II. Purchases
Most printing and office supply paper is purchased through centrally administered term-supply contracts, which enable agencies to purchase hundreds of paper products at low and consistent prices. Recycled paper is specified wherever practicable and purchased whenever available within the 15% price-preference guidelines of the policy.
Recycled paper purchases have grown from 8% at the start of policy implementation in 1989 to 94% in 1998, exceeding the 60% goal established by policy. King County agencies purchased recycled paper goods valued at 1.6 million dollars in 1998.
The table below shows the dollar value and percentage of total recycled paper purchases for 1998 by category.
| 1997-98 Recycled Paper Purchases | $ | % |
|---|---|---|
| Photocopy and Bond Paper | 427,109 | 99 |
| Printing Paper* | 736,689 | 94 |
| Paper Products, Miscellaneous | 431,901 | 87 |
| Totals: | $1,595,699 | 94% |
| *estimated cost of paper only, does not include printing costs | ||
King County purchases of paper fell into three general categories:
The purchase of non-paper recycled-content products is less straightforward than that of paper products. These products are often not well established in the marketplace and are often purchased through complex engineering and construction contracts. Purchases depend on the specifications of designers, based on project-specific materials requirements; acceptance by State, Federal, and other external standards organizations; product performance, price and availability; and the ability of contractors to deliver the expertise required for their use.
The table below represents non-paper recycled product purchases through term supply contracts, construction contracts and direct purchases. Term contract purchases are captured through reporting required of vendors by the Environmental Purchasing Program and the program's liaison network captures data when agencies purchase products by other means. Such purchases occur in construction or other service contracts not tied to term supply contracts or are executed by "direct voucher" for evaluation purposes or for purchases too small for a formal term contract.
County agencies continued to institutionalize use of environmental products in 1998, with purchases totaling nearly $750,000.
| Commodity Purchased | Per | Units | $'s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate, Recycled Concrete | Ton | 21,222 | $166,384 |
| Antifreeze, Remanufactured | Gallon | 1,983 | $9,469 |
| Asphalt, Rubberized | Ton | 1,804 | $67,650 |
| Can Liners, Recycled | Case | 5,148 | $88,244 |
| Compost | Yard | 3,918 | $78,773 |
| Oil, Re-refined | Gallon | 9,716 | $25,850 |
| Plastic Lumber | Each | 143 | $11,000 |
| Shredded Wood | Yard | 66,180 | $85,372 |
| Shredded Wood Mulch | Yard | 618 | $6,049 |
| Tire Retreading | N/A | N/A | $77,240 |
| Toner Cartridges, Remanufactured | Each | 4008 | $123,259 |
| Total Dollars: | $739,290 |
Purchases of non-paper recycled materials require evaluation and application-development by engineers, architects, and other professionals. This section provides details of some of the ways in which County agencies are addressing the challenges presented by these materials.
The specifications used by project managers typically permit contractors to use recycled materials within specified limits, without even telling us about it. Since many of the County's contractors obtain materials from suppliers who routinely incorporate recycled concrete to "extend" standard aggregate, it is likely that substantial amounts of recycled material are being used in this way, but the cost of collecting quantitative data is prohibitive.
Emergency vehicles operated by the Medic-One unit of the Department of Public Health receive warranty-maintenance service from a Ford dealership. At the request of Medic-One, the dealership recently agreed to use re-refined oil for this service and accepted delivery of a pallet-load (96 cases) of re-refined oil for that purpose.
From 1992 to 1994, contracts required used motor-oil to be re-refined for use as new motor-oil. Bidders for the current oil-supply contract were unable to offer this service in our area, however, and used oil is sold as "bunker-oil," to be burned as fuel in large marine engines, power generating stations, industrial boilers and furnaces. We believe that the experience local vendors gained through past contracts with King County will help them as they work toward re-establishing "closed-loop" systems for oil supply.
Can-Liners In 1998, King County purchased over 5,000 cases of can-liners at a cost of $88,000. These were made with 30% high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and 25% low-density polyethylene (LDPE) recycled post-consumer plastic. Included in this number is the purchase of 30,000 litterbags containing 10% post-consumer plastic, purchased by the Renton Maintenance Facility of the Fleet Administration Division. For the fifth consecutive year, the E-911 program of the Emergency Management Division of the Department of Information and Administrative Services purchased 200 cases of litterbags, at a cost of $14,000. These were manufactured with 25% recycled content and bear the chasing-arrows logo.
Plastic Lumber - Equipment Shop The Renton Maintenance Facility of the Fleet Administration Division requires new dump trucks to be outfitted with recycled plastic sideboards before delivery. High-quality old growth fir had been customarily used in this application, but it is increasingly scarce and expensive. Since 1996, the Division has been retrofitting all of its trucks with recycled plastic because it is more impact-resistant and needs to be replaced less frequently, saving money in the long-term despite its higher initial cost. The truck-equipment vendor originally delivered these sideboards only because King County specified them, but now offers them as a standard option for all of its customers because of its superior performance and lower long-term cost. In the past year, the Renton Facility has purchased 24 plastic sideboards, at a total cost of $3,600. Because replacement frequency has been reduced from two wooden sideboards per week to fewer than one plastic sideboard per month, the Division is saving $5,000 per year in materials costs alone.
