King County Environmental Purchasing Program

Introduction

Regulations

The Washington State Department of Ecology has implemented an Interim Enforcement Policy, “Conditional Exclusion for Cathode Ray Tubes and Related Electronic Wastes."

As of October 1, 2005, King County residents and businesses are no longer allowed to dispose of computers, laptops, monitors, TVs and cell phones in the garbage or at transfer stations.

The export of electronic waste to developing countries is also of concern. Some electronic recyclers in the United States are sending discarded products to China, India, Pakistan, and other developing countries, where labor costs are lower and environmental regulations are often lax or not enforced. The recycling is often conducted without the necessary precautions required to ensure worker safety and to prevent toxic releases to the environment.  citation: according to the Product Stewardship Institute

Usage History and Experience

Bid and Contract Language

King County's 2003 Invitation-To-Bid for Electronic Recycling Services:

 

This section contains excerpts from the provisions of King County's 2003 Invitation-To-Bid for Electronic Recycling Services:

Full text of King County's 2003 Electronics Recycling bid

Please note: This contract expired in 2006. King County now uses the State of Washington contract (below)

Bid #12482 Recycling Services, Electronic

SECTION 5 - SPECIFICATIONS

5-1        PURPOSE

The purpose of this Invitation to Bid (ITB) is to establish a contract that will enable King County to obtain Electronics Recycling Services as requested by various King County Departments, Divisions, and agencies.  The contract period shall be one (1) year from the date of award of this ITB.  King County may extend the contract period for two (2) additional one-year periods in accordance with the County’s best interest and at the sole option of the County.

King County defines electronics recycling as the means that equipment is reused, dismantled, or processed for the reuse or refining of its component parts so as to bring or restore the material to a state in which it can be used as a feedstock for manufacturing processes.

 5-2       MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

A.  Vendor shall not maintain outdoor piles of dismantled equipment or parts, unless secondary containment is provided to prevent dust or runoff to drains.

B.  Burning or incineration shall not be considered recycling for the purposes of this contract.

C.  Monitors, Televisions and other equipment containing Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs):

Vendor shall separate the plastic housings, copper wires and metals, CRTs and other materials. The CRTs shall be recycled at domestic (United States and Canada) glass-to-glass recycling facilities, lead smelters, or glass recyclers, per the Washington State Department of Ecology's Interim Enforcement Policy. Other components shall be recycled at appropriate recycling facilities.  The vendor shall document any materials that cannot be recycled and that are disposed, per section 5-4 Usage Reports.

D.  Other Electronic Equipment (i.e. CPUs, circuit boards, power supplies, laptop computers, peripherals, VCRs, cables, etc)

Vendor shall recycle the electronic equipment at appropriate domestic (United States and Canada) recycling facilities, in accordance with all Federal, State and Local regulations.  The vendor shall document any materials that cannot be recycled and that are disposed, per section 5-4 Usage Reports.

E.   Batteries

Vendor shall recycle batteries at a permitted battery recycling facility.

F.  Bidders shall designate where the items will go for reuse, demanufacturing, recycling, or disposal. The list shall include all designated facilities that are involved in the handling and processing of the equipment.  The list shall include each sub-contractor, broker, recycler, processor and transporter used in fulfilling this contract, and for each, shall provide a contact person, phone number, site address, and EPA ID number, if applicable.  Bidders unable to provide a list, at the time of bid, of designated facilities will be disqualified.

G.  The contractor shall allow physical inspection of their facilities, including those of any sub-contractor, at any time upon notification by King County, to verify certification and to pre-qualify any and all subcontractors to be used in conjunction with this contract.

H.  The contractor shall be currently operating out of a commercial facility, which is open and accessible to County personnel, without prior notice during normal business hours.  Facilities shall be available between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays).

5-3    REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Vendor shall comply with all Federal, State, and Local regulations, and shall handle Dangerous Wastes in compliance with WAC 173-303, regardless of whether or not the processing location is in Washington state. 

The Vendor shall comply with the Washington State Department of Ecology's Interim Enforcement Policy Conditional Exclusion for Cathode Ray Tubes and Related Electronic Wastes, and shall provide a copy of the letter submitted to the Department of Ecology that notifies Ecology that they are handling CRTs and other electronic wastes. 

5-4    USAGE REPORTS

Annually, the contractor shall furnish to the Procurement Services Section usage reports showing a summary of the services and/or history of each county agency for the previous contract year.  The report must show at minimum, the reporting period, description and total quantity of each item recycled/processed during the period, county agency, and total dollars billed per agency.  King County reserves the right to request additional information, if required, when reviewing contract activity.

Quarterly, the contractor shall furnish to the Solid Waste Division usage reports showing the following:

A. The Vendor shall list each sub-contractor, facility, and transporter used in fulfilling this contract, and for each, shall provide a contact person, phone number, site address, and EPA ID number, if applicable.  The report shall also include the process and/or procedure used for each batch or unit accepted from the County.

B. Vendor shall provide documentation, describing which, if any, materials were disposed, the final destination of such materials, and the method of disposal.

SECTION 6 – PRICING

RECYCLING
ITEM NO.	DESCRIPTION		ESTIMATED QUANTITIES	PRICE
1	CRT		350	$_______________/unit
2	Television, under 27”		20	$_______________/unit
3	Television, over 27”		20	$_______________/unit
4	Batteries Batteries contained within equipment including, but not limited to: lead acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium, lithium-ion		100	$____________/pound
5	Other Electronic Equipment King County defines other electronic equipment as: computer terminals, central processing units, laptop computers, main frame computers, power cables/connectors, power supply units, printed circuit boards  and computer cards, printers, scanners, keyboards,    mice, VCR, stereos, radios, telephones - all types, copiers,     fax machines		3250	$____________/pound
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation of items to be recycled may be done by awarded Vendor or King County Agency personnel, at the County’s discretion.  Pick up by awarded Vendor shall occur within 48 hours of call from King County Agency personnel. There will be no transportation charges for items dropped off by King County.
ITEM NO.		DESCRIPTION	ESTIMATED QUANTITIES	PRICE
6		Price per trip within Seattle City Limits	50	$_______________/trip
7		Price per trip outside Seattle, but within KC	20	$_______________/trip

 

State of Washington Contract

Contract #11601 - Spent Lighting, Computer and Electronic Equipment Collection, Reuse, Recycling and Disposal Services

    King County's contract based on state bid

Current vendor:

EcoLights Northwest, Inc. (Subsidiary of Total Reclaim, Inc.)

1915 South Corgait Drive

Seattle, Washington 98124

Phone: (888) 214-2327 or (206)343-7443

E-mail: Craig Lorch

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