Resource

Buying Recycled

May 1, 2005

The Big Picture

Buying recycled products helps create markets for recovered materials and is a necessary component of closing the recycling loop. Recycled-content products typically perform as well or better than virgin products and often are competitively priced. Buy-recycled campaigns also can bolster a company’s environmental image.

The Context

Recycling is only part of the process of using resources more wisely; those recycled materials must be turned into new products and purchased by consumers. The U.S. government recognized this important connection in 1998 when it passed an executive order requiring federal agencies to buy recycled (and other environmentally preferable) goods. Many state and local governments also have adopted buy-recycled policies. The private sector is following that lead by establishing buy-recycled policies to cover many facets of purchasing, from office paper to retread tires. Buying recycled isn’t just for offices: manufacturers can replace virgin materials with recycled-content materials in their products or manufacturing processes.

Key Players

Management commitment is key to a successful buy-recycled program. Establish a written policy, specifying recycled-content rates for products (what percentages of postconsumer recycled content a product should have) and price guidelines.
Purchasing coordinators should have training in recycled-content products, know where to purchase products, and promote the program to other employees.
Product vendors may be able to order recycled products, even though they may not advertise those products. Work with current suppliers to see if they can provide recycled products; if not, there are numerous resources for finding recycled-content products.

Getting Down to Business

Buying recycled can be easily integrated into existing purchasing practices. Many recycled products compare favorably in quality to virgin products, are readily available, and are equal in price, or differ only slightly from non-recycled product prices.

Since 1990, McDonald’s has purchased $3 billion worth of recycled products for construction, equipment, and packaging in its worldwide operations. All McDonald’s trayliners, Happy Meal boxes, bags, napkins, and drink holders are made from recycled paper. Many of the company’s building materials — such as carpet and ceiling tiles — also use recovered materials and some Ronald’s PlayPlace surfaces are made from recycled automobile tires.
The Presidio Trust in San Francisco, which manages the Presidio national park, set a recycled-procurement policy in 1999 and works to exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for affirmative procurement. The trust provides training and lists of products, including recycled-content ranges, to the employees authorized to make purchases. A sustainability coordinator is available to help source products.
Clothing retailer Patagoniauses post-consumer recycled fleece made from plastic bottles in nearly all of its fleece garments. Each piece of clothing uses approximately 25 two-liter plastic bottles. Patagonia worked with a fiber manufacturer to develop and test the recycled-plastic fiber. Independent scientific certification finds the fiber to be easier on the environment than virgin polyester.
Businesses participating in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program purchased more than 450,000 tons of recycled-content products in 1998, spending $4.7 billion. Some of the recycled-content products most frequently purchased by WasteWise partners include copier paper, paper towels, and toilet paper. Many companies also manufactured new products with recycled content, or increased the percentage of recycled content in existing manufactured products, diverting 158,000 tons of waste.

The Upside

Positive publicity resulting from the company’s commitment to buying recycled and to the environment.
Financial savings. Some recycled products, such as retread tires, are less expensive than products from virgin materials. Others, however, are slightly more expensive than traditional products. As demand increases, prices should drop.
Market development by providing markets for recovered materials and creating jobs through the recycling and remanufacturing industries.

Reality Check

It may take more time to find products with recycled content than to find virgin products, as recycled products aren’t as commonly available.

The cost of certain recycled products may be more than virgin products. However, be sure to compare equitable products. For example, the cheap multi-purpose paper found in many office supply stores is significantly less expensive than recycled-content paper, but the recycled paper is probably a better grade of paper.

Action Plan

Buying recycled requires a top-level commitment and a change in some procurement choices. Steps include:

Formalize company commitment to buy recycled with a written policy.
Designate a team to coordinate buy-recycled efforts.
Investigate available products for performance and quality, cost, and availability.
Discover which products currently in use could be replaced with recycled products.
Explore options with current vendors or set up relationships with new ones.
Evaluate products.
Cooperate with other organizations to purchase products to receive price discounts.
Promote buying recycled to employees.

Leads

Federal Supply Service/General Services Administration coordinates recycled-product purchasing for federal agencies. The Web site lists products available for purchase.
City of Santa Monica’s Environmental Programs division posts a buy-recycled procurement policy on its Web site. It’s a good sample of what a policy could look like.
National Association of Purchasing Management provides purchasing information, with some resources on buying recycled, available only to members. 2055 E. Centennial Circle, P.O. Box 22160, Tempe, AZ 85285. Phone: 800-888-6276. Fax: 480-752-7890.
Buy Recycled Business Alliance, a partnership of the National Recycling Coalition, is a group of organizations committed to promoting buying recycled. Its Web site has a list of recycled-content products, an online forum for posting available and wanted products, and case studies of businesses using recycled products successfully. Resources available to BRBA members include the “Buy Recycled Guidebook,” case studies on interior commercial construction and renovation projects, and fact sheets on recycled-content products.
U.S. Conference of Mayors Buy Recycled Training Institute offers educational courses to recycling coordinators and procurement officials on why and how to buy recycled. Web site provides links to federal and state resources, an overview of the institute, and some best practices.
WasteWise is a voluntary program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Businesses can participate in WasteWise by committing to reduce waste, setting waste-reduction goals, and charting waste-reduction progress. Additionally, WasteWise partners commit to buying recycled products.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 5306W, 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: 800-372-9473. Fax: 703 308-8686 Tumarkin.Jeff@epamail.epa.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Comprehensive Procurement Guideline Web site has fact sheets on all types of products, explaining recycled content as it relates to that product set. Recommends recycled-content levels.

Bottom Line

Buying recycled is a fairly common company practice and a painless way to promote an environmental image. Companies that find innovative ways to replace virgin materials in their manufacturing processes can gain recognition for going beyond the established mark.