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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnviromental Purchasing Policy ☒City Council Approved: 3/20/2012 ☐City-Wide Revised: ☐Department City of Edina Policy ENVIRONMENTAL PURCHASING Purpose and Scope The City of Edina Environmental Purchasing Policy is a guide to the selection of goods and services that have minimal impact on the environment. The City recognizes that every purchased product or service affects the environment throughout its life-cycle – from the extraction of raw materials, the manufacturing and transportation of products, to their use and disposal. Careful purchasing decisions use natural resources more efficiently, can lead to significant savings, protect our environment, and increase demand for better products. Specifically, the Policy is adopted in order to:  conserve natural resources, including water and energy,  eliminate or reduce the use of toxic and hazardous compounds,  reduce materials that are landfilled or incinerated,  lower overall costs by addressing full life-cycle cost accounting,  leverage buying power,  assess long term financial/market changes,  invest in technological advances City of Edina departments and employees make purchasing decisions within their current budgets. These budget realities will often preclude the use of products that are greener but more expensive unless “budget relief” is granted to those departments by City Management and/or the City Council. This policy encourages City departments to undertake cost/benefit trade-off analyses and bring recommendations for spending more money for greener outcomes to City Management and the City Council where that is prudent stewardship of the City’s resources. This policy will apply to all City departments and employees. This policy is subject to the Municipal Contracting Law (MN Statue 471.345), the Presidential Executive Order 13101, and all other applicable laws and ordinances. Definitions For the purpose of this Policy, the following definitions and abbreviations shall apply:  ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials  Bio-based product: A product using biological or renewable agricultural (plant, animal or marine) or forestry materials.  Biodegradable: The ability of a substance, material or product ingredient to readily decompose by the action of microbes.  Carcinogen: A chemical that causes cancer.  CFL: Compact Fluorescent Lamp.  Energy Star: An energy efficiency product labeling program by the EPA (http://www.energystar.gov).  EPEAT: Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool; an on-line tool helping institutional purchasers select and compare electronic equipment such as computers and monitors based on their environmental attributes.  Forest Stewardship Council: A global non-profit organization that certifies responsible forest management (http://fscus.org/html/).  IPM: Integrated Pest Management; the use of a combination of pest control methods including improved sanitation, mechanical, physical, biological, or chemical means. Page | 2  PBT: Persistent, Bio accumulative Toxic; pollutants that are toxic, persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in food chains and, thus, pose risks to human health and ecosystems  Petroleum-based organic solvents: Chemicals derived from petroleum capable of dissolving or dispersing other substances and are common ingredients in cleaning and degreasing products.  Post-consumer recycled content: Refers to an end product containing material that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste.  Product lifecycle considerations: Refers to the environmental effects of a product through raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, distribution, use, maintenance and disposal.  Processed-chlorine free paper: Refers to paper that is manufactured using a percentage of post- consumer recycled paper fiber and is whitened without adding chlorine or chlorine derivatives.  Recovered Material: Fragments of products or finished products of a manufacturing process that include pre-consumer and post-consumer material.  VOCs: Volatile organic compounds are organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporize and enter the earth's atmosphere  Water Sense: A water conservation product labeling program sponsored by the EPA. Background The City of Edina has an opportunity to serve as a community model for environmental leadership by incorporating environmental considerations in public purchasing that reduce its burden on the local and global environment, remove unnecessary hazards from its operations, protect public health, reduce costs and liabilities, and help develop markets for environmentally responsible products. These environmental considerations will join existing cost and efficacy factors that city employees consider in their stewardship of taxpayer funds. The Edina Environmental Purchasing Policy has been developed with advice from the Energy and Environment Commission, whose duties include “examining and recommending changes in City purchases and operations to conserve energy”. General Policies The City Manager shall select a city official (“Task Force Leader”) to coordinate the implementation of the Edina Environmental Purchasing Policy and will establish a special interdepartmental Environmental Purchasing Task Force (hereinafter “the Task Force”) with representatives from Administration, Assessing, Building Inspections, Communications & Marketing, Engineering & Public Works, Finance, Fire, Health, Park & Recreation, Planning and Police, and other relevant departments/ operations to:  Identify opportunities for environmental purchasing initiatives and the trade-offs involved (e.g., cost, ability to meet specifications for product effectiveness, etc.)  