Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
GUIDE SECTIONS:
Introduction:
Environmentally preferred purchasing (EPP) means practicing pollution prevention when making new purchases. Several EPP strategies are:
- buying only what you intend to use
- buying in bulk
- avoiding extensive packaging
- buying locally
- buying least hazardous products (cleaners, paints, etc.)
- looking for products with high post consumer recycled content!
- buying remanufactured and factory reconditioned
Federal Links
- EPA's EPP Home www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/
- EPA List of re-refined Oil Vendors www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/pdf/voils.pdf
- Federal Supply Service-Green Products
- EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/index.htm
- Federal Energy Star Programs http://www.energystar.gov/
- Federal Gov. EPP Success Stories http://www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/pubs/FedPioneers.pdf
- Selling Environmental Products to the Government http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/stgbrochure.pdf
- Selling Energy-Efficient Products to the Government http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/sell_to_gov.pdf
State Based Links
- EPP Guide - Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board of Minnesota Metropolitan Counties http://www.swmcb.org/
- Environmentally Friendly Purchasing resources http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/
- Connecticut DEP How to Buy Recycled www.dep.state.ct.us/wst/recycle/buycycl.htm
- California Buy Recycled Program www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BuyRecycled/
- King County, WA, Purchasing Department www.kingcounty.gov/operations/procurement/Services/Environmental_Purchasing.aspx
Other Organizations
- Green Seal Product Certifications www.greenseal.org
- EPPNET - Listserve sponsored by the Northeast Recycling Council http://www.nerc.org/eppnet/index.html
- PPRC Product Stewardship, Greening Supply Chains, www.pprc.org
Product Specific Links
- Information on recycled paper www.treecycle.com/info.html
