Buy-Recycled Series
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
COMPREHENSIVE
PROCUREMENT
GUIDELINES
The road is clear for buying
recycled-content products,
and many agencies are mov-
ing into high gear! Transportation
officials around the country are
reporting that recycled-content
safety cones, traffic barri-
TRANSPORTATION cades, traffic control
devices, and parking stops
deliver high performance
and cut installation and
maintenance costs.
To make it easier to buy
recycled, the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) updates the
Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines
(CPG) every 2 years.
Through the CPG, EPA
designates items that must
contain recycled materials
when purchased with
appropriated federal funds
by federal, state, and local
agencies, or by government
contractors. Several trans-
portation products are
among these items. EPA's research
shows that the items designated in
the CPG are of high quality, widely
available, and cost-competitive
with virgin products. EPA also
Buying recycled products...
...conserves natural resources
...saves energy
...reduces solid waste
...reduces air and water pollutants
...reduces greenhouse gases
...creates new jobs
SER&
Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-530-F-04-017
www. epa. gov/osw
May 2004
issues nonregulatory companion
guidance—the Recovered Materials
Advisory Notice (RMAN)—that
recommends levels of recycled con-
tent for these items.
Why Buy Recycled?
Recycling is more than just drop-
ping off your cans, bottles, and
newspapers at the curb or at a local
collection facility. Diverting recy-
clables from the waste stream is
only the first of three steps in the
recycling process. The second step
occurs when companies use these
recyclables to manufacture new
products. The third step comes
when you purchase products made
from recovered materials. That's
how we close the loop.
Buying recycled products results in
many environmental benefits. It
supports local recycling programs
by creating markets for the collect-
ed materials that are processed and
used to manufacture new products.
This creates jobs and helps
strengthen the economy; conserves
natural resources; saves energy; and
reduces solid waste, air and water
pollutants, and greenhouse gases
that contribute to global warming.
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What is CPG?
The Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act requires procuring agen-
cies to buy recycled-content products
designated by EPA in the CPG. Issued in May
1995, the first CPG designated 19 new prod-
ucts (including traffic barricades and traffic
cones) and incorporated five previously desig-
nated items in eight product categories. The
first CPG update (CPG II) was published in
November 1997 and designated an additional
12 items, including parking stops and traffic
control devices. A second CPG update (CPG
III) was published in January 2000 and desig-
nated an additional 18 items. A third CPG
update (CPG IV) was published in April 2004
and designated seven new products. Neither of
the last two updates designated any trans-
portation products.
Procuring agencies include all federal agencies,
and any state or local government agencies or
government contractors that use appropriated
federal funds to purchase the designated items. If
your agency spends more than $10,000 per year
on a product designated in the CPG, you are
required to purchase it with the highest recy-
cled-content level practicable. The CPG also
applies to lease contracts covering designated
items. Executive Order 13101 and the Federal
Acquisition Regulation also call for an increase
in the federal government's use of recycled-con-
tent and environmentally preferable products.
Once any new items are designated in a pub-
lished CPG update, an agency has 1 year to
develop an affirmative procurement program
(or revise an existing one) to include these new
items. By May 1, 1996, agencies were required
to develop affirmative procurement programs
to incorporate buy-recycled requirements for
traffic cones and barricades. By November 13,
1998, agencies were required to revise their
affirmative procurement programs to incorpo-
rate parking stops and traffic control devices.
Since CPG IV designates no new transporta-
tion products, agencies are not required to
revise this portion of their affirmative procure-
ment program.
The CPG acknowledges, however, that specific
circumstances might arise that preclude the
purchase of products made with recovered
materials. Your agency may purchase designat-
ed items that do not contain recovered materi-
als if it determines that: 1) the price of a given
designated item made with recovered materi-
als is unreasonably high, 2) there is inadequate
competition (not enough sources of supply), 3)
unusual and unreasonable delays would result
from obtaining the item, or 4) the recycled-
content item does not meet the agency's rea-
sonable performance specifications.
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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How Do I Purchase Recycled-
Content Transportation Products?
EPA issues purchasing guidance in RMANs,
which are designed to make it as easy as
possible to buy the designated items. The
RMANs recommend recycled-content levels to
look for when purchasing transportation prod-
ucts, as shown in the table below. Following the
RMANs' recommended levels will help ensure
your affirmative procurement program and stan-
dards meet the buy-recycled requirements. The
RMANs also provide other purchasing guidance.
Please refer to
for more information on individual products.
Rather than specifying just one level of recycled
content, the RMANs recommend ranges that
reflect actual market conditions. The recommen-
dations are based on market research identifying
recycled-content products that are commercially
available, are competitively priced, and meet
buyers' quality standards.
Access EPA's online recycled-content products
database by going to and
selecting "Supplier Database." See the last sec-
tion of this fact sheet for other helpful resources.
