903R93025
The Procurement and
Use of Recycled Products
A Primer for Government Officials
Recycled
TD
794
.P76
1993
Printed on Recycled Paper -10% Post-Consumer Waste
Published and
Distributed by
United States
Environmental
^
Protection Agency
Region III Office
Philadelphia, PA
1993
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
3
Introduction
Reasons to Buy Recycled Products 4
Myths and Barriers Associated with Procurement of
Recycled Products 6
Terminology and Definitions 10
Information about Available Recycled Products 13
Establishing an Affirmative Procurement Program 16
Adapting the Government Bidding Process 17
Incentives to Procure Recycled Products 18
Cooperative Procurement of Recycled Products 20
Recycled/Recyclable Product Advertising 21
Sources of Information and Assistance 23
Bibliography of Useful Publications 24
Conclusion 25
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U.S. EPA Region in
logional Center for Environmental
Information
; 050 Arch Street (3PM52)
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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INTRODUCTION
Recycling is not completed until the recyclables collected by municipalities,
businesses, and institutions are made into new products and these products are
purchased and used by consumers, thus CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP.
In recent years, interest in the procurement and use of recycled products has
increased dramatically. Despite this interest, the actual purchase of recycled
products to date has been quite limited. Lack of information about procuring
recycled products is often cited as a major reason.
The purpose of this primer is two-fold:
• To stimulate the purchase of recycled products; and,
• To explain how to implement a recycled products procurement program.
The primer explains the reasons for buying recycled products and identifies some
of the myths and barriers associated with such purchases. Key terminology is
defined and sources of information about recycled products are identified.
Guidelines for establishing an AFFIRMATIVE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM are
presented, as are procedures for modifying the procurement process to purchase
recycled products. Incentives used to facilitate the procurement of recycled
products, including cooperative purchasing arrangements, are described. The
EPA and FTC guidelines pertaining to the advertising of recycled products are
outlined. And finally, some sources of general information and assistance are
listed.
The key to successful recycling programs is the presence of adequate, stable
markets for the recyclables that are collected. Such markets cannot exist or
survive if there is only limited demand for recycled products.
Government can play a major role in helping to create and expand such markets
by purchasing recycled products. Collectively, government purchases in the
United States account for about 20% of the Gross National Product. Thus, if
governments alone were to purchase recycled products, the positive impact on
recycling markets would be significant.
It is hoped that government officials, recycling coordinators, purchasing agents,
and others will find this primer helpful and will be motivated to procure and use
recycled products in their routine operations.
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REASONS TO BUY RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Since many government agencies are satisfied with the virgin products (products
made with virgin materials/resources) that they currently purchase and use, why
should they switch to recycled products?
Three Reasons Why
Government agencies should
purchase and use recycled
products
• Environmental Protection
• Resource Conservation
»Economic Development
There are three very good reasons why they should do so - environmental
protection, resource conservation, and economic development.
Environmental Protection
The production of recycled products is often less harmful to the environment than
is the production of their virgin counterparts.
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Some recycled products require far less energy to produce than do
their virgin counterparts. Good examples of this are aluminum cans
and glass bottles.
The manufacturing process used to produce some recycled products may employ
less toxic materials and generate less toxic/hazardous wastes than do the
comparable virgin manufacturing processes (although this is not universally true
for all recycled products).
Resource Conservation
The manufacture of recycled products involves the reusing of certain
natural resources, thereby promoting the conservation of resources.
Examples are recycled cellulose fibers from trees used to make new
paper products and scrap steel used to make new steel products.
Economic Development
The purchase of recycled products can also benefit the national and local
economies. The procurement and use of recycled products creates a market
demand for such products. This results in the opening of new and larger markets
for the recyclables that are collected.
New and expanded markets for recycled products can lead to the
creation of new businesses and industries that manufacture these
products or to the expansion and diversification of existing industries.
These, in turn, create new jobs and strengthen the local tax base.