Provide a forum for open discussion by affected personnel  Educate and inform staff about the environmental purchasing program The Task Force shall meet quarterly or as needed following the adoption of this policy. The Task Force shall include a member of the Energy and Environment Commission on an advisory role on as needed basis. Research, Planning and Education The Task Force shall research opportunities to:  continuously expand the purchase of environmentally preferable products within parameters set by City Management, particularly budgets Page | 3  identify environmentally preferable alternatives and the trade-offs involved in their adoption  recommend goals to practice alternative processes within the City of Edina operations that will reduce the use/disposal of hazardous substances and will promote resource conservation  collect and maintain up-to-date information regarding manufacturers, vendors, and other sources for locating/ordering environmentally preferable products within mandates of City and State purchasing laws. The Task Force and/or Task Force Leader shall provide applicable information to the City Departments. The Task Force Leader shall submit annual reports to the City Manager, City Council and Energy and Environment Commission regarding the status of this policy’s implementation. This report shall include total purchases of environmentally preferable products by each department, results of designated product evaluations, analysis and recommendations of more environmental but more expensive products and financial data on costs/savings resulting from implementation of this policy. Identification of Products and Services Source Reduction 1. The City will institute practices that reduce waste and result in the purchase of fewer products whenever practicable and cost-effective, but without reducing safety or workplace quality, including but not limited to:  communicating electronically instead of printing to the greatest degree possible given some residents and city workers do not have email  photocopying and printing double-sided  streamlining and computerizing forms  printing of documents and reports only as they are needed and required by state mandated record retention policies  using long-life products with service agreements supporting maintenance and repair  sharing equipment and occasional use items  choosing durable products rather than disposable  buying in bulk, whenever storage is available and operations allow it  reusing products such as file folders, storage boxes, office supplies, and furnishings.  using washable and reusable dishes and utensils  reducing the use of disposable batteries by purchasing rechargeable batteries for battery- operated devices when application and cost-effectiveness permit (e.g., batteries used by water meters, fire department air packs and other life critical applications, police radios, etc. are not included in this policy) 2. The City will purchase remanufactured products whenever practicable, but without reducing safety, quality or effectiveness. Examples of remanufactured products are laser toner cartridges, tires, furniture, equipment and automotive parts. 3. All buyers will attempt to evaluate life-cycle product costs in comparing product alternatives, when feasible. This includes comparison of total costs expected during the time of ownership, including, but not limited to, acquisition, warranties, operation, supplies, maintenance, disposal costs and expected lifetime. 4. The City will require to the extent practical, that surplus or outdated electronic equipment be designated for reuse and or recycling except where constrained by Minnesota laws mandating equipment disposal 5. Vendors will be encouraged whenever practical to take back and reuse pallets and packaging materials. Page | 4 6. The city will avoid usage of single-use bottled water wherever practical (e.g., police and fire departments must have water in the field). Single-use bottled water will be available for sale at Edina City-owned facilities until City Council decides otherwise given the large financial cost to the City. Recycled Content Products 1. Printing paper, office paper, and paper products shall contain the highest postconsumer content practical and within budgets, but ideally no less than the minimum recycled content standards established by the US EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. 2. Janitorial paper products will contain the highest postconsumer content practical and within budgets. Ideally this is no less than the minimum recycled content standards established by the US EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. 