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King County Environmental Purchasing Program

Model Environmental Purchasing Policy

This model is intended to serve as a general guide to organizations in the development of environmental purchasing policy.


Purpose

This chapter shall be known as the "(Organization) Environmental Purchasing Policy." It's purpose is to ensure that agencies purchase recycled and other environmentally preferable products whenever they meet price and performance requirements.

Definitions

A. "Environmentally Preferable Products" means products that have a lesser impact on human health and the environment when compared with competing products. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product.
 
B. "Recycled Products" are products manufactured with waste material that has been recovered or diverted from solid waste.
 
C. "Practicable" means sufficient in performance and available at a reasonable cost.

Policies

A. (Organization) agencies shall purchase recycled and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable.

B. (Organization) agencies shall require contractors and consultants to use recycled and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable.


Responsibilities of (Lead) Agency

The (lead) agency shall be responsible for coordinating the implementation of this policy.
This agency shall:

A. Assign appropriate personnel to fulfill the requirements of this policy.

B. Research opportunities for procurement of recycled and other environmentally preferable products and communicate these to purchasing decision makers for evaluation and purchase.

C. Collaborate with specifying agencies to prepare or revise bid documents and contract language where necessary to implement this chapter.

D. Collect data on purchases by (organization) of recycled and other environmentally preferable products.

E. Prepare and submit an annual report to the (appropriate administrative unit) by (appropriate date) of each year, describing the progress of agencies in implementation of the Environmental Purchasing Policy, including the following elements:

i. Quantities, costs, and types of recycled and other environmentally preferable products purchased;

ii. A summary of savings achieved through the purchase of recycled and other environmentally preferable products;

iii. A summary of program promotional efforts;

iv. Recommendations for changes in procurement policy

F. Promote the use of recycled and other environmentally preferable products by publicizing its environmental purchasing policy and its implementation.


Responsibilities of All Agencies

Each (organization) agency shall:

A. Assign appropriate personnel to evaluate opportunities for the purchase of recycled and other environmentally preferable products communicated by the (Lead) Agency or independently developed;

B. Purchase recycled and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable and require this of their contractors;

C. Report evaluation results and purchases of recycled and other environmentally preferable products to the (Lead) Agency by (appropriate date) each year.


Exemptions

Nothing in this policy shall be construed as requiring the purchase of products that do not perform adequately or are not available at a reasonable price.

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Updated: March, 2004


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