"Buy Recycled Products so We Can Recycle the Products We Buy"

For a long time, recycled materials have been used in production of new materials and yet, this was not a recognized effort.  Things like paper bags, newspapers and cardboard, always have contained some recycled content, though they were never labeled as such.  This recycled material came from things like collecting newspapers for fundraisers.  That seemingly insignificant effort kept recycled content included in items in minimal proportions.  These fundraisers generated a small amount of material that kept the price of recyclables at a level that helped community groups. At that point, recycling markets weren't really an issue.  It is amazing that people collected recyclables before markets were developed.  With this in mind, it is incredible that recycling survived.

Yet, as more people jumped on the recycling bandwagon, markets have become taxed as the traditional uses for recycled materials are saturated.  Truly, things would be a lot easier if markets were developed along with recycling collection. In order for this to happen:

*Industry must work towards developing products containing recycled content that meet the same or better product specifications and develop technology to utilize recycled materials.

*Consumers must demand and accept recycled content in packaging and their products.

With the increased pressure and growth in recycling collection, recycling will only work if there is a market for the products that come from the recyclables that are collected and reprocessed. This is directed by consumer demand of recycled products.

These efforts also must be supported through legislation. Recycling legislation is becoming more common in states while the federal government is also taking steps to legislate this.  These laws typically establish community "opportunity to recycle" rules. The recycled product purchasing portion typically relates to government purchases, which includes state institutions of higher education.  It usually includes an acceptable price variance for choosing recycled content over virgin materials. These laws are guided by the recycling symbol.

The symbol that represents recycling, features three arrows chasing each other. This "loop" illustrates how recycling is dependent on people not only recycling what they use, but also purchasing recycled products.   The arrow is coming to mean: market development, purchasing and recycled materials collection.  The message is also being broadcast to the public by the Environmental Defense Fund with the slogan: "If you're not buying recycled products, you're not recycling."  

 

Colleges and Universities purchase millions of dollars of products and services annually.  Additionally, they generate millions of pounds in garbage. In establishing a campus recycling effort, it is important to support markets for recyclables through purchasing, while reducing waste through vendor contracts. Additionally, another bonus is that this message is being extended to create a safe environment through consideration of purchasing non-toxic products.

Purchasing on college campuses is a place where waste reduction can play a vital role in reducing costs for managing a recycling program, while additionally stimulating a demand for recycled content packaging and products.  Reducing costs in other areas besides disposal fees, will also create an opportunity to demonstrate smart economics of incorporating waste reduction and recycling into college practices.

Here's some things that can be done to stimulate buy recycled and environmentally preferable purchasing on a college campus:

*Research the state law and university policies.  If there is a recycling law, it probably contains something about price preference on recycled content materials especially paper.  Check with the state on purchasing laws as well to see if there is anything on purchasing recycled content/environmentally preferable purchasing.

*If the campus is not at a state school, it is good to be familiar with these laws and also check with other colleges in the area to see what they do to implement these practices.  The more information, especially related to economic benefits, the easier it will be to convince the college to take steps to support these practices. Remember waste prevention or reduce, is the most vital part of a college recycling effort.

*Build alliances with the college purchasing managers and print shop managers.

*Work to create a campus environmental policy that addresses the issue of buying recycled and non-toxic products. 

 

Environmentally Responsible Purchasing Policy (sample):

The University recognizes that one of the primary methods of exercising its commitment to environmental responsibility is through its purchasing choices. The University will strive to obtain maximum value for its expenditures and will work towards obtaining the "best value" balancing short and long term costs, maintenance, life cycle, and environmental costs in purchasing goods and services.

A. The University acknowledges that environmentally responsible purchasing choices will help create and sustain markets for environmentally responsible and recycled content products.

B. The University commits to the goal of making environmentally and fiscally responsible purchasing choices that consider life cycle costs, long term implications, and relative environmental harm of products.

C. Purchasing policies will encourage obtaining products that minimize waste products, have high recycled content, use environmental production methods, demonstrate maximum durability or biodegradability, reparability, energy efficiency, non toxicity, and recyclability.