3. Materials and products such as those for construction, landscaping, parks and recreation, transportation, vehicles, miscellaneous, and non-paper office products, will contain the highest postconsumer content that meets specifications and budgets and is available, or, when postconsumer material is impractical for a specific type of product/application, contain substantial amounts of recovered material. Ideally this is no less than the minimums established by the US EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. 4. When specifying asphalt concrete, aggregate base or Portland cement concrete for road construction projects, the City will use recycled, reusable or reground materials when they meet specifications and are available and cost-effective. 5. To the greatest extent practical and within budgets, the City will specify and purchase recycled- content transportation products, including signs, cones, parking stops, and barricades, and other recycled products approved by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. 6.The City will purchase re-refined lubricating and industrial certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API) oil for use in its vehicles and other equipment whenever practical, meets specifications/warrantees and cost-effective. 7. The City will purchase low VOC paint meeting Green Seal or other equivalent environmental standard for recycled content latex paint whenever practical and cost-effective. Forest Conservation To the greatest extent practical and within budgets, the City will not procure wood products such as lumber and paper that originate from forests harvested in an environmentally unsustainable manner. The City will give preference, within state procurement laws, to wood products that are certified to be sustainability by independent third-party auditors, and that meet standards equivalent to, or stricter than, those of the Forest Stewardship Council certification Toxics and Pollutants 1. When making a choice among comparable products in terms of effectiveness and cost, the City will favor those products whose production, use, and disposal involve fewer hazardous materials. The City will avoid:  carcinogens, neuro-toxicants and reproductive toxins  PBT, including, but not limited to, lead, mercury, dioxins and furans  compounds that are acutely toxic to humans or aquatic life, corrosive to the skin or eyes  substances that contribute to the production of photochemical smog, tropospheric ozone production, or poor indoor air quality 2. The City will review its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan in regard to those practices for indoor and outdoor areas that include chemical controls, with the goal of constantly lowering its use of chemicals, adopting bio-based herbicides, and providing on-going training for City staff. Purchases of materials and services made by the City will be consistent with its revised IPM policies and budgets Page | 5 3. When maintaining buildings, the City will attempt to use products with the lowest amount of VOCs, and low or no urea formaldehyde. Examples of such products include paint, carpet, adhesives, furniture and casework within budget restrictions and product ability to meet specifications. 4. The City will attempt to reduce or eliminate its use of products that contribute to the formation of dioxins and furans within budget restrictions. Examples are:  finding safer alternatives to products that use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) such as, but not limited to, office binders, furniture, flooring, and medical supplies, whenever practical,  purchasing paper, paper products, and janitorial paper products that are unbleached or that are processed without chlorine or chlorine derivatives, whenever practical. 5. The City will purchase products and equipment with no lead or mercury whenever available and cost effective. For products that contain lead or mercury, Edina will give preference to those products with lower quantities of these metals and to vendors with established lead and mercury recovery programs. CFLs, which contain mercury, will be recycled. 6. The City will specify that computers and monitors purchased or leased meet, at a minimum, all EPEAT environmental criteria designated as “required” by the IEEE 1680 Standard for the En 7. When replacing vehicles, the City will lease or purchase only the most fuel-efficient models available that are suitable for each task and budget and will minimize the number of vehicles purchased through use of car sharing and carpooling. 8. When replacing vehicles, the City will consider less-polluting alternatives to the vehicles that are being replaced. 9. All City Departments and Agencies are prohibited from purchasing or acquiring polystyrene foam disposable food service ware and where affordable will use biodegradable or compostable disposable food service ware. 10. Compostable plastic and biodegradable plastics will be used whenever they are practical and economic. 11. The purchase of all pentachlorophenol, arsenic and creosote treated wood by the City of Edina is prohibited. 12. The City will avoid purchasing products containing brominated flame retardants (BFRs), bisphenol-A, and phthalates wherever practical. 