7/31/20021 EPP J. Bruce Suits Pollution Prevention Manager City of Cincinnati Office of Environmental Management Environmentally Preferable Purchasing.

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EPPEPP J. Bruce SuitsPollution Prevention Manager

City of Cincinnati

Office of Environmental Management

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)

First Joint Statewide Pollution Prevention and Environmental Essentials Conference

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Miami Beach, FL

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EPPEPP

PART 1Borrowed from Eric Friedman,

State of MA

Center For A New American Dream’s National EPP Conference

April 23, 2002 - Philadelphia

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Designing an Environmental Purchasing Designing an Environmental Purchasing Program: Getting StartedProgram: Getting Started

Eric Friedman Massachusetts

Alicia Culver INFORM, INC.

Karl Bruskotter Santa Monica, WA

Karen Hamilton King County, WA

Sandra Cannon Battelle Lab.

Center for a New American Dream April 23, 2002

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Before you Begin….Before you Begin…. Establish a definition of EPPs:

Environmentally Preferable Products are products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. Such products or services may include, but are not limited to, those which contain recycled content, minimize waste, conserve energy or water, and reduce the amount of toxics disposed or consumed.

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Before You Begin…Before You Begin…

Recycled copy paper, office supplies, toilet paper, toweling,

Re-refined oil, antifreeze

Remanufactured cartridges, furniture, vehicle parts

Recycled trash bags, benches, lumber, carpet

Compost, recycled mulch

Recycled glass beads, traffic cones, safety vests, tires

Energy efficient computers, printers, copiers, faxes, appliances

Less toxic cleaners, pool disinfecting systems, parts cleaners

Alternative fuel vehicles, hybrids

Mercury free thermometersPrinting services,

fluorescent lamp recycling

Remember that EPPs are already everywhere…

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10 Steps to Starting an 10 Steps to Starting an Environmental Purchasing Environmental Purchasing ProgramProgram

Step 1: Assemble a “Green” Team

Identify key players and other resources

Assign responsibilities

Get input early from end-users and other stakeholders

Get support from the top

Step 2: Establish a process for working together

Create a timeline, budget and meeting schedule

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Step 3: Define the scope of the EPP initiative

Target environmental problems to solve under the program

Review existing policy drivers and practices

Step 4. Prioritize contracts to change

Look for products with greatest impact or low-hanging fruit

Determine contract re-bid schedule


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Step 5: Research environmentally preferable alternatives

Evaluate availability, price, environmental attributes and performance of potential substitutes

Conduct pilot tests, if desirable or necessary

Step 6. Revise bid specifications

Educate and get feedback from vendors about “specs”

Develop contract language for information disclosure, product take-back, packaging requirements, development of environmental activities and plans, etc.


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Step 7: Evaluate bids

Assess both mandatory requirements and desirable attributes

Issue new contracts

Step 8: Advertise the availability of environmentally preferable products on new contracts

Educate using web sites, “list serves”, purchasing bulletins, EPP guides

Publicize through Cooperative Purchasing Programs

Inform end-users about existing environmental policies and goals

Encourage vendors to educate and market environmental goods and services


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Step 9: Get feedback from end-users

Address problems as soon as they arise

Step 10: Track and publicize successes

Quantify economic and environmental benefits

Celebrate and reward participants!

Identify obstacles and additional work to be done


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Designing an Designing an Environmental Environmental Purchasing Program: Purchasing Program: Overcoming the Overcoming the ObstaclesObstaclesEric Friedman, MassachusettsKathy Gerwig, Kaiser PermanenteRob Guillemin, EPA Region IKevin Lyons, Rutgers Univ.Marcia Deegler, MassachusettsPriscilla Hayes, Rutgers Univ.

Center for a New

American Dream – April

23, 2002

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Obstacles – A Layperson’s View Obstacles – A Layperson’s View

“We always do it this way”We can’t afford EPPs, and even if we could, we can’t find them anywhere!”

“We tried that once – it didn’t work.”

“You know, this is really not my job.”

“It’s not our decision - we only write what others tells us to write” “I don’t have the authority

to make this decision”

“Sorry but I don’t really have time for this”

What the heck is a PBT, ODC, PCC, PCF, GHG, EPA, anyway?

How hard can it be to buy 100% recycled, chlorine free, tree free paper anyway?

