Thursday
November 13, 1997
Part IV
Environmental
Protection Agency
Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II;
Notice of Availability
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60976
Federal Register / Vol. 62. No. 219 / Thursday, November 13. 1997 / Notices
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[SWH-FRL-59CW-7]
Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II
AC^NCY: Environmental Protection
Agency.
ACTON: Notice of Availability of Final
Document
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
Agency Is providing notice of the
availability of the final Recovered
Materials Advisory Notice H (RMAN II)
and supporting materials. The final
RMAN H contains EPA's
recommendations for purchasing 12
Items designated in the final
Comprehensive Procurement Guideline
H. which is published elsewhere in
today's Federal Register. This action
will promote recycling by using
government purchasing to expand
markets for recovered materials. Under
section 6002 of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976.
EPA designates items that are or can be
made with recovered materials and
provides recommendations for the
procurement of these items. The 12
Items for which EPA is making
recommendations are shower and
restroom dividers/partitions,
consolidated and reprocessed latex
paint for specified uses, parking stops.
channellzers. delineators, flexible
delineators, plastic fencing for specified
uses, garden and soaker hoses, lawn and
garden edging, printer ribbons, plastic
envelopes, and pallets. The final RMAN
II contains recommended recovered
materials content levels for these Items
and other purchasing recommendations.
In addition, today's final RMAN n
clarifies recommendations for floor tiles
previously made in a May 1,1995
RMAN (60 FR 21392). •
EFFECTIVE DATES: The recommendations
for purchasing the 12 newly-designated
items are effective November 13,1998.
The clarifications to the
recommendations for purchasing floor
tiles are effective upon publication.
ADDRESSES: The public docket for this
notice Is Docket F-97-CP2F-FFFFF.
Documents related to today's notice are
available for viewing in the RCRA
Information Center (RIC). which is
located at U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Crystal Gateway
One, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Ground Floor, Arlington. VA 22202. The
RIC is open from 9 a.m, to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except for
Federal holidays. To review docket
materials, it is recommended that the
public make an appointment by calling
(703) 603-9230. The public may copy a
maximum of 100 pages from any
regulatory docket at no charge.
Additional copies cost $0.15/page. The
index and some supporting materials
are available electronically. See Section
V of the "Supplementary Information"
section below for information on
accessing the documents electronically.
FOR FURTHER MFORMATION CONTACT:
General procurement guidelines
information: RCRA Hotline at (800)
424-9346, TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing
impaired) or, in the Washington. DC
area at (703) 412-9810 or TDD (703)
412-3323.
Technical information on individual
item recommendations: For paper and
paper products, vehicular products,
construction products, non-paper office
products, and pallets: Dana Arnold.
(703) 308-7279; for landscaping
products, transportation products, and
park and recreation products: Terry
Grist, (703) 308-7257.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Preamble Outline
I. Authority
n. Background
m. Definitions
IV. Agency's Response to Comments
A. Ink Jet Cartridges
B. Comments on Other Items
V. Supporting Information and Accessing
Internet
I. Authority •
The Recovered Materials Advisory
Notice n (RMAN H) is published under
the authority of sections 2002 (a) and
6002 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as
amended by the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as
amended, 42 U.S.C. 6912(a) and 6962;
and Executive Order 12873 (58 FR
54911, October 22,1993).
II. Background
Section 6002 of RCRA establishes a
Federal buy-recycled program. RCRA
section 6002(e) requires EPA to (1)
designate items that are or can be
produced with recovered materials and
(2) prepare guidelines to assist .
procuring agencies in complying with
affirmative procurement requirements
set forth in paragraphs (c), (d), and (i) of
section 6002. Once EPA has designated
an item, section 6002 requires that any
procuring agency using appropriated
Federal funds to procure that item must
purchase it containing recovered
materials to the maximum extent
practicable. For the purposes of RCRA
section 6002, procuring agencies
include the following: (1) any Federal
agency; (2) any State or local agencies .
using appropriated Federal funds for a
procurement; and (3) any contractors
wltii these agencies (with respect to
work performed under the contract).