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MYTHS AND BARRIERS ASSOCIATED WITH
BUYING RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Among the reasons why recycled products procurement programs have been
rather slow to catch on are a number of lingering myths or perceptions about
recycled products plus certain governmental administrative barriers that inhibit or
prevent their procurement. Although most of these myths have been disproven
and the barriers have been removed in recent years, there still remain negative
perceptions that need to be addressed.
The following is a brief description of the main myths and barriers and what is
being done to overcome them.
Product Prices
There is a persistent belief that all or most recycled products cost much more than
their virgin counterparts. While this might be true for some recycled products, it is
not universally so. Prices may be higher for products that are in limited supply or
for products that are manufactured at plants which are a great distance from the
buyer (resulting in high transportation costs). However, as demand for products
has increased and governments have banded together in cooperative purchasing
arrangements to negotiate lower prices, the overall prices of recycled products
have come down to where they are often competitive with those made with virgin
materials.
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Product Quality
Years ago, when recycled products first came on the market, many products
failed to perform well. Thus, the perception evolved that recycled products are of
poor quality compared to their virgin counterparts. This is one myth that appears
to die hard. Although some recycled products fail to perform as expected (the
expectations, not the performance, may be the problem), it is not usually true that
recycled products are of poorer quality than virgin products. Most perform just as
well as products containing virgin materials, and the quality is continually
improving. Furthermore, many companies will provide samples for performance
testing prior to purchase.
Performance
Performance
Better Poor
Comparable
Product Availability
Because many recycled products are new to the marketplace or are
manufactured in limited quantity, the supply often fails to meet new and sudden
demand. Even when demand is high, supply can lag behind until manufacturing
capacity catches up. However, the supply of most recycled products has been
steadily increasing and shortages should not be a major problem in the future. In
fact, continued strong product demand is a positive incentive for industries to
expand their manufacturing capacity.
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Steadily
Increasing
Ample Limited
Procurement Process
A major barrier to the purchase of recycled products by governments may be the
subtle, but nonetheless potent, preference for virgin products built into the
procurement process. The wording of bidding directions and forms plus the
descriptions of product specifications may preclude the acceptance of bids on
recycled products. However, many government procurement agencies have
revised their bidding documents and specifications to not only permit, but to even
encourage, the offering of bids on recycled products.
Procurement
Process
Procurement
Process
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Resistance to Change
The procurement and use of recycled products constitutes a rather significant
change for many government agencies. And whenever there is change,
especially when everything appears to be operating just fine, there is bound to be
reluctance and resistance on the part of managers and employees. As the saying
goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." This resistance and attitude often has its roots in
the myths and barriers cited above. However, if people can be educated and
convinced to try something new, then this barrier can be overcome.
Education
&:!S[ew
Attitude
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TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS
Before embarking on the procurement of recycled products it is very important to
know and understand the terminology associated with recycling and recycled
products. This includes such terms as RECYCLED, RECYCLABLE, RECOVERED or
SECONDARY MATERIALS, and PRE- and POST-CONSUMER.
Since we're dealing with recycled products, let's begin with the term RECYCLED.
When the term RECYCLED is applied to a product, it means that the product was
manufactured with certain materials recovered from the waste stream. For
example, recycled newsprint is paper made with cellulose fiber which was
recovered from previously used or discarded newsprint.
Recycled:
Product manufactured with certain materials recovered from waste stream.
Since many manufacturers are now using the term RECYCLED and applying it by
their own standards, it has been necessary for some governments to enact
legislation or regulations specifying exactly what the content of recovered
materials must be. Again using the example of newsprint, a law or regulation
might specify that the minimum content of recycled cellulose fiber must be 50%
post-consumer.
In this example, reference has been made to RECOVERED MATERIALS. These are
sometimes called SECONDARY MATERIALS. These terms are applied to any waste
that is a source of a raw material used in manufacturing the recycled product. In
the example cited above, cellulose fiber is the raw material that was recovered
from waste or old newspapers (ONP).
