Solid Waste
                      and Emergency Response
                      (5306W)


'fejJfcBT^aa* S&frfr-
1996  Buy-Recycled  Series
Construction  Products
        "eeting your commitment to buy
        recycled products could have you
        swalking on soda bottles, keeping
warm with newspapers, and building with ash!
The Comprehensive Procurement Guideline
(CPG) designates items that  federal agencies and
their contractors must purchase with recovered
materials. Among these items, the CPG
designates several construction products,
ranging from carpet made from recovered plastic to insulation
made from yesterday's news. U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) research shows the items listed in the CPG to be
safe, high quality, widely available, and cost-competitive with
virgin products. So, whether you are managing building projects
for your agency or redecorating the director's office, now is the
time to purchase products made from recovered materials.

  In the CPG, EPA designates a variety of recycled-content
construction products,  including structural fiberboard, laminated
paperboard, several types of insulation, floor tiles, patio blocks,
and polyester carpet face fiber. To help you buy these products,
the CPG's companion publication, the Recovered Materials
Advisory Notice (RMAN), recommends recovered materials
content levels for them.
  Remember, even if a contractor is procuring the materials on
your behalf, you still direct  the purchase. So when writing
contracts for construction, decorating, or renovation work, direct
architects to specify, and contractors to procure, designated
building products made with recovered materials "whenever
practicable.
   ) Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber.

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   The CPG
   requires
    federal
 agencies to
      give
preference to
 items made
      from
  recovered
  materials.
         Ithough the reuse of recovered
         materials is increasing across
        •America, many usable materials
still find their way to solid waste disposal
facilities. Recycling of these materials will
increase as demand for products made
from them increases. Towards that end,
Section 6002 of the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Executive
Order 12873 direct federal agencies to
purchase recycled content products
whenever possible. EPA developed the
CPG in response to RCRA and President
Clinton's Executive Order. The 1995 CPG:
• Designates 19 new products and
  incorporates 5 previous^ designated
  items  (including cement and concrete
  containing coal fly ash and insulation).
• Applies to all procuring agencies (any
  federal, state, or local agency or
  contractor using federal funds)
  spending more than $10,000 a year
  worth of a designated item.
• Applies to a procuring agency's lease
  contracts for designated items.
  The CPG acknowledges that specific
circumstances could arise that would
preclude the purchase of products made
with recovered materials. Under the
CPG, you may purchase designated
items that do not contain recovered
materials if you determine that (l) 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.
Key Words


       efore purchasing construction
      , products containing recovered
       materials, you may need to
review certain key terms.

Postconsumer materials: These are
materials or finished products that have
served their intended use as consumer
items and have been diverted or
recovered from waste destined for
disposal.
Recovered materials: These are waste
materials and by-products of
manufacturing processes that have been
recovered or diverted from solid waste.
Materials and by-products normally
reused within an original manufacturing
process (the same process from which
they were generated) are not included.
Coal fly ash: Coal fly ash is a by-product
of coal-burning at electric utility plants. It
is called "fly" ash because it is transported
from the combustion chamber by exhaust
gases.
Ground granulated blast furnace slag
(GGBF): Blast furnace slag is a by-
product of iron blast furnaces. The slag is
ground into granules finer than portland
cement and may be used as an ingredient
in concrete.
Rock wool: This composition of fibers
manufactured from slag or natural rock is
used in building insulation.
Structural fibeirboard: This is a panel
made from  wood, cane,  or paper fibers
matted together and used for sheathing,
structural, or insulating purposes.

