United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
\ Solid Waste
and Emergency Response
(5306W) ;
EPA530-F-96-011
April 1996
1996 Buy-Recycled Series
Transportation Products
EcoPurchasmg means
considering attributes
such as
*
recycled content
toxicity
reusability
durability
repairability
*
before you buy
a product.
uying recycled has never been easier.
Procurement officials are finding that
more and more recycled-content prod-
ucts are available—products that not only do the
job, but cost about the same as similar products
made from virgin materials. When it comes to
transportation products, this means that you can
now find items like traffic safety cones and traffic barricades made
from recovered plastic, rubber, steel, and fiberglass. And using
these products helps give new life to materials like milk jugs and
scrap tires, items that otherwise would be thrown away.
To make it even easier to buy recycled, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) recently published the Comprehensive
Procurement Guideline (CPG). The CPG identifies seven categories
of items, including transportation products. Federal, state, or local
agencies or government contractors that use appropriated federal
funds should purchase these products witb. recycled content. At the
same time, EPA also released a nonregulatory companion piece—
the Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN). The RMAN rec-
ommends levels of recycled content based on EPA's in-depth,
current market research concerning the availability and quality of
products in these categories.
In addition, there are other buy-recycled resources, including
product lists compiled by EPA covering the seven product cate-
gories, including transportation products (see the back page of this
fact sheet). So the next time you order cones and barricades to
direct traffic around detours and hazards, buy recycled. Because
when you buy these items with recycled content, you're doing more
than supplying the road crew's needs. You'll also be helping sup-
port recycling businesses and protecting the environment.
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent post consumer fiber.
-------
What Is The CPG?
The CPG
requires
federal
agencies to
give
preference to
items made
from
recovered
materials.
Secycling is growing all across
America, making it more impor-
tant than ever to find buyers for
tihese collected materials. That's why
President Clinton signed Executive
Order 12873 in October 1993, calling for
an increase in the federal government's
use of recycled-content products.
Developed in response to the Executive
Order, the CPG requires that federal
agencies give preference to items made
from recovered materials—which in
turn will support recycling markets and
allow recycling to continue to expand.
Issued in May 1995, the CPG desig-
nates 19 new products (and incorpo-
rates five previously designated items)
in seven product categories that procur-
ing agencies are required to begin pur-
chasing with recycled content. (A
procuring agency is any federal, state,
or local agency, or government contrac-
tor that uses appropriated federal funds
to purchase products.) 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 practicable. The
CPG also applies to lease contracts cov-
ering designated items.
Your agency must develop an affir-
mative procurement program (or modi-
fy its existing program) to incorporate
buy-recycled requirements for desig-
nated products by May 1, 1996. This
might involve reviewing your specifi-
cations for these products and elimi-
nating provisions that might pose a
barrier to their, procurement (such as
aesthetic requirements unrelated to
product performance). As soon as the
program is in place, your agency
should begin following the guidelines
for purchasing designated products
whenever practicable.
The CPG acknowledges, however,
that specific circumstances could arise
that would preclude the purchase of
products made with recovered materials.
Under the CPQ, you may purchase desig-
nated items that do not contain recov-
ered materials if you determine that
1} the price of a given item made with
recovered, materials is unreasonable;
2) there is inadequate competition (not
enough sources of supply) for the item;
3) unusual and unreasonable delays
would result from obtaining the item; or
4) the item does not meet your agency's
reasonable performance specifications.
The states of Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Vermont,
and Wisconsin are combining their resources to buy recycled-content traffic control
devices. These eight states use both barricades and cones in large highway projects. In
addition, many cities, counties, and universities across the United States purchase these
recycled-content traffic control devices. For more information contact Ron Wachenheim,
Office of General Services, State of New York, at 518 474-1557.
-------
&fil^
.U4_|^i^^
I o help agencies comply with
the buy-recycled require-
ments, EPA also issued non-
regulatory RMAN recommendations
designed to make it as easy as possi-
ble to comply with the CPG. The
RMAN recommends recycled-content
levels to look for when purchasing
the transportation products shown in
the chart below. Following the
RMAN's recommended levels will
help ensure that your purchases meet
CPG requirements.
Rather than just one level of recy-
cled content, the RMAN recommends
ranges that reflect actual market con-
ditions. The recommendations are
based on extensive market research
to identify recycled-content products
that are commercially available,
priced competitively, and meet buy-
ers' quality standards.
Traffic cones f
Plastic (PVC and LDPE) 50 - 100% !