Secondary Material:
Waste that is a source of a raw material used in manufacturing the
recycled product.
Another term that is often used in association with RECOVERED MATERIAL is
RECYCLABLE. It refers to the characteristic that allows the waste material to be
recycled or remanufactured. ONP, for example, is recyclable, that is, it can be
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used to make recycled newsprint. The term is also often used as a noun. All of
the materials recovered from the waste stream are referred to as RECYCLABLES.
Recyclable:
The characteristic that allows the waste material to be recycled or
remanufactured.
As is the case with the term RECYCLED, manufacturers have often used the term
RECYCLABLE loosely, resulting in governments enacting rules for its future use.
For a material to be RECYCLABLE it must not only possess the characteristic of
being able to be recycled, but must also be collected for remanufacturing in
significant quantities at the local or state level.
A Material is Recyclable if:
• It possesses the characteristic of being able to be recycled.
AND
• It has been collected for remanufacturing in significant quantities at the
local or state level for recycling.
The terms PRE-CONSUMER and POST-CONSUMER must also be understood and
considered when procuring recycled products. PRE-CONSUMER recovered
materials refer to those wastes which have not actually been generated as the
result of use by consumers. They include wastes generated within a
manufacturing plant and materials that were unsold and unused by consumers. A
good example would be magazines. Often printed in great quantities, many
magazines are never sold and are subsequently discarded. Those unsold and
unused copies are often referred to as PRE-CONSUMER wastes because they have
never been used by the ultimate consumer. Conversely, products that have been
purchased and used by consumers and subsequently discarded as waste are
referred to as POST-CONSUMER. However, there is still disagreement on the
application of these terms to specific types of wastes.
Pre-Consumer:
Wastes which have not been generated as a result of consumer use.
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Since a goal of recycling is to recover resources from the municipal solid waste
stream which is made up mostly of post-consumer wastes, it is especially
important that post-consumer recovered materials be used as much as possible in
recycled products - and that procurement agencies request products with
significant post-consumer material content.
Post-Consumer:
Products purchased and used by consumers then discarded as waste.
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INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE RECYCLED PRODUCTS
There are literally hundreds of recycled products currently on the market, ranging
from recycled printing papers to plastic lumber. For every type of recyclable
material collected, there are dozens of products that are made from them.
Despite this, government officials wishing to procure recycled products often don't
know how to get information about what is available and who sells it.
To assist those who are seeking information about available recycled products,
several excellent resources are available.
American Recycling Market, Inc. (ARM)
ARM, headquartered in Ogdensburg, NY, publishes a comprehensive listing of
recycled products which is updated three times each year. Entitled THE OFFICIAL
RECYCLED PRODUCTS GUIDE, this document contains over 2000 certified listings of
recycled products available from manufacturers and distributors throughout the
United States. Listings are in alphabetical order by product, by company name,
and by location (state). ARM also has a computerized database which can be
accessed instantaneously. For more information, contact American Recycling
Market, Inc., PO Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669, phone 800/267-0707.
United States General Services Administration (GSA)
The GSA is the principal Federal government procurement agency (a few other
agencies are empowered to do their own procurement). Among its
responsibilities are the identification of recycled products which federal agencies
might purchase and the negotiation of contracts with manufacturers and
distributors for the procurement of such products. To assist federal agencies in
selecting appropriate recycled products, the Federal Supply Service of the GSA
has compiled its own RECYCLED PRODUCTS GUIDE which lists all of the products for
which contracts have been negotiated. Although designed for federal agencies
primarily, the GUIDE can also be useful to others who need information about
recycled products. Copies of the RECYCLED PRODUCTS GUIDE may be obtained,
at no cost, from the General Services Administration, Centralized Mailing List
Service, PO Box 6477, Fort Worth, TX 76115.