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Laminated paperboard: These boards
are made from one or more plies of
paper bonded together and may be
used for decorative, structural, or
insulating purposes.
The Recovered Materials
Advisory Notice
       PA published the RMAN as
       nonregulatory guidance
       accompanying the CPG. When
writing contracts for construction,
renovation, decorating, or rehabilitation
work, use the RMAN to specify the
recovered material levels of the
construction products to be purchased.
EPA recommends specific content
levels for some items and a range of
recovered material content for other
products, as shown in Table 1. For
products with recommended ranges,
consult your local suppliers and
specify the highest recovered materials
content available to you. In addition,
recognizing that cement and concrete
mixtures are specified on a job-specific
basis, EPA recommends that contractors
follow industry specifications for
mixing cement and concrete with
recovered materials. Table 2 lists
relevant cement and concrete
specifications. To learn more, follow
along on a construction products
procurement journey from the
foundation to the finishing touches.
Laying the Foundation-
Cement and Concrete
       i
        our agency is replacing the
        concrete walkways leading to
        the main entrance. Or, perhaps
you sit on a committee awarding
contracts for the construction of a new
highway or airport runway. In any case,
most large construction projects use vast
amounts of concrete. Require contractors
to mix concrete containing the highest
practicable amount of coal fly ash or
GGBF slag. These recovered materials
are readily available in many states as
ingredients of cement or concrete. They
are used frequently in cement and
concrete in highways, bridges, dams,
buildings, and subway stations. Yet, of
the 48 million tons of coal fly ash
produced in the United States in 1993,
only 22 percent, was used in cement,
concrete, and other applications. Clearly,
we need to expand markets for these
valuable recovered materials.

  CASE STUDY: Army Corps
  of Engineers
7 The engineers at the Army Corps are no
"; strangers to mixing cement and concrete
-•" using recovered materials. Corps' contracts
-Uave specified the use of coai fly ash
- concrete for more than 20 years and, more
-^recently, have required the use of GGBF slag
  in concrete mixes for buildings and roads.
  While pleased with the overall performance of
  both recovered materials, Corps engineers
™ say they particularly like the improved
— workability that coal fly ash provides over
  concrete mixed with portland cement. For
  more information, contact Greg Hughes of the
  Army Corps of Engineers at 202 761 -4140.
     The RMAN
    recommends
pyecyeled content
   r  ranges that
   reflect actual
       market
     conditions.
                                                                              per

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Table 1.  Recommended Recovered Materials Levels For Designated Construction Products

pill III IP PPIIIII 1 1 p pip 1 1 II II
Structural Fiberboard
Laminated Paperboard
Rock Wool Insulation
Fiberglass Insulation
Cellulose Insulation
(loose-fill and spray-on)
Pwrlite Composite Board Insulation
Plastic Rigid Foam, Polyisocyanurate/
polyurethane: Rigid Foam Insulation
Foam-in-Place Insulation
Glass Fiber Reinforced Insulation
Phenolic Rigid Foam Insulation
Floor Tiles (heavy duty/commercial use)
Patio Blocks

Polyester Carpet Face Fiber
fc^SiMfiWlw*^
i
Recovered materials
Postconsumer paper
Slag
Glass cullet
Postconsumer paper

Postconsumer paper
Recovered material
Recovered material
Recovered material
Recovered material
Rubber
Plastic
Rubber or rubber blends
Plastic or plastic blends
*wki^atSfflMsi&Jiilili®S
—
100
—
—
75

23
—
—
—
—
90-100
90-100
—
Polyethylene terephthalate 25-100
(PET) resin
isi&iiM^^S
•. , . - L :
80-100
100
75
20-25
75

23
9
5
6
5
90-100
90-100
90-100 _
90-100
25-100
Table 2.  Specifications for Cement and Concrete Containing Recovered Materials
    ASTM C 595, "Standard
    Specification for Blended
    Hydraulic Cements."

    ASTM C 150, "Standard
    Specification for Portland
    Cement."

    AASHTO M 240, "Blended
    Hydraulic Cements."
ASTM C 618, "Standard Specification for Fly Ash (and Raw or Calcined
Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in Portland Cement
Concrete."

ASTM C 311, "Standard Methods of Sampling and Testing Fly Ash and
Natural Pozzolans for Use as a Mineral Admixture in Portland Cement
Concrete."

ASTM C 989, "Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag for Use in Concrete
Mortars."

AASHTO M 302, "Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag for Use in Concrete
and Mortars."