The requirements of section 6002 apply
to such procuring agencies only when
procuring a designated item where the
price of the item exceeds $10.000 or
when the quantity of the item, or
functionally equivalent items,
purchased in the previous year
exceeded $10,000.
Executive Order 12873 (58 FR 54911,
October 22, 1993) directs EPA to
designate items in a Comprehensive
"Procurement Guideline (CPG) and
publish guidance that contains EPA's
recommended recovered materials
content levels for the designated items
in Recovered Materials Advisory
Notices (RMAN). The Executive Order
further directs EPA to update the CPG
annually and the RMAN periodically to
reflect changes in market conditions.
EPA codifies the CPG designations in
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
but, because the recommendations are
guidance, the RMAN is not codified in
the CFR. This process enables EPA to
make timely revisions to its
recommendations in response to
changes in a product's availability or
recovered materials content.
EPA issued the CPG I and RMAN I on
May 1,1995 (60 FR 21370 and 21386,
respectively). CPG I designated 19 items
and consolidated five previous item
designations made in earlier EPA
procurement guidelines, and RMAN I
recommended purchasing practices for
tiiese 24 items. On November 7,1996,
EPA published CPG H (61 FR 57747).
which proposed to designate an
" additional 13 items. EPA concurrently
published a draft RMAN E (61 FR
57759). The 13 items proposed for
designation were: shower and restroom
dividers, latex paint, parking stops,
channelizers, delineators, flexible
delineators, snow fencing, garden and
soaker hoses, lawn and garden edging,
printer ribbons, InkJet cartridges,
plastic envelopes, and pallets. The draft
RMAN II also provided clarification of
EPA's 1995 recommendations for
purchasing floor tiles containing
recovered materials. In today's final
RMAN H, EPA is publishing
recommendations for 12 of the 13 items,
as well as the floor tiles clarification.
For reasons discussed in subsection A
below, EPA has decided not to designate
InkJet cartridges and, therefore, is not
publishing draft recommendations for
purchasing this item.
EPA, once again, wants to stress that
the recommendations in its RMAN are
just that—recommendations and
guidance to procuring agencies in
fulfilling their obligations under section
6002. The designation of an item as one
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices
60977
that is or can be manufactured with
recovered materials and the inclusions
of recommended content levels for an
item in an RMAN do not compel the
procurement of an item when it is not
suitable for an agency's intended
purpose. Section 6002 is explicit in this
regard when it authorizes a procuring
agency not to procure a designated Item
which "falls to meet the performance
standards set forth in the applicable
specification or foils to meet the
reasonable performance standards of the
procuring agencies." Section 6002(1) (B),
42 U.S.C. 6962(c)(B).
Thus, for example, in the final CPG H
published elsewhere In today's Federal
Register, EPA is designating shower and
restroom dividers/partitions as items
that are or can be produced with
recovered materials. The Agency's
research shows that these items are
available in either steel or plastic
containing recovered materials.
However, the mere fact that these items
are available containing recovered
materials does not require the
procurement of steel or plastic dividers/
partitions in every circumstance. The
choice of appropriate materials used in
construction remains with building
engineers and architects. The effect of
designation (and section 6002) is simply
to require .the purchase of items with
recovered materials where consistent
.with the purpose for which the item is
to be used. Procuring agencies remain
free to procure dividers/partitions made
of materials other than steel or plastic
(e.g., wood) where the design
specifications call for other materials.
in. Definitions
Today's final RMAN II recommends
' postconsumer or recovered materials
content levels at which EPA believes the
designated items are generally available.
For shower and restroom dividers/
partitions, plastic fencing, lawn and
garden edging, and plastic envelopes,
the RMAN II recommends two-part
content levels—a postconsumer
recovered materials component and a '
total recovered materials component. In
these instances, EPA found that both
types of materials were being used to
manufacture these products.
