2000 Buy-Recycled Series
Vehicular Products
EcoPurchasing means
considering attributes
such as
"•»*
recycled content
toxicity
reusability
durability
repairability
-*.
"•»"
before you buy
a product.
If you're a fleet manager, buying recy-
cled products can take you a long way
down the road toward protecting the
environment and saving resources. Cost-
effective, reliable, and high-quality recycled-
content vehicular products, such as
re-refined oil, retread tires, and recycled engine coolants, are being
used with success by many government agencies nationwide.
To make it easier to buy recycled, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) updates the Comprehensive Procurement
Guidelines (CPG) every 2 years. Through the CPG, EPA designates
items that must contain recycled materials when purchased by feder-
al, state, and local agencies, or by government contractors, using
appropriated federal funds. Several vehicular products are among
these items. EPA's research shows that the items designated in the
CPG are safe, of high quality, widely available, and cost-competitive
with virgin products. EPA also issues nonregulatory companion
guidance—the Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN)—that
recommends levels of recycled content for those items.
You might be unfamiliar with buying re-refined oil, retreaded
tires, or recycled engine coolant, but studies and experience show
that these products can meet or exceed your quality standards.
What's more, buying recycled can cut your expenses while
reducing solid waste and providing markets for recyclable materials
collected nationwide.
> Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber.
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The CPG
requires
federal
agencies to
buy items
made from
recovered
materials.
Recycling is more than just drop-
ping off your cans, bottles, and
newspapers at the curb or at a
local collection facility. Diverting recy-
clables from the waste stream is only
the first of three steps in the recycling
process. The second step occurs when
companies use these recyclables to
manufacture new products. The third
step comes when you purchase prod-
ucts made from recovered materials.
That's how we close the loop.
To support markets for the materials
collected in recycling programs and to
help these programs expand, the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) requires agencies to buy
recycled-content products designated by
EPA. In addition, President Clinton
signed Executive Order 13101 in
September 1998, which called for an
increase in the federal government's use
of recycled-content and other environ-
mentally preferable products.
Issued in May 1995, the first CPG des-
ignated 19 new products and incorporat-
ed five previously designated items
(including re-refined oil and retread tires)
in seven product categories. Procuring
agencies are required to purchase these
items with recycled content. The first
CPG update (CPG II) was published in
November 1997, but designated no new
vehicular products. A second CPG
update (CPG III) was published in
January 2000, but it also designated no
new vehicular products. This fact sheet
updates the information provided in the
1997 Buy-Recycled Series.
Procuring agencies include all federal
agencies, and any state or local govern-
ment agency or government contractor
that uses appropriated federal funds to
purchase the designated items. If your
agency spends more than $10,000 per
year on a product designated in the CPG,
you are required to purchase it with the
highest recycled-content level practica-
ble. The CPG also applies to lease con-
tracts covering designated items.
Once designated, an agency has 1 year
to develop an affirmative procurement
program (or revise an existing one) for a
designated item it purchases. By May 1,
1996, agencies were required to develop
affirmative procurement programs to
incorporate buy-recycled requirements
for re-refined oil, retread tires, and engine
coolants.
The CPG acknowledges, however, that
specific circumstances might arise that
preclude the purchase of products made
with recovered materials. Your agency
may purchase designated items that do
not contain recovered materials if it
determines that: 1) the price of a given
designated item made with recovered
materials is unreasonably high, 2) there is
inadequate competition (not enough
sources of supply), 3) unusual and unrea-
sonable delays would result from obtain-
ing the item, or 4) the recycled-content
item does not meet the agency's reason-
able performance specifications.
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EPA issues purchasing guid-
ance in RMANs, which are
designed to make it as easy as
possible to buy the designated items.
The RMANs recommend recycled-
content levels to look for when pur-
chasing vehicular products, as shown
in the chart below. Following the
RMANs' recommended levels will
help ensure your affirmative procure-
ment program and standards meet the
buy-recycled requirements.
Rather than specifying just one
level of recycled content, the RMANs
recommend ranges that reflect actual
market conditions. The recommenda-
tions are based on market research
identifying recycled-content products
that are commercially available, are
competitively priced, and meet buy-
ers' quality standards.
Refer to EPA's availability list enti-
tled "Vehicular Products Containing
Recovered Materials" for sources of
the designated vehicular items. See
the last section of this fact sheet for
this and other helpful resources.