American Concrete Institute Standard Practice ACI 226.R1, "Ground
Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag as a Cementitious Constituent in Concrete."

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  The amount of recovered material you use in your
concrete will depend on the specific circumstances
of your project. Some of the variables that will
determine the precise mix include the end use,
quality of slag or coal fly ash available in your area,
and the influence of weather conditions on drying
time. The level of coal fly ash in concrete typically
ranges from 15-35 percent of total cementitious
material, but may reach 70 percent in massive walls,
girders, road bases, and dams. The level of GGBF
slag usually ranges from 25 to 50 percent.
  Other Federal Success
  •  One hundred percent of the concrete purchased by the
    General Services Administration (GSA) Region 4 during
    FY95 was mixed with coal fly ash.
  •  Three other GSA regions reported 80 percent use of
    concrete with recovered materials.
  •  More than half the concrete purchased by the
    Department of Labor and the National Aeronautics and
    Space Administration in 1994 contained coal fly ash.
  •  The Navy is encouraging the use of up to 91 percent coal
    fly ash in Its high-performance concrete used for
    waterfront applications.
  When you specify the use of coal fly ash or GGBF
slag in the concrete mix, the concrete contractor will
consider all variables in designing the required mix.
In most cases, concrete mixed with recovered coal
fly ash or slag will improve the workability and
ultimate strength of the concrete. It also can cost less
than concrete mixed only with portland cement. In
addition, concrete made with coal fly ash can reduce
permeability and help resist sulfate attack. Concrete
mixtures using GGBF slag have been tested and
approved for roadway construction in 15 states and
the District of Columbia.
Putting Up Walls—Structural
Fiberboard and Laminated
Paperboard

            ith the foundation set and major
            structural components in place, your
            contractors will begin installing walls,
ceilings, and roofing. Or, perhaps, you've gutted your
office building for renovation and will build new
walls and ceilings to make more efficient use of the
space. Whatever the case, when contractors use any
construction products made from fiberboard or
laminated paperboard, require them to purchase
products made from recovered wood and paper fibers.
  Although you may think of them as insulation
products, contractors also use fiberboard and
laminated paperboard for structural applications.
You may recognize these products by some of the
other names they are called: building board,
sheathing, and sound-deadening board to name just a
few. Because federal agencies buy a great deal of
fiberboard and laminated paperboard—$5.3 million
worth in 1990—purchasing them with recovered
material content can greatly increase recycling of
wood and paper waste.


I Common Fiberboard And Laminated    ]
^Paperboard  Products
    Building board
    Insulating formboard
    Insulation board
    Sheathing
    Shingle backer
    Sound-deadening board
Roof insulating board
Insulating wallboard
Acoustical and non-
acoustical lay in panels
Floor underlayments
Roof overlay (coverboard)

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Building in Climate Control—
Insulation Products
        i
         aturally, after the walls and ceilings are
         built, you want to insulate your building to
         make it as energy efficient as possible.
Building contractors use different kinds of insulation
for different applications, based on the
circumstances of the project. Insulation made from
recovered materials  is available for many
applications, including spraying cellulose or foam
insulation into existing walls and installing cellulose
or fiberglass insulation hi a new wall or ceiling.
Types of recycled-content insulation include those
made from recovered glass, slag, paper fiber, and
plastics. One manufacturer grinds postconsumer
glass bottles into a substitute for the sand used in
glass fibers. Others use slag in rock wool or old
newspaper in cellulose Insulation. So, when
directing building or renovation projects, ask
contractors to purchase the appropriate insulation
made with the highest practicable level of recovered
materials. You will help recycling and there's plenty
of room for growth. In. 1994, only 35 percent of paper
and less than 5 percent of plastics were recovered
from the nation's waste stream.
  Federal Successes

  «  In addition to using rock wool made from slag to insulate
    underground heat and hot water distribution systems on
    bases, the Navy uses recovered slag rock wool to
    insulate shipboard hot water pipes.
  •  The Army used recycled-content fiberglass to insulate
    barracks at Ft. Rucker, Alabama.
Insulation Myths
  Whether choosing insulation for renovation or
initial construction, do not be influenced by
some popular misconceptions about insulation
made with recovered materials.
Cellulose Insulation

Myth:  Cellulose insulation made from
        postconsumer paper is a fire hazard.

