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Green purchasing:closing the loop |
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Green purchasing:closing the loop |
Buying and using products made from recovered materials is a key component in moving toward zero waste. Without Closing the Loop by supporting markets for the materials that are collected and recycled, the task of creating a sustainable material recovery economy cannot be achieved.
As individuals and businesses, we participate in making the recycling economy work. But the purchasing power of government agencies alone can make a significant contribution to creating markets for collected materials.
Green purchasing includes the acquisition of recycled content products, environmentally preferable products and services, biobased products, energy- and water-efficient products, alternate fuel vehicles, products using renewable energy, and alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals. The White House Task Force on Waste Prevention and Recycling, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), assists Federal agencies to promote the acquisition of recycled content, environmentally preferable, and biobased products; non-ozone depleting substances; and products containing alternatives to certain priority chemicals. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and EPA assist agencies to implement the energy-related purchasing requirements, including the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuels. The General Services Administration and the Defense Logistics Agency, as central sources of supply, are key to making the Federal green purchasing program successful.
From the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) website.
Zero Waste
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Does EPA recommend the purchase of recycled content products?Yes, but EPA does not endorse any particular product. EPA has expanded the government "buy recycled" program by designating a total of 54 recycled content items. All product proposals and recommendations are published in the Federal Register and public comments are accepted. EPA evaluates six primary concerns when examining products for designation: What recycled content products are available?There are many high quality recycled products. Some examples include: Paper Products: · Copier and printer papers · Paper Towels · Note pads · Binders · Envelopes Office Equipment and Supplies: · Transparencies · Toner cartridges · Bulletin boards · Pens and pencils · Scissors · Rulers Packing and Shipping Products: · Corrugated containers · Shipping mailers · Polystyrene peanuts Building and Construction Materials: · Steel framing for construction · Plastic lumber · Roofing · Wallboard · Countertops · Flooring · Carpet · Paint Clothing: · Clothes made from recycled cotton · Clothes made from recycled plastic soda bottles Automobiles: · Re-refined motor oil · Retread tires · Used parts · Cars (the average car has 44% recycled steel content) · Mud flaps Gardening and Yard Supplies: · Mulch and compost · Hoses · Partition furniture · Fencing Enter an easy access searchable database of more than 10,000 recycled content products: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP Examples of model green purchasing programsCities and Counties in California are encouraged to adopt recycled-content procurement programs as part of their efforts to achieve the state-mandated waste reduction level of 50%. Such purchasing programs may also include provisions to encourage waste prevention and reuse, and preferences for the use of products with a wide variety of environmental benefits (environmentally preferable products). California communities with effective green purchasing programs include:
More program examples from INFORM’s “Community Waste Prevention Toolkit” - www.informinc.org Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement ProgramCommonwealth of MassachusettsEstablished in 1988, Massachusetts' Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement Program is one of the most successful such programs in the country. In 2000, the commonwealth and local entities purchased over $65 million worth of recycled products and millions more of products that minimize waste, conserve energy and water, and contain fewer toxic materials. The program targets products of all types purchased under state contracts, for state agencies, including reusable shipping crates, rechargeable batteries, retread tires, recycled antifreeze, solar landscape lights, compost bins, and remanufactured furniture and medical equipment. Under the $150,000/year program, vendors are required to certify the environmentally preferable attributes of their products and the state holds the right to cancel the contract if this information is found to be incorrect. Preference is given to vendors able to prove that their products are manufactured without toxic substances. In addition to encouraging responsible purchasing, program staff holds one vendor conference and numerous workshops for public purchasers each year. They also provide extensive outreach materials, including the Recycled and Environmentally Preferable Products Guide for State Contracts, which provides up-to-date details on existing state contracts for environmentally preferable products. For more information (including the products guide), go to the State of Massachusetts environmental website. EPA/OPPT - Environmentally Preferred Purchasingwww.epa.govThe Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) web site provides guidance, case studies, tools, and other resources to help procure environmentally preferable products and services with reduced effects on human health and the environment compared to others serving the same purpose. In contrast to: The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) web site provides guidance, case studies, tools and other resources to help in procuring environmentally preferable products and services that have lesser or reduced effects on human health and the environment when compared to others serving the same purpose. Green Purchasing Resources: |
As this tool kit and the website grow, links will be added to each of the different sections of this page. For example, "green building" will link to a page with more information about using recycled-content materials in construction, as well as reducing the amount of material wasted in the construction process.
For more information about cutting edge programs, go to the website for the Alameda Source Reduction and Recycling Board's website, at www.stopwaste.org.