Recommending only postconsumer
content levels would be contrary to the
RCRA mandate to maximize the use of
recovered materials because it would
fail to acknowledge the contribution to
solid waste management made by
manufacturers using other recovered
materials as feedstock. The terms
"recovered materials" and
"postconsumer materials" are defined
in the CPG at 40 CFR 247.3. These
definitions are repeated in this notice as
a reference for the convenience of the
reader.
Postconsumer materials means a material
or finished product that has served its
intended end use and has been diverted or
recovered from waste destined for disposal,
having completed its life as a consumer Item.
Postconsumer material Is part of the broader
category of recovered materials.
Recovered materials means-waste materials
and byproducts which have been recovered
or diverted from solid waste, but such term
does not Include those materials and
byproducts generated from, and commonly
used within an original manufacturing
process. .
IV. Agency's Response to Public
Comments
A. Ink Jet Cartridges
EPA received comments opposing the
proposed designation of ink jet;
cartridges. These comments raised solid
waste, performance, quality,
availability, and patent and trademark
concerns. After considering the
information submitted by commenters,
EPA tentatively concluded that there
was insufficient evidence to support a
designation of ink jet cartridges at this
time. On April 14,1997, EPA published
a Notice of Data Availability in the
Federal Register (62 FR 18072) in order
to notify interested parties of the
tentative decision not to designate ink
jet cartridges, summarize the
information available to the Agency,
and request further public comment
EPA received only two responses to
the April 14 notice—one from a vendor
of InkJet refilling equipment and
additional information from one of the
original commenters. The vendor
appears to have promising technology
for resolving many of the performance
and solid waste issues raised by
commenters. The vendor did not,
however, submit sufficient information
to change EPA's earlier conclusion that
there is insufficient information to
support designating ink jet cartridges at
this time. Therefore, EPA is not
designating InkJet cartridges in the final
CPG II published elsewhere in today's
Federal Register. EPA also is deleting
the recommendations for purchasing ink
jet cartridges from today's final RMAN
n. EPA will continue to monitor
developments in InkJet cartridge and
refilling/remanufacturing technology
and will consider designating InkJet
cartridges in the future. <
B. Comments on Other Items
EPA received only a few comments on
the draft RMAN n. One commenter
recommended that EPA refer to shower
and restroom dividers as "dividers/ •
partitions." After researching common
industry terminology, EPA revised the
term in the final CPG n and is using the
term "dividers/partitions" hi today's
finalRMAND.
Commenters also recommended
revisions to the recovered materials
content recommendations for steel
shower and restroom dividers, white
and other light-colored reprocessed
latex paints, and plastic pallets. Based
on the information provided by these
commenters and additional research,
EPA revised the recommendations for
these items in today's final RMAN II.
EPA revised the steel content
recommendations, added content
recommendations for white and other
light-colored reprocessed latex paint,
and distinguished between plastic
lumber pallets and thermoset plastic
pallets in recommending content levels
for plastic pallets.
In addition, in the final CPG II
published in the final rules section of
today's Federal Register, EPA revised
the latex paint designation from the
broad category "latex paint" to a more
specific designation of "consolidated
latex paint used for covering graffiti and
reprocessed latex paint used for interior
and exterior architectural applications
such as wallboard, ceilings; and trim;
gutter boards; and concrete, stucco,
masonry, wood, and metal surfaces."
Because the more specific designation
includes the applications that EPA
previously had recommended in the
draft RMAN n, EPA has deleted those
recommendations from Section C-7 of
the final RMAN n. EPA also added a
note to the table of recommended
content levels for reprocessed and
consolidated latex paint informing
agencies that the recommendations
applied to reprocessed and consolidated
latex paints used for the designated
applications.