Fact:   All cellulose insulation, including that
        made from postconsumer materials,
        must meet flammability standards set by
        the Consumer Products Safety
        Commission. Due to its density,
        cellulose insulation keeps oxygen (the
        fuel of fire) away from structural
        building components, making them fire
        resistant. In addition, a 1994 study
        conducted by the National Research
        Council of Canada confirmed that
        cellulose insulation is fire resistant.
Fiberglass Insulation

Myth:   Fiberglass insulation made with
        recovered glass is less effective than that
        made with virgin materials.

Fact:    Properly processed recycled-content
        fiberglass insulation offers the same "R"
        value (thermal protection) as insulation
        made entirely from virgin stock.

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Finishing Touches—Carpeting,
Floor Tiles,  and Patio Blocks

         ne of the last things to go into a new building
         is the flooring. It is also often one of the first
         things to be replaced as a building ages. In
the 1995 CPG, EPA designated several types of flooring
made from recovered materials including carpeting,
floor tiles, and patio blocks.
  When purchasing carpeting for interior offices or
other moderate use areas, require your contractors to
use recycled fiber polyester carpets. These carpets,
manufactured from recycled soda bottles, wear better
than carpets made with virgin polyester because the
standards for food grade plastics are more rigorous
than those for virgin carpet fiber plastics. As many as
40 soft drink bottles are used to make the fiber in one
square yard of polyester carpet made from 100 percent
recycled PET.
  Specify resilient floor tiles made from recycled
rubber or recovered plastic when surfacing floors in
areas where grease, tar, snow, ice, moisture, or similar
substances are likely to be present, (e.g., raised, open-
web tiles for drainage or school kitchen flooring). You
can purchase floor tiles containing up to 100 percent
postconsumer rubber—mostly from high grade truck
and airline tires. Recovered content plastic flooring is
produced in sheets that can be cut into any size tile.
   Patio blocks made from recovered rubber and
plastic are used in garden walkways and trails. Patio
blocks containing 90 to 100 percent postconsumer
rubber, plastic, or rubber or plastic blends have been
proven to work well.


  CASE STUDY: Nayal Security Group,
  Chesapeake, Virginia
7    In 1993, when President Clinton issued his Executive Order
*ft • on federal purchasing of recycled products, the Purchasing
  Department of the Naval Security Group (NSG) in
  Chesapeake, Virginia, enthusiastically accepted his challenge.
-  When they needed carpet, the NSG conducted research to
'-,  see whether recycled content carpet could meet performance
f needs.They visited a church that had installed polyester carpet
— made from recycled soda bottles three years earlier. Officials
  were so impressed by what they saw that they now buy all their
  carpets with 100 percent postconsumer plastic and have been
"--satisfied with the carpets' performance in hallways, officers'
  quarters, and office spaces. For more information, contact
J- Diane Broadway of NSG at 804 421-8000.
          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 TDD 800 553-7672
          for the hearing impaired). In Washington, DC, the      »«.
number is 703 412-9810 or TDD 703 412-3323. These are also
available on EPA's Public Access Server on the Internet
(gopher.epa.gov).
*  Federal Register notices establishing the CPG (60 FR         <»
   21370/EPA530-Z-95-006), May 1, 1995, and the RMAN (60
   FR 21386/EPA530-Z-95-007),  May 1, 1995.
   EPA Issues Comprehensive Procurement Guideline
   (EPA530-F95-010). This four page fact sheet provides
   general information about the CPG and the development of
   affirmative procurement programs.
   Environmental Fact Sheet—EPA Guideline for
   Purchasing Cement and Concrete Containing Fly Ash
   (EPA530-SW-91-086). This two page fact sheet provides
   general information about concrete mixed with coal fly ash.
   Construction Products Containing Recovered Materials
   (EPA530-B96-002). This list includes construction products
   containing recovered materials.