The RMAN
recommends
recycled-
content ranges
at which the
designated items
are generally
available in the
marketplace.
EPA's Recommendations for Purchasing Vehicular Products
Vehicular Product
Recommendations
Re-Refined Oil
Use 25 percent or more re-refined oil base stock for
engine lubricating oils, hydraulic fluids, and gear oils.
Retread Tires
Purchase retread tires or tire retreading services for
vehicular (highway) tires to the maximum extent feasible.
Engine Coolants
Reclaim engine coolants on site or contract for offsite
reclamation services. Also, request reclaimed engine
coolant when having vehicles serviced at commercial
service centers and buy it when making direct purchases.
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People are often reluctant to try new technolo-
gies. Recycled-content products are no excep-
tion. Out-of-date and incorrect information
about the uses and benefits of recycled-content prod-
ucts lead people to believe that they do not work as
well as virgin products. Several agencies using
recovered-content products, however, have proven
that these products work well and that they are cost-
effective. Some of the common myths about recycled-
content vehicular products are dispelled below. At
the end of this fact sheet, you can find an extensive
list of additional resources for more information.
Re-Refined Oil
MYTH: Re-refined lubricating oil is inferior to new
lubricating oil.
FACT: Re-refined oil is subject to the same stringent
refining, compounding, and performance standards as
virgin oil. Extensive laboratory testing and field stud-
ies conducted by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (formerly the National Bureau of
Standards), the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of
Energy, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and EPA con-
cluded re-refined oil is equivalent to virgin oil, pass-
es all prescribed tests, and can even outperform
virgin oil. The American Petroleum Institute (API]
has licensed qualified re-refined oil products, which
display the API starburst and/or donut symbol.
MYTH: Using re-refined oil voids manufacturers'
warranties.
FACT: All three major U.S. automobile manufacturers
(i.e., Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) now recog-
nize that re-refined oil meets the performance criteria
specified in their warranties. Each has issued a
written statement explaining that the use of re-refined
oil will not void warranties. Warranty requirements
are based on performance criteria and not on the
origin of the base oil. As long as the purchased oil
meets the warranty requirements, the warranty must
be honored.
CASE STUDY: U.S. Postal Service
USPS is using re-refined oil-based lubricants in
more than 100,000 vehicles (more than half its
fleet). USPS also implemented a closed loop recy-
cling program, whereby its used oil is collected, re-
refined, and sold back to the service. After
numerous vehicle miles, chemical analyses of re-
refined and virgin oil samples taken from USPS
vehicles showed that using re-refined oil was no dif-
ferent than using virgin oil-based lubricants. For
more information, contact Richard Harris of USPS at
202 268-3576.
The Santa Ana, California, USPS district uses a
closed loop system for re-refining used oil. In its
fleet of nearly 4,500 vehicles, the district uses more
than 22,000 quarts of motor oil per year and saves
more than $1,300 each year by re-refining its used
oil. For more information, contact Jon Martin of
USPS at 714 842-2528.
CASE STUDY: U. S. Department of Defense
Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) initiated
a progressive program called "Closed-Loop." When
customers order re-refined oil, the vendor will pick
up their used oil when fulfilling the order. The col-
lected oil goes to a re-refiner for recycling, complet-
ing the recycling loop. Not only does this program
eliminate the administrative burden of managing a
separate contract for used oil disposal, it also pro-
vides environmental benefits and saves customers
money. DSCR offers both 10W30 and 15W40 grades
in accordance with a Commercial Item Description,
and 15W40, 30, and 40 weight grades, in accor-
dance with Military Specification Mil-L-2104. The
oils have been tested and are API approved. This
program makes it even easier to maximize the recy-
cling of used oil and will assist agencies in adhering
to Executive Order 13101. For more information,
contact Jim Fazzio of DSCR at 804 279-4908.
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Retread Tires
CASE STUDY: Fort McCoy
MYTH: Retreads are less safe than new tires.
FACT: Statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of
Transportation show that nearly all tires involved in
any tire-related accidents were underinflated or bald.
Properly maintained tires, both new and retreaded,
do not cause accidents. Retread tires have been safely
used on school buses, trucks, cars, fire engines, and
other emergency vehicles for years.
MYTH: Retreads have a higher failure rate than
new tires.