Similarly, in today's final CPG E, EPA
revised the snow fencing designation to
"plastic fencing containing recovered
plastic for use in controlling snow or
sand drifting and as a warning/safety
barrier in construction or other
applications." In the final RMAN II,
EPA added information about .
specifications for plastic fencing used
for warning and safety barriers.
Commenters also provided additional
Information about specifications and
available sources of the designated
products. These comments have been
incorporated into today's final RMAN n.
A summary of all of the comments
and the Agency's response are provided
in the document entitled "Final CPG n/
RMAN n Background Document." A
copy of this document has been placed
in the docket for the final RMAN E. See
ADDRESSES above for information
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices
about reviewing documents in the
public docket
V. Supporting Information and
Accessing Internet
The index of supporting materials for
today's final RMAN H is available in the
RCRA Information Center (RIC) and on
the Internet The address and telephone
number of the RIC are provided in
ADDRESSES above. The index and the
following supporting materials are
available on the Internet:
"Final CPG n/RMAN H Background
Document," U.S. EPA, Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response,
September 1997.
Copies of the following supporting
materials are available for viewing at the
RIC only:
"Ex Parte Meeting Notes, Meeting
Between U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and National Paint & Coatings
Association. June 17,1997."
"Letter to Dana F. Arnold, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, from
National Paint & Coatings Association,
July 28,1997."
Follow these instructions to access
the information electronically:
WWW: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
non-hw/index.htm#tprocure.
FTP: ftp.epa/gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet address
Files are located in /pub/epaoswer.
Bated: October 8.1997.
Carat M. Browner,
Admlnlstistor.
Recovered Materials Advisory Notice n
The following represents EPA's
recommendations to procuring agencies
for purchasing the items designated
today in the Comprehensive
Procurement Guideline II in compliance
with section 6002 of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
These recommendations are intended to
be used in conjunction with die RMAN
issued on May 1,1995 (60 FR 21386)
and the Paper Products RMAN issued
on May 29.1996 (61 FR 26985). Refer
to the May 1.1995 RMAN for
definitions, general recommendations
for affirmative procurement programs,
and recommendations for previously
designated items.
Contents
I. General Recommendations
n. Specific Recommendations for
Procurement of Designated Items
Part C—Construction Products
Section C-5—Floor Tiles and Patio Blocks
Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Section C-6—Shower and Restroom
Dividers/Partitions Containing
Recovered Plastic or Steel
Section C-7—Reprocessed and Consolidated
Latex Paints for Specified Uses
Part D—Transportation Products
Section D-2—Parking Stops Made from
Concrete or Containing Recovered Plastic
or Rubber
Section D-3—-Channelizers, Delineators, and
Flexible Delineators Containing
Recovered Plastic, Rubber, or Steel
Part E—Park and Recreation Products
Section E-2—Plastic Fencing Containing
Recovered Plastic for Specified Uses
Part F—Landscaping Products
Section F-3—Garden and Soaker Hoses
Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Section F-4—Lawn and Garden Edging
Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Part G—Non-Paper Office Products
Section G-e—Printer Ribbons
Section G-7—Plastic Envelopes
Part H—Miscellaneous Products
Section H.-1—Pallets Containing Recovered
Wood, Plastic, or Paperboard
I. General Recommendations
(See the May 1,1995 RMAN for EPA's
general recommendations for
definitions, specifications, and
affirmative procurement programs.)
II. Specific Recommendations for
Procurement of Designated Items
(See die May 1,1995 RMAN and the
May 29, 1996 Paper Products RMAN for
recommendations for purchasing
previously-designated items.)
Part C—Construction Products
Note: Refer to Section E-2—Plastic Fencing
Containing Recovered Plastic for Specified
Uses and to Part F—Landscaping Products.
for additional items that can be used in
construction applications.
