Affirmative Procurement:

Buying Recycled and Biobased Products

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Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

Often referred to as “green purchasing," Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP),  is the affirmative selection and acquisition of products and services that most effectively minimize negative environmental impacts over their life cycle of manufacturing, transportation, use and recycling or disposal. Examples of environmentally preferable characteristics include products and services that conserve energy and water, minimize generation of waste and releases of pollutants; products made from recycled materials and that can be reused or recycled; energy from renewable resources such as bio-based fuels, solar and wind power; alternate fuel vehicles; and products using alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals, radioactive materials and biohazardous agents.  For more information on EPP (procedures and guidelines), go to the Procurement and Property Management website (BNL internal only).

Review the list of products that have been designed by USEPA

If a product appears on this list, you must buy the product made from recycled materials unless it is unavailable, not cost effective, or doesn't meet quality specifications [Cost, availability, performance (CAP)].

• Your justification for NOT procuring the environmentally preferable product must be documented.
• No exceptions for paper, 30% post-consumer, if unavailable purchase 20%.
• If unavoidable conflict, recycled content takes precedence over bio-based content.
• Maintain written justification on file for any products not meeting specifications if the cost is over $2500.  Proposed legislation would require reporting these exceptions.

Resources for Green Product Information

• DOE Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
• Alternative Fuels/Vehicles
• Biobased Products
• Electronic Equipment
• Energy Efficient Products
• Water Efficient Products
• Non-Ozone Depleting Substances
• Recycled Products
• Sustainable Buildings
• Fed Center
• Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
• EPA EPP Database
• DOE-HQ Blanket Ordering Agreements
• DOE-HQ Bulk Purchasing Tool for ENERGY STAR Equipment

Executive Order 13423

EPP Presentations

• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
• EPP - Green Products
  

QUESTIONS about the BNL Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program? Contact Anna Bou, ext. 5140.

Last Modified: September 28, 2010
Please forward all questions about this site to: Karen Ratel

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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