FACT: Rubber on the road comes from both new tires
and retread tires, primarily from truck tires that are
overloaded, underinflated, or otherwise abused. New
or retread tire failures can be greatly reduced by
following all the rules of good maintenance, includ-
ing proper mating with regard to diameter and
tread depth and design, and maintaining proper
air pressure.
Recycled Engine Coolants
MYTH: Recycled engine coolant is inferior to new
engine coolant.
FACT: Testing shows recycled coolant meets nationally
recognized performance specifications for new
coolant, such as those established by the American
Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the
Society of Automotive Engineers. The recycling pro-
cess reduces the chlorides that come from hard water
so that recycled antifreeze might actually be purer
than virgin coolant.
After noticing poor tire performance in new tires,
the fleet inspector at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, tested
20 retread tires in 1990. Pleased with the results, he
purchased 60 retread tires the following year and
about 600 retreads in 1995. The fleet inspector
found that retreads provided superior handling and
failed less often than new tires. Beginning in 1995,
retreads also have saved the facility about $20,000
per year. The operation also services approximately
700 vehicles a year with re-refined oil. For more
information, contact Jerry Cooper, U.S. General
Services Administration Fleet Inspector, at
608 378-3360.
CASE STUDY: U.S. Postal Service
In 1992, USPS operated 179,000 vehicles and
retreaded 50,000 tires. In 1994, the fleet grew to
202,000 vehicles and used 76,000 retreads. USPS
vehicles travel in all kinds of weather on both
paved and unpaved roads. This 52 percent growth
in the number of retreads over 2 years reflects
USPS's belief that retreads meet their performance
and quality needs. For more information, contact
Richard Harris of USPS at 202 268-3576.
The Southeast area of USPS implemented an onsite
coolant recycling program. Most facilities in the
region made the switch. They reclaim about 7,000
gallons (75 percent) of concentrated coolant each
year, which substantially reduces the amount of
new products purchased. Many postal vehicle main-
tenance facilities in the Southeast are using com-
mercial vacuum distillation machines for the
recycling process. For more information, contact
Bob Martin of USPS at 901 747-7635.
The USPS Huntington Beach, California, vehicle
maintenance facility uses an in-house extraction
and recovery process for its engine coolants. The
units recover virtually all of the ethylene glycol left
in the spent coolant. Recovering the coolant reduces
total waste stream volume and saves money by
reducing costs for disposal and for purchasing new
coolant. For more information, contact Jon Martin of
the USPS Huntington Beach facility at
714 842-2528.
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MYTH: Recycled coolant costs more than new coolant.
FACT: Recycled coolant might cost less than new
coolant if you select the right recycling process for
your shop. You must consider the cost of new
coolant and your current disposal costs and compare
these to the cost of onsite or offsite recycling.
MYTH: Spent coolants are hazardous waste and those
handling them must follow hazardous waste
regulations.
FACT: Spent coolants are not listed by EPA as a haz-
ardous waste. Some older test data indicated used
coolant sometimes had levels of lead requiring
it to be managed as a hazardous waste. Most new
vehicle radiators are made with aluminum cores and
plastic tanks, so there is less opportunity for lead
contamination of coolant today than in the past.
Still, some states consider coolant to be hazardous.
Contact your state environmental agency for
further information.
MYTH: Recycled coolant will void manufacturers'
warranties.
FACT: Coolant recyclers have worked with automotive
and truck engine original equipment manufacturers
[OEMs] to get their approval on coolant recycling
processes. Check with your recycler for a list of
OEM approvals.
Coolant Recycling
Processes
The RMAN recommends that procuring
agencies establish a program for engine
coolant reclamation and reuse either on site
or through a service contract. There are three gen-
eral types of coolant recycling processes: filtration,
distillation, and ion exchange. Since variations
exist among the various processes, check with the
system manufacturer for specifics regarding
coolant produced by the system.
Filtration is the most common type of coolant
recycling process. It has the lowest initial invest-
ment but has high operating costs. Coolants often
contain dissolved solids and filtration systems
often require pre- and post-filter treatment as well.
Distillation evaporates and recondenses the
coolant. This is a slow process with a high initial
investment, but it requires less operator time and
lower operating costs. Solids and other chemicals
are left behind as a residue that must be managed
according to applicable laws.