Section C-5—Floor Tiles and Patio
Blocks Containing Recovered Plastic or
Rubber
Note: Table C-5 contains a clarification of
EPA's recommendations for floor tiles. Table
C-5 originally was published in the May 1,
1995 RMAN and contained EPA's
recommendations for patio blocks, as well as
recommendations for floor tiles. For the
convenience of procuring agencies and other
interested parties, EPA is republishlng all of
Section C-5, including Table C-5, with both
the floor tiles and patio blocks
recommendations. Readers should note that
no change has been made to the
recommendations for patio blocks.
Preference Program: EPA
recommends that, based on the
recovered materials content levels
shown in Table C-5, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards
for use in purchasing floor tiles and
patio blocks. The recommended use of
floor tiles containing recovered
materials is limited to the applications
cited in Table C-5.
TABLE C-5.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR FLOOR TILES AND PATIO BLOCKS
CONTAINING RECOVERED PLASTIC OR RUBBER
Patio Blocks
Roof Tiles (heavy
Product
duty/commerciai use)
Material
Rubber or rubber blends ..«
Plastic or plastic Blends . .......
Rubber
Plastic ' . . .
Post consumer
materials
(%)
90-100
90-100
Total recov-
ered materials
content
(%)
90-100
90-100
NOTES: The use of floor ties with recovered materials content may be appropriate only for specialty purpose uses (e.g., raised, open-web tiles
for drainage on school kitchen flooring). Such specialty purpose uses involve limited flooring areas where grease, tar, snow, ice, wetness or simi-
tar «jbstances or conditions are likely to be present. Thus, EPA has no recovered materials content level recommendations for floor tiles made
wHh recovered materials for standard office or more general purpose uses.
The recommended recovered materials content levels are based on dry weight of the raw materials, exclusive of any additives such as adhe-
sivos, binders, or coloring agent EPA's recommendation does not preclude agencies from purchasing floor tiles or patio blocks manufactured
from other materials. It simply recommends that procuring agencies, when purchasing floor tiles or patio blocks made from rubber or plastic, pur-
chase these items made from recovered materials when these items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notices
60979
Section C-6—Shower and Restroom Dividers/Partitions Containing Recovered Plastic or Steel
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table C-
6, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing shower and restroom dividers/partitions.
TABLE C-6.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR SHOWER AND RESTROOM DIVIDERS/
PARTITIONS CONTAINING RECOVERED PLASTIC OR STEEL
Material -
Steel
Plastic
Post consumer
materials
16
20-100
Total recovered
materials content
20-ao
20-100
NOTE EPAs recommendation does not preclude agencies from purchasing shower and restroom dividers/partitions manufactured from another
material, such as wood. It simply recommends that procuring agencies, when purchasing shower and restroom dividers/partitions made from
plastic or steel, purchase these items made from recovered materials when these items meet applicable specifications and performance require-
niGnts,
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the following specifications when procuring shower
and restroom dividers/partitions: •
(1). The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has issued guidance for specifying construction materials, including
plastic and steel dividers/partitions. The AIA guidance is known throughout the construction industry as the ''Masterspec"
and is available through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
(2) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Guide Specification CEGS-10160, Toilet Partitions.
Section C-7—Reprocessed and Consolidated Latex Paints for Specified Uses
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table C-
7, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing reprocessed and consolidated latex
paints. .
TABLE C-7.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR REPROCESSED AND CONSOLIDATED LATEX
PAINTS
Product
Posico nsumer
latex paint (%)
Reprocessed Latex Paint.
White, off-white, and pastel colors
Grey, brown, earthtones, and other dark colors .
Consolidated latex paint
20
50-99
100
NOTES: EPA's recommendations apply to reprocessed latex paints used for interior and exterior architectural applications such as wallboard"
ceilings, and trim; gutter boards; and concrete, stucco, masonry, wood, and metal surfaces, and to consolidated latex paints used for covering
graffiti, where color and consistency of performance are not primary concerns.