 

College Recycled Paper Policy (sample):

It is the policy of the University of ------ to purchase and use recycled paper products, in its operations in accordance with Executive Order No. ------, dated -----.  This policy requires the purchase and use of paper products made from recycled materials when such products are of a quality to satisfy applicable specifications, are available in the desired quantity within a reasonable period of time, and are priced competitively in accordance with preferential rules of the State of ----- Model Public Contract Rules Manual.

Any University of ----- request for bids or quotes for purchase of paper products, including authorized printing from outside vendors, shall include a solicitation of bids or quotes for recycled paper and papers that have not been bleached with chlorine or other hazardous materials.  No specification shall require the use of paper products made exclusively of virgin materials, nor specifically exclude the use of recycled paper or tree-free products, as provided in ---- State statutes.

University Printing Services shall have the authority to specify the minimum recycled content standard in bid solicitations to accomplish the purpose of this policy.  The default for all office equipment that uses paper, such as copiers, printers, and fax machines, shall be set to reflect these specifications, and be in compliance with the State of ---- policy guidelines.  Every effort will be made to eliminate excessive or unnecessary paper use.  Strategies to do so include using:

*electronic mail or other paperless communication

*double-sided copying [EO_90_09]

*half-sheets of paper for all brief, printed on-campus communications

*short distribution and targeted mailing lists to reduce volume

In accordance with the guidelines stated above in this policy, the official stationery program as shown in 'Graphic Style of the University of ----- shall be determined by the Office of University Publications and University Printing Services, with approval by the Environmental Issues Committee.  The use of heavily dyed paper or paper which requires special handling for recycling will be subject to additional charges.

Reviewed and approval recommended by:  President's Staff

Issued by Vice President for Administration

*Work with campus purchasing managers to consider purchasing recycled content and environmentally preferable products through education, contracting, tracking, work with vendors.

*Start with paper as there are many quality 100% post consumer recycled papers on the market.  Post Consumer content is preferred as this is the material that comes from collected recyclables. Pre Consumer content connotes industrial scrap generated before it goes to the consumer, which is good but doesn't support your recycling efforts.

*A student project could include researching recycled content products that are available.

*Work with the purchasing manager to invite vendors to showcase environmentally preferable and recycled content products.  Holding an annual showcase with a guest speaker and discussion is an excellent way to encourage vendors and educate college purchasers.

 

Here are some things that Purchasing Managers can do:

*Add a clause regarding waste generation, in ALL contracts for vendors products and services...request that packaging be minimal and what's left is recyclable, give preference to vendors who take back recyclable packaging waste and also choose products that can last and have replaceable parts. Remember: waste management is an expensive operating cost for all institutions.   These items are brought in from outside the college.  Reducing the cost of waste management is a true savings.

(**Unfortunately, costs of garbage are accepted without question. Administrators see recycling as an extra cost instead of a reduced cost.  Additionally, waste generation is not factored into profit oriented items sold on campus. For example: when a student union negotiates a contract for a particular item, the student union receives the profit and the college recycling program ends up picking up the tab for the waste generated. Some colleges are implementing vendor waste taxes on for profit items on campuses to create vendor responsibility.

*Choose nontoxic products, for a safer work place.

*Consider life cost accounting in all purchases.

*Ask questions such as: Is this product made for longevity? Can separate parts be replaced or when something breaks, does it need to be discarded?  How much waste is generated in the acquisition of the products or services?   Can the product or service, be provided with minimum or no waste generated in the process?  Is the packaging recyclable through the college recycling program?  Will the vendor take the packaging back for recycling?  Is the item recyclable and repairable once it has completed it's use?

 

*Spend a little more money at the onset in order to choose quality, longevity and recyclability, which saves us all in the long run, this indeed ties directly in with attaining "best value".

*Choose products that reduce impact on the University and global resources:  many choices are available for energy and water conservation.  Items such as:   energy saver copy machines, computers, printers, lights, washing machines etc...are available sometimes less expensive then items without energy/resource conservation features.  As the amount of new products and technology become part of our daily lives, the impact on our energy and water costs are astronomical.  Consider purchasing items that reduce the impact on our precious resources and make conservation the rule and not the exception.

