The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, an d Ecolabels . This resource is designed to standardize

and support sustainable purchasing by federal agencies. It lists credible sustainability certifications and standards that federal agencies are encouraged (or required) to use when making their purchasing decisions for specific categories of g oods and services. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Cafeteria Products: takeout 

  containers,  cutlery, and dish detergents;
• Construction Products: carpet/flooring, ceiling tiles, insulation, paint and wallboard;
• Custodial Supplies:
  cleaners, floor care products, hand soap, janitorial paper products, and trash bags;
• Electronics: computers, monitors, imaging equipment, and televisions; 
• Landscaping Products: deicers; and
• Office Supplies: copy paper and office furniture.

 US EPA Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Purchasing  Programs Face Budget Elimination

The EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention, including its successful green purchasing program - which features its internationally renowned ENERGY STAR and WaterSense labeling and procurement programs - have been targeted for severe cuts in the Trump Administration's proposed EPA budget. A memo from the EPA's Acting Chief Financial Officer explained that this program is "eliminated as part of the effort to limit or eliminate federal investment activities that go beyond the EPA's core statutory requirements." 

The US Green Building Council is circulating a sign-on letter to Congress opposing cuts to the ENERGY STAR, WaterSense and Safer Choice programs. RPN is a signatory. Let us know if your jurisdiction or organization has benefited from these programs so we can share your story.

Slides are now available for a webinar hosted by the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) that RPN participated in along with  Alameda County, CA, and the  West Coast Climate & Materials Management Forum. The webinar  highlighted strategies and tools to reduce the carbon footprint associated with purchasing products and services. Two new resources were highlighted: the  Sustainable Procurement Playbook for Cities , created by RPN on behalf of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), and the  Climate-Friendly Purchasing Toolkit , created by the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum. The Playbook features chapters on fuel-efficient fleets, energy-efficient computers, and green building supplies.

Healthier Hospitals (HH) makes it easier to select furniture and materials that meet the Healthy Interiors goal of the Safer Chemicals Challenge . HH worked with furniture and textile manufacturers to create a list of products that meet the Healthy Interiors goal. The goal requires participating hospitals to ensure that 30 percent of the annual volume of furnishings and furniture purchases (based on cost) eliminate the use of formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), antimicrobials, and all flame retardants.

Currently featuring more than 40,000 products, UL's new  SPOT database  is a first of its kind tool that enables purchasers to find products by sustainable attributes, including third-party environmental and health certifications (e.g., UL EcoLogo and GREENGUARD, ENERGY STAR), validated claims (e.g., recycled content and formaldehyde-free), LEED credits, and more . The UL SPOT database is also available as a mobile app from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

40 million single-use 1 lb. propane gas cylinders are used each year in the U.S. This costs local governments money to recycle and poses a safety threat to sanitation workers if improperly disposed. A new, refillable 1 lb. propane cylinder is available, but in order to achieve the market shift from disposables to refillables, more locations that dispense propane need to add refill services. ReFuel Your Fun is asking large purchasers of propane to give preference to companies with retail locations that sell and refill 1 lb. gas cylinders. To learn more, visit www.refuelyourfun.org or contact Jordan at  the National Stewardship Action Council by email or at 916-402-3911.