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United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
To facilitate implementation of its PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES FOR GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES , EPA established a telephone hotline called the Recycled Products
Information Clearinghouse (RPIC) which is operated for EPA by the Center for
Earth Resources Management Applications, Inc. (CERMA) located in
Springfield, VA. The CERMA staff can provide information, including lists of
manufacturers and distributors, about the recycled products identified in the EPA
guidelines. The telephone hotline number is 703/941-4452.
Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC)
The PRC, a non-profit environmental organization, has published a directory of the
names and addresses of companies in and adjacent to Pennsylvania that produce
and sell recycled products. Copies of this GUIDE TO RECYCLED PRODUCTS FOR
CONSUMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES and other information may be obtained by
contacting PRC, PO Box 88, Media, PA 19063, 215/565-9131.
Other Sources of Information
Other important sources for local governments are their respective state
government procurement offices. Many states have taken the lead in procuring
recycled products and have negotiated contracts with vendors through which
local governments may purchase.
The United States Conference of Mayors and the National Recycling Coalition
are sponsoring buy-recycled campaigns and can also be of assistance in
identifying sources of recycled products.
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Information Sources
Comprehensive Listings
•The Official Recycled Products Guide
American Recycling Market, Inc.
P.O. Box 577
Ogdensburg, NY
800/267-0707
•Recycled Products Guide
U.S. General Services Administration
Centralized Mailing List Service
P.O. Box 6477
Fort Worth, TX 76115
Directory
•Guide to Recycled Products for
Consumers and Small Businesses
Pennsylvania Resources Council
P.O. Box 88
Media, PA 19063
215/565-9131
Information Sources
Computerized Database
•American Recycled Market, Inc.
800/267-0707
Telephone Hotline
•EPA's Recycled Products Information
Clearinghouse
703/941-4452
Other Information Sources
•State Government Procurement Offices
•U.S. Conference of Mayors
202/293-7330
•National Recycling Coalition
202/625-6406
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ESTABLISHING AN AFFIRMATIVE PROCUREMENT PROGRAM
EPA has published guidelines for establishing an Affirmative Procurement
Program (APP) for the purchase of recycled products. These guidelines apply to
all procuring agencies of the federal, state, and local governments that use
appropriated federal funds for purchasing products, plus their respective
contractors.
There are four components of an APP, namely (1) a Preference Program, (2) a
Promotion Program, (3) Procedures for Obtaining and Verifying Estimates and
Certifications of the Content of Recovered Materials, and (4) Annual Review and
Monitoring. The following are some specifics about each component.
Affirmative Procurement Program
Preference
Program
Promotion
Program
Verifying Estimates
and Certification of
the Content of
Recovered
Materials
Annual Review
and
Monitoring
The Preference Program
specifies that the
procuring agencies have a
preference for recycled
products. This can be
accomplished by
specifying minimum
content standards which
identify the minimum
content of recovered
materials that products
must contain. In the
absence of minimum
content standards, the
procuring agencies may
make a case-by-case
evaluation of bids received
from vendors of recycled
products.
The Promotion Program
allows procuring agencies
to actively promote their
preference for recycled
products through the
bidding process. For
example, procurement
agencies may choose to
include explicit statements
in their solicitation
documents, discuss their
preferences in prebidder
conferences, and issue
general announcements
about their preferences.
The Estimation and
Certification component
specifies that vendors
must estimate the
percentage of and certify
the actual content of
recovered materials in
their products. Vendors
must make their own
arrangements for
obtaining such
information from
manufacturers.
Annual Review and
Monitoring involves an
on-going review of the
minimum content standards,
bidding documents and
procedures, and the entire
APP. Procuring agencies
should review the range of
estimates and certifications
they received to determine
whether they are using the
highest percentage of
recovered materials.
There are several other aspects of government procurement programs that may
need to be assessed and modified to ensure the procurement of recycled products.