EPA's recommendation does not preclude agencies from purchasing paints manufactured from other, non-latex materials, such as oil-based
paints. It simply recommends that procuring agencies, when purchasing latex paints, purchase these items made from postconsumer recovered
materials when these items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Reprocessed and consolidated latex paints are available to Federal agencies through the GSA Federal Supply Service
by ordering the following stock numbers:
National Stock
Numbers
Colors
FEDSTD 595B
Color No.
Semi-gloss
8010-01-380-2400
8010-01-380-2405
8010-01-380-2438
8010-01-380-2382
8010-01-380-2331
8010-01-380-2429
8010-01-380-2338
8010-01-380-2379
8010-01-380-2332
8010-01-380-2417
8010-01-380-2353
8010-01-380-2363
8010-01-380-2447
Beige #27769
Blue-gray #26420
Sand-green #26307
Sand-gray #26306
Gray #26134
Dark gray #26081
Green #24491
Sand #23690
Tan #23617
Tan #20372
Sand-yellow #20318
Dark brown #20140
Red brown #20100
Flat
8010-01-380-3293
8010-01-380-2425
White #37886
Beige #37769
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday. November 13. 1997 / Notices
. National Stock
Numbers
8010-01-380-2442
8010-01-380-2381
8010-01-380-2367 ' ..
8010-01-380-2396 ,
8010-01-380-2366 ... . „ .'. ;
8010-01-380-2421
8010-01-380-2351 , :
8010-01-380-^2416 ....
Colors
FEDSTD 595B
Color No.
Blue-gray #36650
Gray #361 34
Dark gray #36081
Blue #35526
Green #34491
Sand #33690
Tan #33617
Dark brown #30140
The GSA Federal Supply Service has a free paint brochure available by calling 1-800-241-RAIN or FAX requests
to (206) 931-7544.
Specifications: (1) EPA recommends that procuring agencies use GSA specification TT-P-2846, Paint, Latex (Recycled
with Post-Consumer Waste). This specification applies to interior, exterior, and interior/exterior latex paints intended
for use on wallboard, concrete, stucco, masonry, and wood.
(2) GSA specification TT-P-2846 requires high content levels (50-90% postconsumer paint). EPA recommends that
procuring agencies refer to the requirements and quality assurance provisions in TT-P-2846 when purchasing reprocessed
latex paint containing lower levels of postconsumer paint (e.g., whites, off-whites, and pastel colors).
Part D—Transportation Products
Section D-2—Parking Stops Made from Concrete or Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table D-
2, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing parking .stops.
TABLE D-2.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR PARKING STOPS MADE FROM CONCRETE
OR CONTAINING RECOVERED PLASTIC OR RUBBER—Continued
Material
PtesBc and/or rubber ...........,.,.,,,
Concrete containing coal fly ash . . .
Concrete containing GGBF slag ... .. ..
Postconsumer
content (%)
100
Recovered ma-
terials
content (%)
20-40
25-70
NOTES: Parking stops made with recovered plastics may also include other recovered materials such as sawdust, wood, or fiberglass. The
percentage of these materials contained in the product would also count toward the recovered materials content level of the parking stops.
ASTM specification C595M-95 Standard Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements specifies the appropriate mix design, including recov-
ered materials content, for concrete containing coal fly ash and GGBF slag.
EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing parking stops manufactured from another material, tt simply
requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing concrete parking stops or parking stops made with plastic or rubber, purchase these items
m*do with recovered materials when these Hems meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Section D-3—Channelizers, Delineators, and Flexible Delineators Containing Recovered Plastic, Rubber, or Steel
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table D-
3, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use In purchasing channelizers, delineators, and flexible
delineators.
TABLE D-3.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR CHANNELIZERS, DELINEATORS, AND
FLEXIBLE DELINEATORS CONTAINING RECOVERED PLASTIC, RUBBER, OR STEEL
Product
Channelizors ...... ... . „
Delineators
,
Flexible delineators .-.