EPA's Recommended Content Levels for Transportation Products1
TRANSPORTATION
PRODUCT2
Traffic Cones
Traffic Barricades (type I
and II only
Parking Stops
MATERIAL
RECOVERED
Plastic (PVC and
LDPE)
Crump Rubber
Plastic (HDPE, LDPE,
PET)
Steel4
Fiberglass
Plastic and/or Rubber
Concrete Containing
Coal Fly Ash
Concrete Containing
Ground Granulated
Blast Furnace Slag
POSTCONSUMER I TOTAL RECOVERED
RECOVERED I CONTENT3
CONTENT3 I
50-100%
80-100%
16%
67%
Generally, 20-30%,
but could be up to 40%,
When used as a partial
cement replacement as
an admixture in
concrete, 15%.
50-100%
100%
25-30%
100%
100%
100%
25-70%
Continued next page
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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TRANSPORTATION
PRODUCT2
Traffic Control Devices:
Channelizers
Delineators
Flexible Delineators
and II only
MATERIAL
RECOVERED
Plastic
Rubber (base only)
Plastic
Rubber (base only)
Steel (base only)4
Plastic
PET)
POSTCONSUMER I TOTAL RECOVERED
RECOVERED I CONTENT3
CONTENT3 I
25-90%
100%
25-90%
100%
16%
67%
25-85%
25-30%
100%
Transportation products containing recovered materials must conform to the Manual on Uniform Highway Traffic Control Devices used by the Federal Highway
Administration, as well as other applicable federal requirements and specifications.
EPA's recommendations do not preclude procuring agencies from purchasing transportation products manufactured using other materials. EPA simply recommends that
procuring agencies, when purchasing transportation products designated in the procurement guidelines, purchase these products containing recovered materials.
Content levels are based on the dry weight of the raw materials, exclusive of any additives such as adhesives, binders, or coloring agents.
The recommended recovered materials content level for steel in this table reflect the fact that the designated items can be made from steel manufactured from either a
Basic Oxygen Furnace (EOF) or an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF|. Steel from the EOF process contains 25-30% total recovered materials, of which 16% is postconsumer steel.
Steel from the EAF process contains a total of 100% recovered steel, of which 67% is postconsumer.
Key Terms
Channelizers: Channelizers are barrels or drums that direct traffic around areas of road repair and construction.
Street maintenance agencies and construction contractors use channelizers on construction sites, medians,
on/off ramps, mountainous terrain, and areas where fog and haze are common. Channelizers are designed and
colored to be highly visible and can be constructed from recovered HDPE and rubber. The bases of the drums are
weighted to provide stability and are often made from used tires.
Delineators: Delineators are temporary pavement markers that come in many shapes, sizes, and compositions.
They are manufactured primarily from recovered and postconsumer HDPE. Delineator bases are either steel
stakes that can be driven into the ground or rubber to support the delineator on the road surface.
Flexible Delineators: These products come in the form of stakes and are driven into the ground. The product is
flexible enough so that vehicles can strike them without causing damage to the vehicle or the delineator. They
are used at golf courses, airports, military bases, shopping centers, and recreation areas.
Parking Stops: Commonly found in parking lots, parking stops are used to mark parking spaces and keep vehi-
cles from rolling beyond a designated parking area.
Traffic Barricades: Traffic barricades are used to redirect or restrict traffic in areas of highway construction or
repair. They are typically made from wood, steel, plastic, or a combination of these materials. Many manufac-
turers have switched to the use of recycled materials in both the supporting frame and rails of the barricades.
Traffic Cones: Traffic cones are used to mark a road hazard or direct traffic. In general, both recovered- and post-
consumer-content plastics are used in the upper component of the cones, and crumb rubber and/or plastics are
used in the base.
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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How Can I Get More Information?
T
Information Available
From EPA
his fact sheet and the following publications on
buying recycled-content products are available on
the Internet.
EPA Amends Comprehensive Procurement
Guidelines (CPG).This fact sheet provides general
information about the CPG and the development of
affirmative procurement programs. See
.
Federal Register (FR) notices promulgating CPG I (60
FR 21370/EPA530-Z-95-006) and RMAN I (60 FR
21386/EPA530-Z-95-007), May 1, 1995. FR notices
promulgating CPG II (62 FR 60961/EPA530-Z-97-
009) and RMAN II (62 FR 60975/EPA530-Z-97-010),
November 13, 1997. FR notices promulgating CPG
HI (65 FR 3070) and RMAN III (65 FR 3082), January
19, 2000. FR notices promulgating CPG IV (69 FR
24028) and RMAN IV (69 FR 24039), April 30, 2004.
See .
Other Sources of
Information
Buy Recycled Business Alliance. The Alliance
includes over 3,200 companies and organizations
committed to increasing their use of recycled-con-
tent products and materials in their day-to-day oper-
ations. The Alliance offers educational materials, a
quarterly newsletter, and product-specific guides.