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ADAPTING THE GOVERNMENT BIDDING PROCESS
The policies, procedures, and forms used by government procurement agencies
can greatly affect the ability of the government to procure recycled products. Past
procedures which were established for the purchase of products made with virgin
materials may have provisions that prevent vendors from offering bids on recycled
products or may openly state that recycled products will not be considered.
Therefore, it is essential that government procurement agencies examine their
policies, procedures, and forms to remove any provision that might discriminate
against the purchase of recycled products.
The first place to start is with bid solicitation forms. These should be revised to
remove discriminatory language or implications. Some governments have gone as
far as to add statements that they prefer to purchase recycled products, such as
the following:
" prefers to buy products made with recovered materials whenever
they meet performance standards, can be purchased competitively, and are
available at a reasonable price within a reasonable period of time."
The published specifications of products for which bids are solicited may also be
stated in such a way as to preclude the use of recycled products. The wording of
specifications should be reviewed periodically to ensure that they do not
intentionally or inadvertently indicate that recycled products are not acceptable.
Performance of the products, rather than the material or aesthetics, should be
given primary consideration when rewriting specifications, for even if the recycled
products may not look as nice, their performance may be equal.
To facilitate the bidding of recycled products, bid solicitation forms and directions
should indicate the information needed to verify that the products meet recycled
criteria. This would include the content of recovered material and the certification
of the manufacturer.
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INCENTIVES TO PROCURE RECYCLED PRODUCTS
In an effort to encourage the procurement of recycled products, governments
have enacted or implemented various economic and administrative incentives.
These include minimum content standards, price preferences, and set-asides.
Minimum content standards specify the lowest percentage of recovered material
that a recycled product must contain to be eligible for procurement by government
agencies. For example, federal recycled product guidelines specify that recycled
lubricating oils contain at least 25% refined oil. Cellulose building insulation must
contain at least 75% post-consumer recovered paper. By establishing minimum
content standards, governments open the market to recycled products.
Price preferences are often granted to recycled products because the price of
recycled products may be higher than their virgin counterparts. Governments
may grant preferences of 5%, 10%, or greater which allows the acceptance of
bids on recycled products even if the bid price is 5% to 10% higher than the price
of the products made with virgin materials. Critics of price preferences argue that
vendors have little incentive to reduce their prices if they can charge higher prices
and still make the sale. Proponents see price preferences as temporary measures
to assist vendors of recycled products to compete on the open market.
Another incentive that governments may use is a set-aside, whereby a certain
percentage or quantity of the purchases of particular products must be recycled.
For example, a government may specify that 25% of all purchases of copier paper
per year must have recycled fiber content. This assures that at least some of the
products that are purchased will be recycled.
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Incentives to Procure
Recycled Products
Economic:
• Price Preferences -
Governments allow the
acceptance of bids on recycled
products when bid price is 5% -
10% higher than the price of
virgin products
• Set-Asides -
Government specifies that a
certain quantity of a particular
product must be recycled
Incentives to Procure
Recycled Products
Administrative:
• Minimum Content Standards -
Government procurement
agencies specify the lowest
percentage of post-consumer
material that a recycled product
must contain
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COOPERATIVE PROCUREMENT OF RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Governments, especially small ones, often experience considerable difficulty when
attempting to procure recycled products. They may find that they are unable to
obtain an adequate supply of products on a timely basis at a competitive price. To
deal with this, governments are turning to cooperative purchasing as a partial
remedy.
One of the simplest cooperative purchasing arrangements is for local governments
to buy through contracts negotiated by their respective state governments. This
has been called "piggybacking" in Pennsylvania. The state procurement agency
establishes the product specifications and negotiates the price. It then provides this
information to the local governments which can place their orders directly with the
vendors without going through the usual bidding process.
Several government procurement agencies at the local or state level may enter
into a formal cooperative purchasing agreement to procure recycled products as a
single entity. One of the agencies or another office is empowered to negotiate
contracts for the purchase of recycled products on behalf of the member agencies.
