Buy-Recycled Series
VEHICULAR PRODUCTS
COMPREHENSIVE
PROCUREMENT
GUIDELINES
VEHICULAR
julH***^
If you're a fleet manager, buying
recycled products can take you
a long way down the road
toward protecting the environment
and saving resources. Cost-effec-
tive, reliable, and high-quality recy-
cled-content vehicular products,
such as re-refined oil,
retread tires, recycled
engine coolants, and rebuilt
vehicular parts are being
used with success by many
government agencies
nationwide.
To make it easier to buy
recycled, the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) updates the
Buying recycled products... Comprehensive
...conserves natural resources
...saves energy
...reduces solid waste
...reduces air and water pollutants
...reduces greenhouse gases
...creates new jobs
nts
Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-530-F-04-018
www.epa.gov/osw
May 2004
Procurement Guidelines
(CPG) every 2 years.
Through the CPG, EPA des-
ignates items that must
contain recycled materials
when purchased with
appropriated federal funds
by federal, state, and local
agencies, or by government
contractors. Several vehicu-
lar products are among these items.
EPAs research shows that the
items designated in the CPG are of
high quality, widely available, and
cost-competitive with virgin prod-
ucts. EPA also issues nonregulatory
companion guidance—the
Recovered Materials Advisory
Notice (RMAN)—that recommends
levels of recycled content 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 agencies to buy
recycled-content products designated by
EPA in the CPG. Issued in May 1995, the first
CPG designated 19 new products (including
engine coolants) and incorporated five previous-
ly designated items (including re-refined lubri-
cating oils and retread tires) in eight product
categories. The first CPG update (CPG II) was
published in November 1997. A second CPG
update (CPG III) was published in January 2000.
Neither of these updates designated any new
vehicular products. The third CPG update (CPG
IV), published in April 2004, designated seven
new products, including rebuilt vehicular parts.
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
recycled-content level practicable. The CPG
also applies to lease contracts covering desig-
nated items. Executive Order 13101 and the
Federal Acquisition Regulation also call for an
increase in the federal government's use of
recycled-content and environmentally prefer-
able 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
re-refined lubricating oils, retread tires, and
engine coolants. Agencies must also revise
their affirmative procurement programs to
include the new items designated under CPG
IV by April 30, 2005. This effort might involve
reviewing specifications for those items and
eliminating provisions that pose barriers to
procuring them with recycled content (such as
aesthetic requirements unrelated to product
performance).
The CPG acknowledges that specific circum-
stances might arise that preclude the purchase
of products made with recovered materials.
Your agency may purchase designated items
that do not contain recovered materials if it
determines that: 1) the price of a given desig-
nated item made with recovered materials is
unreasonably high, 2) there is inadequate com-
petition (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.
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How Do I Purchase Recycled-
Content Vehicular 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-con-
tent levels to look for when purchasing vehic-
ular products, as shown in the table below.
Following the RMANs' recommended levels
will help ensure your affirmative procurement
program and standards 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 recy-
cled content, the RMANs recommend ranges
that reflect actual market conditions. The rec-
ommendations 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
section of this fact sheet for other helpful
resources.
EPA's Recommendations for Purchasing Vehicular Products
VEHICULAR PRODUCT
Re-Refined Oil
Retread Tires
Engine Coolants
Rebuilt Vehicular Parts
RECOMMENDATIONS
Use 25% or more re-refined oil base stock for engine lubricating oils, hydraulic
fluids, and gear oils.
Procurement of tire retreading services for the agencies' used tire casings:
EPA recommends that procuring agencies specify that tire repair and retread
services must conform to Federal Specification ZZ-T-441H (or current version).
Procurement of tires through competition between vendors of new tires and
vendors of retread tires:
EPA recommends that procuring agencies specify that retread tires must meet
the requirements of Federal Specification ZZ-T-381, "Tires, Pneumatic,
Vehicular (Highway) (New and Retreaded)."
Reclaim engine coolants on site or contract for offsite reclamation services.
Also request reclaimed engine coolant when having vehicles serviced at com-
mercial service centers and buy it when making direct purchases.
