prEN 12907

• Abstract:

  This European Standard is applicable to pyrolyzed coal material used for treatment of water intended for human consumption. It describes the characteristics of pyrolyzed coal material and specifies the requirements and the corresponding test methods for pyrolyzed coal material. It gives information on its use in water treatment.

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 09-Dec-2027
• ICS: 71.100.80 - Chemicals for purification of water
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 164 - Water supply
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 164/WG 9 - Drinking water treatment
• Current Stage: 4020 - Submission to enquiry - Enquiry
• Start Date: 08-Oct-2026
• Due Date: 27-Aug-2026
• Completion Date: 08-Oct-2026
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 12907:2026 - Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Pyrolyzed coal material

• Revises: EN 12907:2009 - Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Pyrolyzed coal material
• Effective Date: 18-Jan-2023

prEN 12907 is a draft European Standard from CEN for pyrolyzed coal material used in the treatment of water intended for human consumption. It specifies how the material is described, which physical and chemical properties it must meet, how those properties are tested, and how the product is identified, delivered, stored, and marked.

What does prEN 12907 specify?

prEN 12907 applies to pyrolyzed coal material used for treatment of water intended for human consumption. It covers the material itself and gives information on its use in water treatment, so it is aimed at people who specify, supply, test, or apply this filter material.

The document is organized into clauses on scope, normative references, terms and definitions, description, physical properties, chemical properties, specific properties, test methods, and labelling, transportation, and storage. Annex A is informative and gives background information on origin, properties, use, hydraulic behaviour, safe handling, and emergency procedures.

What are the key requirements of prEN 12907?

• Clause 4 identifies the material as carbon (C) and describes it as thermally treated coal available in different particle size ranges. In practice, this fixes the product family the standard applies to and helps avoid confusion with other carbon-based media.

• Clause 5.1 requires a brown to black, dull, granular material that is generally homogeneous and visibly free of extraneous matter. For buyers and operators, this is a basic visual quality check on received material.

• Clause 5.2 sets the way particle size distribution is described, either by effective size and uniformity coefficient or by particle size range with limits on oversize and undersize. The limits depend on the application, such as filtration layers in multimedia filters, single media filters, or support layers, so the chosen grade must match the filter design.

• Clause 5.3 sets bulk density ranges for loose and packed material. This matters for storage calculations, transport planning, and filter bed design because mass and volume handling depend on density.

• Clause 6.1 requires the commercial product to meet composition limits for carbon, ash, and volatile matter. In practice, this gives a simple check on source quality and on how the product was manufactured.

• Clause 6.2.2 limits water-extractable substances, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, cyanide, and PAH. This is the main purity control for drinking water use because it addresses what may leach into water during operation.

• Clause 7 states that pyrolyzed coal material is not activated carbon, although it does show adsorption properties and can remove chlorine, ozone, and organic matter under defined conditions. Users should therefore treat it as a filter medium with adsorption behaviour, not as a replacement for activated carbon.

• Clause 8 requires sampling for conformity assessment to be taken at the production site, and the analytical methods come from EN 12902. That means samples taken after delivery or from a filter are not valid for judging product conformity, because handling can change the material.

• Clause 9 covers delivery, marking, and storage. The product may be supplied in bags, semi-bulk containers, or bulk, and it must be kept in dry, clean conditions, with packaging protected from sunlight and UV radiation.

What terms does prEN 12907 define?

• Pyrolyzed coal material - A thermally treated coal product used as a filter medium for water intended for human consumption.
• Particle size distribution - The spread of particle sizes in the product, used to define the grade and its filtration behaviour.
• Uniformity coefficient (U) - A measure used with effective size to show how even the particle sizes are.
• Bulk density loose - The mass per unit volume of the material in a loose state, used for logistics and filter design.
• Bulk density packed - The mass per unit volume after packing, which is important for storage and bed calculations.
• Water-extractable substances - Substances that can leach from the material into water under the test conditions used by the standard.
• PAH - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, a group of compounds whose combined concentration is limited in the extraction water.

Who uses prEN 12907?

prEN 12907 is used by manufacturers and suppliers of pyrolyzed coal material, by water treatment plant designers and operators, and by laboratories that test filter media for conformity. It is also relevant to quality managers, purchasers, and technical specifiers who need to select a suitable grade for drinking water treatment. Regulatory and control bodies may also use it when checking product characteristics and documentation.

What changed in prEN 12907 from the previous edition?

prEN 12907 will supersede EN 12907:2009. The foreword states two significant technical changes: an extension of the bulk density range and updated storage conditions.

Which standards are used with prEN 12907?

• EN 12901 - Provides the definitions used in this document, so its terminology applies when interpreting the standard.
• EN 12902 - Provides the test methods used for sampling and analysis, including particle size distribution, density, carbon, ash, volatile matter, and water-extractable substances.

