory)

An OSHA program, the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) enables private sector organizations to perform certification for certain products to ensure that they meet the requirements of both the construction and general industry OSHA electrical standards. Each NRTL has a scope of test standards that they are recognized for, and each NRTL uses its own unique registered certification markings to designate a product as safe. For example CSA Group is recognized as an NRTL by OSHA.

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing)

Generally considered the standard when it comes to construction certifications, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) inspects, tests, and certifies all systems of a building’s infrastructure. MEP certification begins at the initial construction process and continues through regular inspections, all to ensure the building operates safely and efficiently. 

State Government Certification

State laws on botanical extraction are notoriously murky. For state standards, you must follow the requirements that your local government has deemed mandatory. Some states regulate botanical extraction products through their health department, while others pass it off to their local department of agriculture. In Colorado, for example, the state certification of botanical extraction testing facilities falls onto the Department of Public Health & Environment.