EPA recommends that procuring agencies whose vehicles (passenger vehicles as
well as medium- and heavy-duty equipment, including trucks, cranes, off-road
vehicles, and military vehicles) are serviced by a motor pool or vehicle mainte-
nance facility establish a service contract to require the use of rebuilt vehicular
parts in the agencies' vehicles or establish a program for vehicular parts rebuild-
ing and reuse consisting of either recovering a used vehicular part and rebuild-
ing it, replacing it with a rebuilt part, or contracting to have the part replaced
with a rebuilt part. This designation applies to vehicles served by both on-site
and commercial facilities.
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Myths and Facts About Recycled-
Content Vehicular Products
People are often reluctant to try new tech-
nologies. Recycled-content products are
no exception. Out-of-date and incorrect
information about the uses and benefits of
recycled-content products lead people to
believe that they do not work as well as virgin
products. Several agencies using recovered-
content products, however, have proven that
these products work well and that they are
cost-effective. Some of the common myths
about recycled-content vehicular products are
dispelled below. At the end of this fact sheet,
you can find an extensive list of additional
resources for more information.
• Re-Refined Oil
M.YTH: Re-refined lubricating oil is inferior to new
lubricating oil.
FACT: Re-refined oil is subject to the same stringent
refining, compounding, and performance standards
as virgin oil. Extensive laboratory testing and field
studies conducted by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, the U.S. Army, the U.S.
Department of Energy, the U.S. Postal Service
(USPS), and EPA concluded re-refined oil is equiva-
lent to virgin oil, passes all prescribed tests, and can
even outperform virgin oil. The American
Petroleum Institute (API) has licensed qualified re-
refined oil products, which display the API starburst
and/or donut symbol.
• ••
M.YTH: Using re-refined oil voids manufacturers'
warranties.
FACT: All three major U.S. automobile manufacturers
(i.e., Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) now
recognize that re-refined oil meets the performance
criteria specified in their warranties. Each has issued
a written statement explaining that the use of
re-refined oil will not void warranties. Warranty
requirements are based on performance criteria and
not on the origin of the base oil. As long as the
purchased oil meets the warranty requirements,
the warranty must be honored.
• Retread Tires
M.YTH: Retreads are less safe than new tires.
FACT: Statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of
Transportation show that nearly all tires involved
in any tire-related accidents were underinflated or
bald. Properly maintained tires, both new and
retreaded, do not cause accidents. Retread tires have
been safely used on school buses, trucks, cars, fire
engines, and other emergency vehicles for years.
MYTH: Retreads have a higher failure rate than new tires.
FACT: Rubber on the road comes from both new tires
and retread tires, primarily from truck tires that are
overloaded, underinflated, or otherwise abused. New
or retread tire failures can be greatly reduced by
following all the rules of good maintenance, includ-
ing proper mating with regard to diameter and tread
depth and design, and maintaining proper air
pressure.
• Recycled Engine Coolants
MYTH: Recycled engine coolant is inferior to new
engine coolant.
FACT: Testing shows recycled coolant meets national-
ly recognized performance specifications for new
coolant, such as those established by ASTM and the
Society of Automotive Engineers. The recycling
process reduces the chlorides that come from hard
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water so that recycled antifreeze might actually
be purer than virgin coolant.
M.YTH: Recycled coolant costs more than new
coolant.
FACT: Recycled coolant might cost less than new
coolant if you select the right recycling process for
your shop. You must consider the cost of new
coolant and your current disposal costs and compare
these to the cost of onsite or offsite recycling.
M.YTH: Spent coolants are hazardous waste and those
handling them must follow hazardous waste regula-
tions.
FACT: Spent coolants are not listed by EPA as a haz-
ardous waste. Some older test data indicated used
coolant sometimes had levels of lead requiring it to
be managed as a hazardous waste. Most new vehicle
radiators are made with aluminum cores and plastic
tanks, so there is less opportunity for lead contami-
nation of coolant today than in the past. Still, some
states consider coolant to be hazardous. Contact
your state environmental agency for further infor-
mation.
M.YTH: Recycled coolant will void manufacturers'
warranties.
