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 facilities management, waste prevention, recycling, and logistics. Section 402(c) of the E.O.
further requires each Agency Environmental Executive to track and report, to the Federal
Environmental Executive, agency purchases of EPA-designated items. In the absence of such
an individual, EPA recommends that the head of the implementing agency appoint an
individual who will be responsible for ensuring the agency's compliance with RCRA section
6002 and Executive Order 12873.
RCRA and the Executive Order require procuring agencies to establish affirmative
procurement programs for each item EPA designates. In fulfilling this requirement, EPA
recommends that each agency develop one comprehensive affirmative procurement program
with a structure that provides for the integration of new items as they are designated. EPA
encourages agencies to implement preference programs for non-designated items as well, in
order to maximize their purchases of recycled content products and, thereby, create markets
for additional recovered materials.
A. Specifications
RCRA sections 6002(d)(l) requires Federal agencies responsible for drafting and
reviewing specifications for procurement items purchased by Federal agencies to review and
revise their specifications and remove requirements specifying virginmaterials only or
excluding the use of recovered materials. This revision process should have been completed
by May 8, 1986. For items designated by EPA, section 6002(d)(2) directs Federal agencies
to revise their specifications to require the use of recovered materials to the maximum extent
possible without jeopardizing their intended end-use. For the items previously designated by
EPA (i.e.,, paper and paper products, re-refined lubricating oil, retread tires, building
insulation, and cement and concrete containing fly ash), procuring agencies were required to
have completed their revisions within one year after each item designation. For the new
items designated in the CPG, agencies must complete these revisions within one year after
the date of publication of the CPG, as required by RCRA section 6002(d)(2).
As discussed in section II.C.2 of this document, sections 501, 504, 505, and 506 of
Executive Order 12873 also address Federal specification requirements. Section 501 of the
Order requires Executive agencies to review and revise their specifications, product.
descriptions, and standards to enhance Federal procurement of products containing recovered
materials. When agencies convert to Commercial Item Descriptions, they are required to
ensure that the Commercial Item Descriptions meet or exceed the recovered materials
requirements in the specifications or product descriptions they replace.
B. Preference Program.
A preference program is the system by which an agency implementa its stated
"preference" for purchasing products containing recovered materials. RCRA section
6002(i)(3) requires procuring agencies to consider the following options when implementing
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