Crumb rubber ...........................50- 100% f
~E
"i * -
Traffic barricades (type I and II only)
Plastic (HDPE, LDPE, PET) 100% 1 (so- 100%
Steel.'.'.. i™ 100%.J postconsumer)
Fiberglass 100%
1 Transportation products containing recovered materials must conform to the "Manual on Uniform
Highway Traffic Control Devices," used by the Federal Highway Administration, as well as otter
applicable federal requirements and specifications.
2 Content levels are based on the dry weight of the raw materials, exclusive of any additives such as
adhesives, binders, or coloring agents.
RMAN
commends
6,7—~ —-
Recycled
Diitent ranges
"fiijltTreflect
&
"actual
•^B-'t
market
conditions.
-------
How Can I Get More Information?
Information
Available from EPA
The following publications on buying recycled and the CPG
are available through the RCRA Hotline. To order, call 800
424-9346 (or 800 553-7672 for the hearing impaired). In
Washington, DC, the number is 703 412-9810 or TDD 703
412-3323. The RCRA Hotline is open from Monday through
Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST.
»> Federal Register notices establishing the CPG (60 FR
21370/EPA530-Z-95-006) and the RMAN (60 FR
21386/EPA530-Z-95-007), May 1, 1995.
•> Transportation Products Containing Recovered
Materials (EPA530-B-95-006), June 1995. Lists manu-
facturers and suppliers of traffic cones and barricades
containing recovered materials. (Each listing is based
on information provided by the manufacturer and does
not constitute an endorsement by EPA.)
* EPA Issues Comprehensive Procurement Guideline
(EPA530-F-95-010).This four-page fact sheet provides
general information about the CPG and the develop-
ment of affirmative procurement programs.
iThese documents also are available on EPA's Public
Access Server on the Internet (gopher.epa.gov). For the
text of Federal Register notices, choose: Rules,
'Regulations, and Legislation; Waste Programs; EPA
jWaste Information-GPO; and Year/Month/Date. This
tact sheet, the technical support documents, and the
[product availability lists are available under EPA Offices
and Regions; Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response; Office of Solid Waste; Nonhazardous
Waste; and Procurement.
Other Sources of
Information
Greening the Government: A Guide to Implementing
E.0.12873. This guide provides detailed information on
establishing and implementing affirmative procurement
plans. It is available without charge from the Office of
the Federal Environmental Executive, 401 M Street SW.,
(Mail Code 1600) Washington, DC 20460. Phone: 202
260-1297. Fax: 202 401-9503.
* The Official Recycled Products Guide. This directory
lists more than 5,000 manufacturers and distributors of
recycled-content products. For more information, con-
tact the Recycling Data Management Corp., P.O. Box
577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669.1 Phone: 800 267-0707.
* National Association of State Purchasing Officials
(NASPO). NASPO's Windows-based Database of
Recycled Commodities (DRC) includes information
from states on their recycled product procurements.
Data includes product distributors, manufacturers,
brand names, recycled and postconsumer content,
units purchased, unit of measurement, unit price, and
type of procurement. For more information, contact:
Linda Carroll, NASPO, 167 West Main Street, Suite
600, Lexington, KY 40507. Phone: 606 259-0959 or
606 254-7979. Fax: 606 231-0262.
* National Institute of Governmental Purchasing
(NIGP). NIGP maintains a library of product specifica-
tions and sample bid documents for both virgin- and
recycled-content products. It also offers procurement
training workshops for members. For more information,
contact: Fuad Abu-Taleb, 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive,
Reston, VA 22091. Phone: 703 715-9400 ext. 41.
Fax:703715-9897.
* National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo can
provide sample county procurement ordinances and
distributes buy-recycled information. For more informa-
tion, contact: Naomi Friedmah, Research Associate for
Recycling, 440 First Street, NW, Washington, DC
20001. Phone: 202 942-4262, Fax: 202 737-0480 or
202 393-2630.
* Buy Recycled Business Alliance. The Alliance
includes over 1,500 companies and organizations com-
mitted to increasing use of recycled-content products in
their day-to-day operations. The Alliance offers educa-
tional materials, a quarterly newsletter, and product-
specific guides. Public purchasing entities can join for
free. For more information, contact: Phil Bailey, Director
of Market Development, National Recycling Coalition,
1727 King Street, Suite 105, Alexandria, VA 22314-
2720. Phone: 703 683-9025. Fax: 703 683-9026.
*»» «»» «»»
In addition, contact your state solid waste agency for infor-
mation about local and regional businesses that produce
or distribute recycled-content products.
------- |