FACT: Coolant recyclers have worked with automo-
tive and truck engine original equipment manufac-
turers (OEMs) to get their approval on coolant
recycling processes. Check with your recycler for a
list of OEM approvals.
Coolant Recycling Processes
The RMAN recommends that procuring
agencies establish a program for engine
coolant reclamation and reuse either on
site or through a service contract. There are
three general types of coolant recycling pro-
cesses: filtration, distillation, and ion
exchange. Since variations exist among the
various processes, check with the system man-
ufacturer for specifics regarding coolant pro-
duced by the system.
Filtration is the most common type of coolant
recycling process. It has the lowest initial
investment but has high operating costs.
Coolants often contain dissolved solids and fil-
tration systems often require pre- and post-fil-
ter treatment as well.
Distillation evaporates and recondenses the
coolant. This is a slow process with a high ini-
tial investment, but it requires less operator
time and lower operating costs. Solids and
other chemicals are left behind as a residue
that must be managed according to applicable
laws.
Ion exchange removes solids and other chemi-
cals from the coolant as it passes through a
resin bed. Periodically, this bed must be regen-
erated to remove the buildup. Equipment costs
are higher than most other systems. Operating
costs are comparable to filtration systems.
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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 can be accessed
on the Internet.
EPA Expands Comprehensive Procurement
Guideline (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
III (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—General
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 free of charge.
For more information, contact the National
Recycling Coalition, 1325 G Street NW Suite 1025,
Washington, DC 20005-31 °4- Phone: 202 347-0450.
Fax: 202 347-0449. Web site: .
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
76115-9939. 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 .
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Environmental Products Guide. This 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 .
Tires, Pneumatic for Passenger, Light Truck,
Medium Truck/Bus, and Retread Services,
Federal Supply Schedule, Group 26, Part 1. Lists
a variety of retread tires available for purchase.
Official Recycled Products Guide. This document is
a comprehensive directory of recycled-content prod-
ucts and contains more than 5,000 listings of manu-
facturers and distributors, including those of
re-refined oil, retread tires, and engine coolants.
Contact: Recycling Data Management Corporation,
P.O. Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Phone: 800
267-0707. Fax: 877 471-3258.
Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
(OFEE). OFEE offers a number of resources, listed
below, to help government agencies learn about
CPG-designated products. Contact: Phone: 202 564-
1297. Fax: 202 564-1393. Web site: .
Email: task_force@ofee.gov.
Closing the Circle News. This newsletter
reports on the government's progress toward an
environmentally conscious and friendly
approach to recycling, acquisitions, and procure-
ment.
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 to those achieving compliance. Updated
in February 2001, it is available from OFEE. Phone:
202 564-1297. Fax: 202 564-1393. Web site:
. Email: task_force@ofee.gov. An
electronic version of the document can be viewed
in PDF format at .
E-mail: info@retread.org
• Tire Industry Association. This international associ-
ation, formed by the merger of the International Tire
and Rubber Association (ITRA) and the Tire
Association of North America (TANA), represents
all aspects of the tire industry. For more informa-
tion, contact Marvin Bozarth, Senior Technical
Consultant, P.O. Box 37203, Louisville, KY 40233-
7203. Phone: 502 968-8900. Toll Free: 800 426-8835.
Fax: 502 964-7859.
Email: mbozarth@tire industry.org.
Web site: .
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Other Sources—Recovered Engine
Coolants
• The Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) paper
number 921634, An Evaluation of Engine Coolant
Recycling Technologies, offers information about
recovered engine coolants. The paper is available for
$10 by calling SAE's toll free number in the United
States and Canada at 877 606-7323. Web site:
.
Other Sources—Rebuilt Vehicular Parts
• The Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association
(APRA) includes more than 1,800 member compa-
nies that rebuild automotive related parts such as
starters, alternators, clutches, transmissions, brakes,
drive shafts, and other parts for passenger cars,
trucks, off-road, equipment, and industrial uses. For
more information, visit , call 703
968-2878, or Email mail@apra.org.
Internet Sites—Product
_ Information
• Recycling Data Network Information
Services: .
This commercial Web site provides access, on a sub-
scription basis, to a recycled-content products
database of over 4,500 listings in 700 product classi-
fications. 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.
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