What does the prEN 12907 document contain?

The document contains requirement tables for product composition and for water-extractable substances. It also includes test method references for the main physical and chemical checks used in conformity assessment.

Annex A gives background information rather than requirements. It covers the origin of the raw materials, typical chemical composition, practical particle size examples, density ranges, porosity, use in open or closed single and multimedia filters, hydraulic behaviour, safe handling, first aid, spill response, and fire guidance.

The document therefore supports specification, procurement, testing, and operational use of pyrolyzed coal material in drinking water treatment.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2026
Izdelki, ki se uporabljajo za pripravo pitne vode - Pirolizirani premog
Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Pyrolyzed coal
material
Produkte zur Aufbereitung von Wasser für den menschlichen Gebrauch - Thermisch
behandelte Kohleprodukte
Produits chimiques pour le traitement de l'eau destinée à la consommation humaine -
Charbon pyrolysé
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 12907
ICS:
13.060.20 Pitna voda Drinking water
71.100.80 Kemikalije za čiščenje vode Chemicals for purification of
water
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2026
ICS Will supersede EN 12907:2009
English Version
Products used for treatment of water intended for human
consumption - Pyrolyzed coal material
Produits chimiques pour le traitement de l'eau Produkte zur Aufbereitung von Wasser für den
destinée à la consommation humaine - Charbon menschlichen Gebrauch - Thermisch behandelte
pyrolysé Kohleprodukte
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 164.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 12907:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Description . 5
4.1 Identification . 5
4.1.1 Chemical name . 5
4.1.2 Synonym or common names . 5
4.2 Commercial forms . 5
5 Physical properties . 5
5.1 Appearance . 5
5.2 Particle size distribution . 6
5.3 Density . 6
5.3.1 Bulk density loose . 6
5.3.2 Bulk density packed . 6
6 Chemical properties . 6
6.1 Composition of commercial product . 6
6.2 Purity criteria . 7
6.2.1 General. 7
6.2.2 Water-extractable substances. 7
7 Specific properties . 8
8 Test methods . 8
8.1 Sampling . 8
8.2 Analysis . 8
8.2.1 Particle size distribution . 8
8.2.2 Bulk density loose . 8
8.2.3 Bulk density packed . 8
8.2.4 Content of carbon . 8
8.2.5 Ash . 8
8.2.6 Content of volatile matter . 8
8.2.7 Content of water-extractable substances . 8
9 Labelling, transportation and storage. 9
9.1 Means of delivery . 9
9.2 Risk and safety labelling in accordance with EU Directives . 9
9.3 Transportation regulations and labelling . 9
9.4 Marking . 9
9.5 Storage . 9
Annex A (informative) General information on pyrolyzed coal material . 10
Bibliography . 14
European foreword
This document (prEN 12907:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 164 “Water
supply”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 12907:2009.
— Extension of the bulk density range (Clause 5)
— Updating the storage conditions (Clause 8)
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
Introduction
In respect of potential adverse effects on the quality of water intended for human consumption, caused
by the product covered by this document:
a) this document provides no information as to whether the product may be used without restriction
in any of the Member States of the EU or EFTA;
b) it should be noted that, while awaiting the adoption of verifiable European criteria, existing national
regulations concerning the use and/or the characteristics of this product remain in force.
NOTE Conformity with this document does not confer or imply acceptance or approval of the product in any
of the Member States of the EU or EFTA. The use of the product covered by this document is subject to regulation
or control by National Authorities.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
1 Scope
This document is applicable to pyrolyzed coal material used for treatment of water intended for human
consumption. It describes the characteristics of pyrolyzed coal material and specifies the requirements
and the corresponding test methods for pyrolyzed coal material. It gives information on its use in water
treatment.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 12901, Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Inorganic supporting
and filtering materials - Definitions
EN 12902, Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption - Inorganic supporting
and filtering materials - Methods of test
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 12901 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
4 Description
4.1 Identification
4.1.1 Chemical name
Carbon (C).
4.1.2 Synonym or common names
None.
4.2 Commercial forms
Pyrolyzed coal material, according to this document, is a thermally treated coal and is available in
different particle size ranges.
5 Physical properties
5.1 Appearance
The product is a brown to black coloured dull granular material with spherical or angular shape, porous
structure, and smooth texture.
The product shall be generally homogeneous and shall be visibly free of extraneous matter.
5.2 Particle size distribution
The particle size distribution shall be determined on samples taken at the point of manufacture.
The particle size distribution shall be described by:
) with a permitted tolerance of ± 5 %;
a) effective size: (d10
uniformity coefficient: (U) shall be less than 1,5;
minimum size: (d ) with a permitted tolerance of ± 5 %;
or
b) particle size range and by mass of oversize and undersize according to application:
the maximum permitted contents of oversize and unders
...