Upon signing of the contracts, member agencies may simply buy the products
directly from the vendors and have them shipped to their government facilities. An
example of such an arrangements is the Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments.
Another approach, often used by public school districts, is for a group of districts to
authorize one district or an entity such as a regional or county school association, to
negotiate contracts on behalf of the members. Supplies of the products may be
purchased and stored in a central warehouse from which the individual member
school districts may order, or the individual member school districts may order
directly from the vendors.
The cooperative procurement of recycled products is similar in concept and
structure to cooperative marketing arrangements for the sale of the recyclables
collected by municipalities. In fact, some of the entities that are doing cooperative
marketing have expanded their services to include cooperative procurement.
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RECYCLED/RECYCLABLE PRODUCT ADVERTISING
As environmental marketing of products has become fashionable in response to
the demands of consumers for "environmentally friendly" products, manufacturers
have begun to promote their products by using such terms as RECYCLABLE and
RECYCLED. The result has been widespread confusion and occasional misuse of
terms.
Recognizing these problems and the need for some standardization, the federal
government has issued voluntary guidelines for environmental advertising and
marketing claims. Although the problem is one primarily found in the marketplace
for household goods, government procurement officials should also be familiar with
these guidelines since they may encounter similar advertising claims for products
which they purchase.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has primary responsibility for
overseeing product marketing. In consultation with EPA and the Office of
Consumer Affairs, the FTC issued in July 1992 its GUIDES FOR THE USE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS. The following are the guidelines which
apply to the use of the terms RECYCLABLE and RECYCLED CONTENT.
RECYCLABLE:
It is deceptive to represent, directly or by implication, that a product or
package is recyclable. A product or package should not be marketed as
recyclable unless it can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered from
the solid waste stream for use in the form of raw materials in the manufacture
or assembly of a new package or product. Unqualified claims of recyclability
for a product or package may be made if the entire product or package,
excluding minor incidental components, is recyclable. For products or
packages that are made of both recyclable and non-recyclable components,
the recyclable claim should be adequately qualified to avoid consumer
deception about which portions or components of the product or package are
recyclable. Claims of recyclability should be qualified to the extent necessary
to avoid consumer deception about any limited availability of recycling
programs and collection sites.
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RECYCLED CONTENT:
A recycled content claim may be made only for materials that have been
recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during
the manufacturing process (pre-consumer) or after consumer use (post-
consumer). To the extent the source of recycled content includes pre-
consumer material, the manufacturer and advertiser must have substantiation
for concluding that the pre-consumer material would otherwise have entered
the solid waste stream. In asserting a recycled content claim, distinctions may
be made between pre-consumer and post-consumer materials. Where such
distinctions are asserted, any express or implied claim about the specific pre-
consumer or post-consumer content of a product or package must be
substantiated.
It is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product or
package is made of recycled material. Unqualified claims of recycled content
may be made only if the entire product or package, excluding minor, incidental
components, is made from recycled material. For products or packages that
are only partially made of recycled material, a recycled claim should be
adequately qualified to avoid consumer deception about the amount, by
weight, of recycled content in the finished product or package.
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE
There are numerous government agencies and national organizations that can
provide helpful information, advice, and assistance on a wide array of topics and
activities relating to the procurement of recycled products. The following are those
which may be most useful to governments within the EPA Region III geographic
area.
