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.

-------
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
                                         PAGE 2

-------
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
                                      PAGE  3

-------
    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
                                                    PAGE 4

-------
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
                                             PAGE  5

-------
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
                                             PAGE 6

-------
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
                                             PAGE  7

-------