Ion exchange removes solids and other chemicals
from the coolant as it passes through a resin bed.
Periodically, this bed must be regenerated to
remove the buildup. Equipment costs are higher
than most other systems. Operating costs are com-
parable to filtration systems.
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II
Information Available From EPA
This fact sheet and the following publications on buying
recycled-content products are available or can be
accessed in electronic format on the Internet at
. Use Internet e-mail to order paper
copies of documents. Include the requestor's name and
mailing address on all orders. Address e-mail to: rcra-docket@epa.gov.
Paper copies also may be ordered by calling the RCRA Hotline.
Callers within the Washington Metropolitan Area must dial 703 412-9810
or TDD 703 412-3323 (hearing impaired). Long-distance callers may call
800 424-9346 or TDD 800 553-7672. The RCRA Hotline operates week-
days, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., e.s.t.
* EPA Expands Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG)
(EPA530-F-00-017). This fact sheet provides general information
about the CPG and the development of affirmative procurement
programs.
* Federal Register (FR) notices promulgating CPG I (60 FR
21370/EPA530-Z-95-006) and RMAN I (60 FR 21386/EPA530-Z-95-
007), May 1, 1995. FR notices promulgating CPG II (62 FR 60961/
EPA530-Z-97-009) and RMAN II (62 FR 60975/EPA530-Z-97-010),
November 13, 1997. FR notices promulgating CPG III (65 FR 3070)
and RMAN III (65 FR 3082), January 19, 2000.
<• Environmental Fact Sheet: Purchasing and Maintaining Retread
Passenger Tires (EPA530-F-95-019), September 1995. This EPA
and GSAfact sheet provides information on waste prevention,
proper tire maintenance, and tire retreading for fleet managers and
vehicle operators.
* Vehicular Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-
99-008). This list contains sources of vehicular products containing
recovered materials.
<• A Study of State and Local Government Procurement Practices
that Consider Environmental Performance of Goods and Services
(EPA742-R-96-007). This report provides important program elements
and case studies of state and county agencies purchasing environ-
mentally preferable products and services. For a copy of the report or
more information on EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
(EPP) program, contact the Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse at 401 M Street, SW. (7409), Washington, DC 20460.
Phone: 202 260-1023. Fax: 202 260-4659. Visit the EPP Web site at
.
Other Sources of Information—
General
<• Buy Recycled Business Alliance.The Alliance
includes over 3,200 companies and organizations
committed to increasing their use of recycled-content
products and materials in their day-to-day operations. The Alliance
offers educational materials, a quarterly newsletter, and product-
specific guides. Public purchasing entities can join free of charge.
For more information, contact Kevin Barry, National Recycling
Coalition, 1727 King Street, Suite 105, Alexandria, VA 22314-2720.
Phone: 703 683-9025, Ext. 210. Fax: 703 683-9026.
Web site: www.nrc-recycle.org/brba/index.htm
E-mail: brbainfo@nrc-recycle.org
DLA Environmental Products Catalogue. This document is an
important source of supply information for environmental products
from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). It includes items from all
DLA inventory control points containing recycled material or having
other environmental benefits. For more information, call 800 345-6333
or fax 800 352-3291. Military customers can call DSN 695-5699 or fax
DSN 695-5695. For information on the CD-ROM version of the
catalogue, contact the DLA Service Center at 616 961-4459 or DSN
932-4459. Web site: www.dscr.dla.mil
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA publishes vari-
ous supply catalogs, guides, and schedules for recycled-content prod-
ucts available through the Federal Supply Service. For copies of the
following documents and other information, contact GSA, Centralized
Mailing List Service (7CAFL), 4900 Hemphill Street, P.O. Box 6477,
Fort Worth, TX 76115-9939. Phone: 817 334-5215. Fax: 817 334-
5561. You can also access GSA Advantage!, GSA's Internet-based
online ordering system, to order any GSA product at
.
— Environmental Products Guide. This guide, published by GSA, is
a handy reference companion to the GSA Supply Catalog and
Federal Supply Schedules. It provides information on the acquisi-
tion of engine coolant reclamation systems.
— Tires, Pneumatic for Passenger, Light Truck, Medium Truck/Bus,
and Retread Services, Federal Supply Schedule, Group 26,
Part 1. Lists a variety of retread tires available for purchase.