Public purchasing entities can join for free. For more
information, contact the National Recycling
Coalition, 1325 G Street, NW., Suite 1025,
Washington, DC 20005-3104. Phone: 202 347-0450.
Fax: 202 347-0449.
Web site:
E-mail: brbainfo@nrc-recycle.org.
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA
publishes various supply catalogs, guides, and sched-
ules for recycled-content products available through
the Federal Supply Service. For copies of the follow-
ing documents and other information, contact GSA,
Centralized Mailing List Service (7CAFL), 4900
Hemphill Street, P.O. Box 6477, Fort Worth, TX
76115. Phone: 817 334-5215. Fax: 817 334-5527. You
can also access GSA Advantage!, GSA's Internet-
based online ordering system, to order any GSA
product at .
- Environmental Products Guide. This GSA guide is
designed to help procurement officials identify
environmentally preferable products and services.
It contains nearly 3,000 items, including many
recycled-content products. An electronic version
can be viewed at .
- New Item Introductory Schedule. This GSA
schedule lists parking stops that contain recovered
rubber materials.
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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Greening the Government: A Guide to
Implementing Executive Order 13101. This guide
provides detailed information on the requirements
of Executive Order 13101, and the benefits of
achieving compliance. Updated in February 2001,
it is available from the Office of the Federal
Environmental Executive. Phone: 202 564-1297.
Fax: 202 564-1393. Web site: .
Email: task_force@ofee.gov. An electronic version
of the document can be accessed at
.
National Association of State Purchasing Officials
(NASPO): . NASPO's Internet-
based Database of Recycled Commodities (DRC)
includes information from states on their recycled
product procurement. Data include product distribu-
tors, manufacturers, brand names, recycled and post-
consumer content, ENERGY STAR® rating, units
purchased, unit of measurement, unit price, and
type of procurement. The database was developed
and is maintained by the Florida Department of
Management Services. To use the database, visit
.
Official Recycled Products Guide. This directory
lists more than 5,000 manufacturers and distributors
of recycled-content products, including those for
traffic cones, traffic barricades, traffic control
devices, and parking stops. For more information,
Contact: Recycling Data Management Corporation,
P.O. Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Phone: 800
267-0707. Fax: 877 471-3258.
Recycled Plastic Products Source Book. This booklet
lists more than 1,400 plastic products from approxi-
mately 300 manufacturers, including parking stops
and traffic control devices. For more information,
contact the American Plastics Council (APC),
1300 Wilson Blvd., 13th Floor, Arlington, VA 22209.
Phone: 800 2-HELP-90. Outside of U.S.: 703 253-
0710. Web site: .
Internet Sites—Product
Information
• Recycling Data Network Information Services:
. This com-
mercial Web site provides access, on a subscription
basis, to a recycled-content products database of
over 4,500 listings in 700 product classifications. It
also provides a reference library and a newsletter.
Managed by the publisher of the Official Recycled
Products Guide, the product database is considered
to be the largest of its kind.
Internet Sites—Government
• The Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines:
. This site describes EPA's effort
to facilitate the procurement of products containing
recovered materials, including information on CPG,
RMANs, and an online database of manufacturers
and suppliers designated items.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP):
. EPA's EPP program encourages
and assists executive agencies in purchasing envi-
ronmentally preferable products and services. The
site explains EPA's guiding principles for including
environmental performance in purchasing decision-
making and posts case studies of successful pilot
projects in both the public and private sectors.
• Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
(OFEE): . OFEE's mission is to advo-
cate, coordinate, and assist environmental efforts of
the federal community in waste prevention, recy-
cling, affirmative procurement of CPG items, and
the acquisition of recycled and environmentally
preferable products and services.
• Federal Trade Commission: . The Federal Trade
Commission issued Guides for the Use of
Environmental Marketing Claims in May 1998.
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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Jobs Through Recycling: . EPA's
Jobs Through Recycling program stimulates eco-
nomic growth and recycling market development by
assisting businesses and supporting a network of
state and regional recycling contacts. This Web site
provides information on financing and technical
assistance for recycling businesses, as well as other
market development tools.
California Recycled-Content Product Database:
. This site contains infor-
mation on why to buy recycled-content products,
how to procure them, and provides access to a
database with information on products, as well as
manufacturers, distributors, reprocessors, mills, and
converters across the country.
King County Recycled Product Procurement
Program: . This
site includes information on recycling, source reduc-
tion, and reuse. Contains state municipal solid
waste data and the latest facts and figures on waste
generation and disposal.
WasteWise: . WasteWise
is a free, voluntary EPA program through which
organizations eliminate costly municipal solid
waste, benefitting their bottom line and the environ-
ment. The program provides hands-on assistance to
members to help them purchase or manufacture
recycled-content products, prevent waste, and recy-
cle solid waste materials.
TRANSPORTATION PRODUCTS
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