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            Other Sources of Information
<* American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). ASTM
   publishes the standards for mixing cement and concrete
   included in this fact sheet. Contact: ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor
   Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959.
   Phone: 610 832-9500. Fax: 610 832-9555.
•:• The American Association of State Highway and
   Transportation Officials (AASHTO). AASHTO publishes
   concrete and cement mixing specifications, which are listed in
   this fact sheet and in the RMAN. Contact: AASHTO, 444
   North Capitol St., NW., Suite 249, Washington, DC 20001.
   Phone: 202 624-5800. Fax: 202 634-5806.
•5- Greening the Government: A Guide to Implementing
   Executive Order 12873. This publication explains how
   Executive Order 12873 changes federal purchasing. It
   includes case studies and resources for purchasing a variety
   of products containing recovered materials. Available from
   the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Mail Code
   1600, 401  M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.
   Phone: 202 260-1297. Fax: 202 401-9503.
   E-mail: mcpoland.fran@epamail.epa.gov.
•> Resource Guide to Recycled Construction Products. This
   recycled construction products list is available from  the Los
   Angeles Integrated Solid Waste Management Office.
   Phone:213237-1444.
<• American Concrete Institute (ACI). ACI publishes  the
   standard for concrete containing GGBF slag  listed in this fact
   sheet, ACI also offers several other relevant publications.
   Contact: ACI, P.O.  Box 9094, Farmington Hills, Ml 48333.
4- U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA's
   Environmental Products Guide catalogs environmentally
   preferable products and services available through the
   Federal Supply Service. Copies of Carpet, Carpet Tiles, and
   Carpet Cushion, Multiple Award Schedule FSS72-I-A is also
   available. Contact GSA, Centralized Mailing List Service
   (7CAFL), 4900 Hemphill St., P.O. Box 6477, Fort Worth, TX
   76115. Phone: 817 334-5215. Fax: 817 334-5227.

*  The Harris Directory of Recycled Content Building
   Materials. This computer database for Windows lists
   construction products made with recovered materials in a
   Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) format. Contact
   B.J. Harris, 508 Jose Street, #913, Santa Fe, NM 87501-
   1855. Phone: 505 995-0337. Fax 505 820-1911

*  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). With assistance
   from the American Coal Ash Association, Inc, FHWA
   published Fly Ash Facts for Highway Engineers (FHWA-SA-
   94-081), August 1995. It also maintains a database of state
   specifications for using coal fly ash and GGBF slag. Contact:
   Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh St., S.W.,
   Washington, DC 20590. Phone: 202 366-1286.

*  Official Recycled Products Guide (RPG). Several
   construction products are included in this directory. Contact:
   Recycling Data Management Corp., P.O. Box 577,
   Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Phone: 800 267-0707.

*  The Green Pages: The Contract Interior Designer's Guide
   to Environmentally Responsible Products and Materials.
   Contact: Andrew Fusion, 74 Trinity Place, Suite 1805, New
   York, NY 10006-2003. Phone: 212 778-3365.

*  A Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements. In
   addition to tips on efficient design and job-site recycling, this
   guide lists several manufactures that make products using
   recovered  materials. Contact: Center for Resourceful Building
   Technology, P.O. Box 100,  Missoula, MT 59806.
   Phone: 406 549-7678.

*  Environmental Building News. This bimonthly newsletter on
   environmentally sustainable design and construction includes
   articles on new products and materials, technologies, and
   construction methods. Contact: RR 1 Box 161, Brattleboro, VT
   05301. Phone: 802 257-7300.
               In addition, contact your state solid waste agency for information about local and regional businesses
                              that produce or distribute recycled-content construction products.
       United States
       Environmental Protection Agency
       401 M Street, SW. (5306W)
       Washington, DC 20460

       Official Business
       Penalty for Private Use
       $300

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