13. The City will reduce the use of salt and other toxics in the cleaning and snow removal of hard surfaces when feasible in terms of safety. Energy and Water Savings 1. Where applicable and cost effective, energy-efficient equipment will be purchased with the most up- to-date energy efficiency functions. When necessary, the City will train equipment operators and maintenance personnel in the proper enabling and use of energy efficient and sleep mode functions on their equipment. 2. All appliances and products purchased by the City and for which the US EPA Energy Star certification is available and cost effective, will meet Energy Star certification. Typically, this would include lighting, heating and cooling systems, exhaust fans, water heaters, computers, exit signs, and appliances. 3. When Energy Star labels are not available, choose energy efficient products that are in the upper 25% of energy efficiency as designated by the Federal Energy Management Program if cost effective. 4 The City will purchase water-saving products whenever practical and cost effective and for which the US Water Sense certification is available. This includes, but is not limited to, high-performance fixtures like toilets, waterless urinals, low-flow faucets and aerators, and upgraded irrigation systems. Green Building - Construction and Renovations 1. All building and renovations undertaken by the City will follow green building practices for design, construction, and operations where practical and economic. Page | 6 2. The City will purchase high efficiency cooling and heating equipment and motion sensitive lighting, whenever practical and economic. Waste Minimization 1. The City will prefer packaging that is reusable, recyclable or compostable, when suitable uses and programs exist for these materials and are cost effective. 2. Vendors will be encouraged to take back and reuse pallets and packaging materials. 3. The City will dispose of electronic equipment, including but not limited to computers, monitors, printers, and copiers, or use disposal companies that will take back equipment for reuse or dispose them according to certified environmentally safe recycling if cost effective and satisfactory under public equipment disposal laws. 4. Whenever practical, the City will provide City buildings and parks with containers for the recycling paper, glass, plastics and organics. Landscaping 1. Workers and contractors providing landscaping services for the City will employ sustainable landscape management practices whenever practical, including:  Using IPM, including minimal pesticide use  Fertilizing only as needed, as indicated by a soil analysis. Slow release and/or organic fertilizers are preferred  Recycling plant debris by composting and/or maintaining a layer of mulch under all trees, shrubs and groundcovers and in all open areas wherever practical and economic. 2. Plants should be selected to minimize waste by choosing species that are appropriate to the microclimate; species that can grow to their natural size in the allotted space and perennials rather than annuals. Native and drought-tolerant plants that require no or minimal watering once established are preferred. 3. To the greatest extent practical and economic, the City will not procure mulch products that originate from virgin forest products. When practical, the City will give preference to mulch products that are produced on-site or from regionally generated plant debris. 4. To the greatest extent practical and economic, the City will procure compost that is produced from feedstock that includes at least 50%, by volume, regionally generated plant debris and/or food waste and less than 0.5% by volume, physical contaminants. 5. Minimal use of hardscapes and landscape structures, constructed of recycled content materials, is encouraged. Concrete substitutes are encouraged for walkways, such as rosin emulsion paving or other porous materials if practical and economic. Bio-Based Products 1. Vehicles fuels made from plant-based contents (e.g. bio-diesel) are encouraged whenever practical in terms of cost and specification unless they are determined to be less environmentally friendly than the alternative. 2. Paper, paper products and construction products made from non-wood, plant-based contents and residues are encouraged whenever practical. Producer Responsibility The City will, whenever practical, favor products that are manufactured by companies that take financial and/or physical responsibility for collecting, recycling, reusing, or otherwise safely disposing of their products and packaging at the end of their useful life to the greatest degree allowed by state and city procurement laws. Page | 7 Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas Reductions 1. The City will commit to reducing energy use as much as feasible and the remaining energy needs will be met by renewable, minimally polluting, energy sources as much as is practical and economic. 2. As it becomes practical and economic, the City will attempt to reduce and record greenhouse gas emissions. Substitution Process The City will work with their various suppliers to encourage those suppliers to bring information and ideas on environmentally and preferable alternatives for currently specified products that are readily available, cost effective and can perform for the intended use. The City will follow applicable State and Local procurement laws to make substitutions where possible.