*Buy products made from recycled materials so we can continue to recycle the products we buy!  There are numerous products on the market now that not only meet the performance standards of virgin products, but are cost competitive. Some items and services are beginning to incorporate waste into the contract.

*Let vendors know of your purchasing policy and interest in these items and practices. More companies are incorporating life cost accounting into their products.  This includes: producer responsibility for their waste, building products that last, incorporating recycling materials into products and purchasing products that promote resource conservation.

 *Research purchasing co-operatives and partnerships.

*Work to create a recycled/environmentally friendly product tracking mechanism on all purchasing forms.

Purchasing practices have a huge impact on the waste stream. Working with Purchasing Managers to recognize this economic impact is critical in taking college recycling full circle.  Recycling is still just one step away from the garbage can. College recycling programs need to consider waste reduction, reuse and waste generation in order to maintain effective recycling efforts.

Resources

American Petroleum Institute 
http://www.recycleoil.org/ 

Architectural Resource Database
ADPSR@aol.com

Bulk Office Paper Buying Club at
http://rfu.org/cp/buying.html

California Integrated Waste Management Board (links to purchasing resources): http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Recyclestore/
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BuyRecycled/
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP/

The Carbohydrate Economy
http://www.carbohydrateeconomy.org 

City of Seattle "green purchasing program"
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/environment/purchasing.htm

EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
http://www.epa.gov/cpg

Conservatree
http://www.conservatree.com/paper/Choose/PaperSelection.shtml 

Co-op America
http://www.coopamerica.org/greenbusiness/ 

EARTHBOUND SYSTEMS INC.
http://www.earthbound95.com

Earth Day Eco-Store 
http://www.earthday.com/about_store.htm

Earth Republic.com
http://www.earthrepublic.com/default.asp?CategoryID=0

Ecomall
http://www.ecomall.com/

Environmental Building News
http://www.ebuild.com

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Database 
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oppt/eppstand2.nsf/Pages/Homepage.html?Open

Environmentally Preferable Products Listserve
Rebecca Bartlett at NERC 802-254-3636 or rbartlet@sover.net 

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/

EPA, Environmental Accounting Project
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/pubs/archive/acct-archive/index.htm

General Services Administration Recycled Products
http://www.gsa.gov

Government Sales Associates 
http://www.governmentsales.com/

GreenBiz 
http://www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/printer.cfm?LinkAdvID=4204

GreenDisk 
http://www.greendisk.com/

Green Earth Office Supplies 
http://www.webcom.com/geos/geos2.html

GreenOrder 
http://www.greenorder.com

Green Seal 
http://www.greenseal.org

GreenSpec
http://www.greenspec.com

Interface Inc.
http://www.interfaceinc.com

Living Tree Paper Company
http://www.livingtreepaper.com/

Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
http://www.moea.state.mn.us

The National Association of Educational Buyers 
http://www.naepnet.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

National Association of State Purchasing Officials
http://fcn.state.fl.us/bpsr/drc_notice.html

The Natural Step
http://www.naturalstep.org/

Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
http://www.ofee.gov/

Oikos
http://www.oikos.com

Panel King (office furniture and environments)
http://www.businessfurnitureshop.com

Plastics Sourcebook
http://sourcebook.plasticsresource.com/complist.asp

Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (DPPEA)
http://www.p2pays.org/

Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC)
http://www.pprc.org/pprc/pubs/topics/envpurch.html

Reach for Unbleached (RFU) 
http://www.rfu.org/

Recycled Paper Coalition 
http://www.papercoalition.org/aboutus.html

The Recycling Data Network
http://www.recyclingdata.com

The Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative (RPPC)
http://www.recycledproducts.org/

The Recycle Store
http://recyclestore.com

ReThink Paper 
http://www.rethinkpaper.org/

Rice Integrated Waste Management Services 
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~recycle/guides/buyrec.html

WasteCap of Lincoln 
http://www.wastecap.org/

USDA biobased products 
http://www.usda-biobasedproducts.net/public/

US EPA Environmental Purchasing Program
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp

US EPA Wastewise Buy Recycled Guide
http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/wrr/buyman.htm

WasteCap of Lincoln
http://www.wastecaplnk.org