Material
Plastic
Rubber (base only)
Plastic
Rubber (base only)
Steel (base only)
Plastic ,
Postconsumer
content (%)
25-95
100
25-90
100
25-50
25-85
NOTE; EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing channelizers, delineators, or flexible delineators manu-
factured from another material. H simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing these Hems made from rubber, plastic, or steel,
purchase them made with recovered materials when these Hems meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the following specifications when procuring channelizers,
delineators, and flexible delineators:
(1) The Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices contains specifications for
the size, shape, mounting, and placement of temporary traffic control devices.
(?) The States of Florida and North Carolina have specifications tiiat require the use of recovered materials in
their flexible delineators. The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) has specifications for "Drivable
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60981
Flexible Plastic Guide Marker and Clearance Marker Posts." A copy of these specifications are available from the RCRA
Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
Part E—Park and Recreation Products
Section E-2—Plastic Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic for Specified Uses
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table E-
2, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing plastic fencing for use in controlling
snow or sand drifting and as a warning/safety barrier in construction or other applications.
TABLE E-2.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR FENCING CONTAINING RECOVERED PLASTIC
Material
Plastic .... "
Post consumer
content (%)
60-100
Total recov-
ered materials
content (%)
' 90-100
NOTE: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing fencing manufactured from another material, such as
wood. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing plastic fencing, purchase this item made with recovered materials when this
item meets applicable specifications ana performance requirements. i •
Specifications: The State of New York developed a specification for orange-colored plastic fencing used for snow
barriers, warning barriers, and safety barriers, but discontinued its use because the state did not purchase enough
fencing to warrant maintaining the specification. Height varied, depending on application, from four to six feet Weight
varied from 17 pounds per 100 foot section for warning barriers to 48 pounds per 100 foot section for snow fencing
to 66 pounds per 100 foot section for six-foot safety barrier fencing. The New York specification also addressed mesh
size, porosity, service temperature range, and strength for each application. A copy of this specification is available
from the RCRA Hotline by calling 1-800-424-9346. j
Part F—Landscaping Products
Section F-3—Garden and Soaker Hoses Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table F-
3, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing garden and soaker hoses.
TABLE F-3.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR GARDEN AND SOAKER HOSES CONTAINING
RECOVERED PLASTIC OR RUBBER
•Product
Garden hose '
Soaker hose i
. Material
Rubber and/or plastic
Rubber and/or plastic
Postconsumer
content (%)
60—65
60-70
NOTES: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing garden and soaker hoses manufactured from another
material. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing garden and soaker hoses made from plastic or rubber, purchase these
items made with recovered materials when these items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
The Green Seal specification for watering hoses includes a 50 percent postconsumer content level. However, all companies from which EPA
obtained information manufacture garden and/or soaker hoses with at least 60 percent postconsumer content.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the following specifications when procuring garden
' and soaker hoses:
(1) ASTM D3901 Consumer Specification for Garden Hose. The specification addresses physical and performance
characteristics (pressure, tensile, and ripping strength tests) and states that the material components are to be agreed
upon by the purchaser and seller.
(2) Green Seal GC-2: Watering Hoses. The standard calls for the use of 50 percent postconsumer rubber material
in garden hoses and 65 percent postconsumer rubber material in soaker hoses. EPA recommends that, when purchasing
garden hoses, procuring agencies reference the technical requirements of this specification but set a higher content
standard. Section F—4—Lawn and Garden Edging Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table F-
4, procuring agencies establish minimum 'content standards for use in purchasing lawn and garden edging.
TABLE F-4.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR LAWN AND GARDEN EDGING CONTAINING
RECOVERED PLASTIC OR RUBBER
Material
Plastic and/or rubber •
Postconsumer
content (%)
30—100
Total recovered
' materials con-
tent (%)
30—100
NOTES: .EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing lawn and garden edging manufactured from another
material, such as wood. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing lawn and garden edging made from plastic and/or rubber,
purchase these items made with recovered materials when these items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Notides
Part G—Non-Paper Office Products .