Official Recycled Products Guide. This document is a comprehen-
sive directory of recycled-content products and contains more than
5,000 listings of manufacturers and distributors, including those of re-
refined oil, retread tires, and engine coolants. Contact: Recycling Data
Management Corporation, P.O. Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669.
Phone: 800 267-0707. Fax: 315 471-3258.
Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE). The OFEE
offers a number of resources, listed below, to help government agen-
cies learn about CPG-designated products. Contact: Office of the
Federal Environmental Executive, Ariel Rios Building, Mail Code
1600S, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. Phone:
202 564-1297. Fax: 202 564-1393. Web site: www.ofee.gov
— Closing the Circle News. This newsletter reports on the govern-
ment's progress toward an environmentally conscious and friendly
approach to recycling, acquisitions, and procurement. The fall
1995 issue contains an article entitled "OFEE Helps Negotiate an
End to Gridlock on Re-Refined Oil."
— Roadmap to Buying Recycled Vehicular Products. This video
was produced by OFEE and the USPS. It highlights availability,
performance, and warranty issues of re-refined oil, retread tires,
and reclaimed engine coolant. It features a message from the
Federal Environmental Executive and insight from experiences of
fleet management personnel from five federal agencies. It is avail-
able free of charge.
— Greening of the Government: A Guide to Implementing
Executive Order 12873. This guide provides detailed information
on establishing and implementing federal affirmative procurement
plans. Updated in the summer of 1997, it contains information on
oil and tires, including automobile manufacturers' warranty-related
statements on re-refined oil.
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How Can I Get More Information? (Continued)
Internet Sites
Product Information
<• Recycling Data Network Information Services:
. This commercial Web site
provides access, on a subscription basis, to a recycled-content prod-
ucts database of over 4,500 listings in 700 product classifications. It
also provides a reference library and a newsletter. Managed by the
publisher of the Official Recycled Products Guide, the product
database is considered to be the largest of its kind.
* The Fedmarket Procurement Assistance Jumpstation:
. This site con-
tains links to many sites containing procurement information.
Other Sources—Re-Refined Oil
* Re-refined and Commercial Motor Oils. This brochure, developed
by the DLA General Supply Center, provides ordering information for a
variety of re-refined oil products, including a new product line that
meets military specifications. For a copy of the brochure, contact Jim
Fazzio, Defense Supply Center Richmond, Attn: DSCR-XA, 8000
Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, VA 23297-5762.
Phone: 800 345-6333 or DSN 695-3855.
<• Copies of GSAs guidance on the use of re-refined oil in Interagency
Fleet Management Systems Vehicles can be obtained from Larry
Frisbee, Fleet Management Division, GSA, Washington, DC 20406.
Phone: 703 305-6837. Fax: 703 305-7158.
Other Sources—Retread Tires
<• Retread Tire Buyers Guide. This guide lists contact information for all
Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) member retreaders and tire
dealers in North America and includes the type of retreading available
from each listing. For additional information about tire retreading and
tire repairing, including videos such as The Use of Retreaded Tires
on Government Vehicles, contact TRIB at 900 Weldon Grove, Pacific
Grove, CA 93950. Phone: 408 372-1917; toll free in the United States.
and Canada: 888 473-8732. Fax: 408 372-9210.
E-mail: retreads@aol.com
<• International Tire and Rubber Association, Marvin Bozarth,
Executive Director, P.O. Box 37203, Louisville, KY 40233-7203.
Phone: 800 426-8835. Fax: 502 964-7859.
<• National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association, John F. Buettner,
Sr., Director, Tire Retreading Institute, 7601 West Mockingbird Court,
Fairland, IN 46126. Phone: 317 861-9170. Fax: 317 861-9214.
Other Sources—Recovered Engine Coolants
<• The Society of Automotive Engineers' paper number 921634, An
Evaluation of Engine Coolant Recycling Technologies, offers informa-
tion about recovered engine coolants. The paper is available by calling
412 776-4841.
<• For information on LISPS' testing and approval of recycled engine
coolant, call Vincent Tung, Mechanical Program Engineer, USPS,
8403 Lee Highway, Merrifield, VA 22082-8101. Phone: 703 280-7052.
Fax: 703 280-8402.
In addition, contact your state solid waste
management agency for information about local and
regional businesses that produce or distribute
recycled-content products.
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