Sources of Information and Assistance
U S Environmental Protection Agency
Region III Office
841 Chestnut Building
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215/597-6197 or 7936
EPA Recycled Products Clearinghouse
CERMA (Center for Earth Resources
Management Applications, Inc)
5528 Hempstead Way
Springfield, VA 22151
703/941-4452
American Recycling Market, Inc
PO Box 577
Ogdensburg, NY 13669
800/267-0707 or 315/471-0707
National Recycling Coalition
110130th Street, NW
Suite 305
Washington, DC 20007
202/625-6406
Recycling Advisory Council
1101 30th Street, NW
Suite 305
Washington, DC 20007
202/625-6409
Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments
777 North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202/962-3200
United States Conference of Mayors
Buy-Recycled Campaign
1629 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
O/T"> irir-f^ -••*• —
Sources of Information and Assistance
NASPO (National Association ol State Purchasing Officials)
3560 Iron Works Pike
PO Box 11910
Lexington, KY 40578-1910
606/231-1906
Delaware Division of Purchasing
PO Box 299
Delaware City, DE19706
302/834-4550
District of Columbia Department of Administrative Services
Procurement and General Administration
613 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202/727-0252
Maryland Department ol General Services
State Purchasing Bureau
301 West Preston Street, Room M2
Baltimore, MD 21201
410/225-4620
Pennsylvania Department of General Services
Vendor Services
414 North Off ice Building
Harnsburg, PA17125
717/787-4705
Virginia Department of General Services
Division of Purchases and Supply
805 East Broad Street
PO Box 1199
Richmond, VA 23219-1199
804/786-3172
West Virginia Department of Administration
Acquisition and Contract Section
Mam Capitol Building, Room E-110
Charleston, WV 25305
304/558-2307
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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF USEFUL PUBLICATIONS
Several of the agencies and organizations listed in the previous section publish fact
sheets, manuals, guides, and other materials that may be useful to those
establishing and administering recycled products procurement programs. The
following are some examples.
Bibliography of Useful
Publications
• From the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency Region III Office:
- Procurement Guidelines for
Government Agencies
- Fact sheet on EPA Guideline for
Purchasing Paper and Paper Product
- Fact sheet on EPA Guideline for
Purchasing Building Insulation
containing Recovered Materials
- Fact Sheet on EPA Guideline for
Purchasing Retread Tires
- Fact Sheet on EPA Guideline for
Purchasing Re-Refined Lubricating Oil
- Fact sheet on EPA Guideline for
Purchasing Cement and Concrete
containing Fly Ash
- Proceedings of the 1992 Government
Recycled Products Tradefair and
Showcase
• From CERMA (Center for Earth
Resources Management Applications
Inc.)
- Recycled Paper Distributors List
- Recycled Newsprint Mill List
- State Procurement Laws
- Designing Effective Procurement
Policies
- Recycled Paper Guideline
- Insulation Guideline
- Insulation Manufacturers List
- Re-Refined Oil Guideline
- Oil-Re-Refiners List
Bibliography of Useful
Publications
- Retread Tire Guideline
- Tire Retreaders List
- Asphalt Rubber
- Designing Effective Procurement
Policies
• From American Recycling Market, Inc.
- The Official Recycled Products Guide
• From NASPO (National Association of
State Purchasing Officials)
- State Purchasing Contact Manual
. From MWCOG (Metropolitan Washington'
Council of Governments)
- Users Guide to Cooperative Purchasing
• From U. S. Conference of Mayors
- Sample specifications for paper, oil, tires,
road aggregate, building insulation, etc.
- Buy-Recycled survey of 158 cities
- Case studies of Philadelphia, Newark, and
other cities
- Information on purchasing under state
contracts
- Reporting forms for tracking purchases
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CONCLUSION
Buying recycled products ensures the closing of the recycling loop. It is also
market development in the broadest sense.
There is a vast array of high quality recycled products already available and new
ones are being produced daily. We are literally on the cutting edge of a new
industrial revolution.
Governments at all levels have a unique opportunity to contribute to this by
purchasing and using as many recycled products as possible. The purchasing
power of governments can have a major positive impact on recycling market
development.
This primer has described how to establish a recycled products procurement
program, presented ideas on how governments can work together to acquire
recycled products, and identified several sources of information and assistance
available to government officials.
The next step is for governments to accept the challenge and to embark on the
procurement of recycled products. EPA and others are ready and willing to help.
Official Policy
We Accept
the Challenge
Our
- Government Policy
We will buy recycled products
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