. Section G-6—Printer Ribbons
Preference Program: Minimum content standards are not appropriate for remanufactured items, such as printer ribbons,
because a core part of the item is reused in the new product, even though certain components of a printer ribbon
may contain'recovered materials. In lieu of content standards, EPA recommends-that procuring agencies adopt one
or both of the following approaches: (1) procure printer ribbon reinking or reloading services or (2) procure reinked
or reloaded printer ribbons. EPA further recommends that procuring agencies establish policies that give priority to
reinking or reloading their expended printer ribbons. If reinking and reloading services are unavailable, procuring agencies
should attempt to purchase reinked or reloaded printer ribbons. GSA offers remanufactured printer ribbons on the
New Item Introductory Schedule (NIIS).
Specifications: The State of Alabama has a specification for reinked ribbons which requires the • ribbons to be vacuum
cleaned, reinked, and rewound to proper tension. A copy of this specification is available from the RCRA Hotline
at 1-800-424-9346. . .
Section G-7—Plastic Envelopes
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table G—
7, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use In purchasing plastic envelopes.
TABLE G-7.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR PLASTIC ENVELOPES
Material
Ptaslic .:
Postconsumer con-
tent (%)
25
Total recovered
materials content
(%)
25-85
NOTE: EPA'* recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing envelopes manufactured from another material, such
a> paoer. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing envelopes made from plastic, purchase these Hems made with recov-
ered materials when these Hems meet applicable specifications and performance requirements. Procuring agencies should note, however, that
paper envelopes fa! within the scope of EPA's previous designation of paper and paper products. EPA issued postconsumer and recovered
motwiaic content recommendations for paper products, including envelopes, in the Paper Products RMAN, which was issued in the FEDERAL
REGISTER on May 29,1996 at 61 FR 26985. A copy of the Paper Products RMAN is available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 and
etoctrwilcaily via EPA's PubEc Access Server at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/search.htm.
Specifications: (1) GSA, the Government Printing Office (GPO), and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) all currently
purchase plastic envelopes made from Tyvek* containing recovered HDPE. GSA specifies "DuPont Tyvek® or equaL"
USPS requires "DuPont Tyvek®." GPO requires "white spunbonded polyethylene with the characteristics of DuPont's
product no. 1073;" the title of the solicitation, however, states "Tyvek® envelopes or similar."
(2) The Navy requests that plastic envelopes not be sent to ships in order to minimize onboard disposal of plastic.
Part H—Miscellaneous Products
Section H-l—Pallets Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or Paperboard
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered materials content levels shown in Table H-
1, procuring agencies establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing pallets.
TABLE H-1.—RECOMMENDED RECOVERED MATERIALS CONTENT LEVELS FOR PALLETS CONTAINING RECOVERED WOOD,.
PLASTIC, OR PAPERBOARD
Product
Wooden palets „„ „
Plastic patots:
Plastic lumber
Th©rmoformed „
Paperboflrd naMots [[[
Material
Wood
Plastic
Plastic
Paoerboard
Postconsumer
content (%)
95-100
100
25-50
50
NOTE: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing pallets manufactured from another material. It simply
re-quires that a procuring agency, when purchasing pallets made from wood, plastic, or paperboard, purchase these Hems made with recovered
materials when these Hems meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Specifications: EPA 'recommends that procuring agencies use the following specifications when procuring pallets:
(1) The Grocery Manufacturers of America issued a widely used standard for 48 by 40-inch stringer pallets known
as the "GMA spec." A copy of this specification Is available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
(2) The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association is developing a standard through the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) for repairable 48 by 40-inch lumber-deck pallets. Contact NWPCA at (703) 527-7667 for
current information about the availability of this standard.
(3) U.S. Postal Service specification USPS-P-1108, "Pallet, Nestable, Plastic, Thermoforrried (Item No. 3919B)" is
for thermoformed HDPE pallets. A copy of the current version, USPS-P-1108E, is available from the RCRA Hotline
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