Plastic Lumber - Parks Applications Parks Division has purchased plastic lumber for bench-slat replacement, playground equipment,bollards,and more. For many of these applications, plastic lumber is preferred for its resistance to decay,graffiti and chemical damage. This material results in significant cost-savings when used as a substitute for chemically treated lumber in applications involving contact with soil and water and in other high-maintenance environments. In 1997, two new playground structures installed at Fort Dent by the Parks Division contained 85% recycled material, including recycled plastic, steel and aluminum. Similar installations are occurring around the County as playground structures are replaced. Most of the new playground structures being selected contain high levels of recycled materials. In 1997, Parks Division purchased 5 plastic picnic tables for a total of $2,000, using a contract maintained by the State of Washington. The tables were placed at Five-Mile Park. Parks Division used plastic lumber for engraved posts at 17 campground sites and 8 water stations at the Tolt River Campground. Parks personnel are testing the plastic to determine how well this material will hold up to weather and water-contact. Wood posts in this environment have a 4-5 year replacement schedule.
Plastic Lumber - Roads Applications The Bridge Unit of Roads Division is using recycled plastic "seam-plates" for seismic upgrades to County bridges. In the past year, they have used these on three bridges with plans to use them in future projects.
Plastic Lumber - Stadium Applications Stadium Administration Maintenance Section personnel have used recycled plastic lumber to replace wooden 4"x4"x8' "channel boards" to secure the Kingdome artificial turf since 1993. The performance is superior to that of virgin lumber, installation requires less labor, and this method has demonstrated a longer replacement schedule and a lower long-term cost. In the past year, Stadium personnel have purchased 75 boards at a cost of almost $1,200 with total savings to the County estimated at over $5,000 per year, including labor. In 1998, Stadium personnel worked with the supplier to prepare the lumber before delivery, which reduced installation costs. This method has generated interest from stadia around the country and has been adopted by both the Minneapolis Metrodome and B.C. Place in Vancouver B.C., Canada. The stadium has also used recycled plastic for sign-blanks and for "skid pads" for the feet of portable bleachers, both with good results.
Plastic Lumber - Transit Applications In 1998, Transit Division purchased 14 recycled plastic benches at a cost of over $3500. These benches will be used in a pilot project on public property where the bus routes don't warrant a bus shelter. Transit maintenance personnel expect that maintenance costs will be lower with these new benches.
The Cedar Hills landfill uses this material, as well as recycled concrete aggregate, to provide stable driving-surfaces, especially during rainy seasons. The landfill purchased over 66,000 yards of this material, at a cost of $85,000, in 1998, saving an estimated $65,000 by using wood-mulch instead of virgin aggregate.
The Department of Construction and Facilities Management and the Airport Division purchased 150 cubic yards of wood-mulch for landscape application. Its performance is superior to the ground-bark typically used in this application. It decays less rapidly, is more economical, and provides a natural appearance.
In 1998, the Roads Division purchased almost 500 yards of wood-mulch for erosion control. This product was a substitute for a standard wood-chip material and was used at a storm-water detention pond project in the Northeast corner of the County.
In 1998, the County saved an estimated $600,000 by purchasing recycled materials through supply-contracts. The table below shows 1998 savings by commodity. More examples of savings can be found in Section III, "Environmental Initiatives of County Agencies".
The Environmental Purchasing Program has helped agencies identify opportunities to purchase environmentally preferable products that not only perform well, but also save money. In some cases, the product simply costs less and in other cases there are savings in installation and maintenance costs. For example: the cost of a remanufactured toner cartridge is about one-third the cost of a new cartridge; wood-mulch costs roughly one-third as much as bark; shredded wood costs less than virgin aggregate; plastic lumber avoids the consumption of virgin timber and reduces maintenance cost; buying concrete aggregate avoids the consumption of virgin aggregate; and it costs half as much to retread a tire as to buy a new tire.
| Commodity | $ | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Toner cartridges | 300,000 | Product |
| Shredded wood-waste | 65,000 | Product |
| Shredded wood mulch | 4,000 | Product |
| Concrete aggregate | 20,000 | Product |
| Plastic Lumber | 10,000 | Product and maintenance |
| Rubblizing (asphalt) | 90,000 | Avoided disposal and product |
| Tire Retreading | 77,000 | Product |
| Total Dollars: | $566,000 | |
| Note that the amounts shown above reflect only the cost of materials and do not include savings in labor costs for installation or maintenance. | ||
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Table of Contents - 1998 Annual Report
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