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Obstacles – The Academic ViewObstacles – The Academic View

Institutional behaviors & attitudes Lack of time and resources Lack of information/too much information Complexity of products/specs High cost, low availability, bad performance Lack of motivation Limited communication between purchasing

and other stakeholders Resistance from end users Past experience

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EPPEPP

PART 2City of Cincinnati’s EPP Project

City of Cincinnati, OH

With assistance from

U.S. EPA, Region 5,

Pollution Prevention Office

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EPPEPP

$40,000 TWO YEAR PROJECT

9/1/2000 – 8/31/2002

APPLYING FOR NO-COST EXTENSION

In order to maximize demonstration opportunity!

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Environmentally Preferable Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) ProjectPurchasing (EPP) Project

PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

Debra Jacobson – WMRC (GLRPPR)

Becky Lockart – Illinois EPA

Phil Kaplan – U.S. EPA, Region 5

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Karen Hamilton & Eric Nelson, King Co, WA

Debbie Raphael, City/County San Francisco

Sandy Schubert, City of Santa Monica, CA

Lara Sutherland, INFORM, Inc. (MA)

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Margaret Nover, City of Portland, OR

Tom Hersey, Erie County, NY

Steve Brachman, University of WI-Extension

David Foulkes, Ohio EPA

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Eric Friedman/Marcia Deegler, MA

Kelly Luck & Alicia Culver, INFORM, Inc.

Scott Case, Center for a New American Dream

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Project GoalsProject Goals

The goal of the project is to institutionalize EPP in City of Cincinnati government operations through the development of an EPP tool-kit.

Part of the tool-kit approach will result in an EPP website – City Purchasing Division (now joint project with Hamilton County)

The website will make information regarding EPP easily available to the user.

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DescriptionDescription

The website will include the what, why, who, and how much in the form of products, environmental benefits, vendor lists and prices.

The project will allow the user to find ways to:

–Reduce Workplace Hazards

–Consume Less Energy

–Protect Natural Resources

–Save Money

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Connection to EMSConnection to EMS

Buying “cheaper, cleaner and smarter” products will allow departments to avoid or reduce compliance and cost issues and prevent pollution.

The Website will include EPP alternatives for products with hazardous constituents, including PBT’s (e.g., Mercury), that will improve the City and County economically and environmentally.

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Organizing the DataOrganizing the Data

We want a shopping mall approach for the site. The products would be organized into aisles and department stores.

Once you select an aisle it will pull up the products along with a grid of information including:– Environmental Benefits– Cost Analysis– Sample Contract Language/Specifications– Vendor Info

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Cost AnalysisCost Analysis

The cost analysis section will provide cost calculators to project savings over the life of the product.

This will allow the end user to see the economic advantages of certain products.

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Other FunctionsOther Functions

Two beneficial Feedback functions: One to send messages to the

administrator of the site concerning suggestions or errors.

Another to evaluate personal experiences with products through a standard form with required fields.

Also a Resource page to display other helpful web site links, etc.

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Efficient Use of TimeEfficient Use of Time

The idea is to make EPP information available in one central location for City and County employees.

By organizing the information into a readily accessible database it makes it easier for any purchaser or user to do EPP without lots of research time.

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Green Products Expo 2002 – Green Products Expo 2002 – Cincinnati: May 16, 2002!Cincinnati: May 16, 2002!May 16, 2002 the database was

introduced at a regional Green Products Expo for local government employees in SW Ohio.

This helped folks learn about operation-specific EPP and allowed buyers and users to interact with vendors offering EPP products.

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Green Products Expo 2002Green Products Expo 2002EPP Training Seminar and EPP Training Seminar and ExhibitionExhibitionCity of Cincinnati, OH Hamilton County, OHGreater Cincinnati Earth CoalitionEndorsements from regional and

national purchasing associations (e.g. NIGP) and others

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Green Products Expo 2002Green Products Expo 2002EPP Training Seminar and EPP Training Seminar and ExhibitionExhibitionPlenary session – Welcome by

County Commissioner PortuneAlicia Culver, INFORM – Keynote

SpeakerEPP breakouts – panels and training

by operations i.e., office, buildings, vehicles & roads, grounds

Exhibition of EPP vendors’ products

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City of Cincinnati’s EPP ProjectCity of Cincinnati’s EPP Project

Other goals of the EPP Project (Beyond the Website and the annual EXPO events):

- Additional training of City employees and other local government employees

- Continuous Improvement for City (County)- Transfer of the model to other local

governments throughout Ohio, the Great Lakes states and beyond (e.g. Miami/Dade County & others in State of Florida!)

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Protecting the Earth AND improving our communities one purchase at a time!

City of Cincinnati, OH

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Environmentally Preferable Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)Purchasing (EPP)

PART 3OPEN DISCUSSIONS AND INFORMATION SHARING

7/31/20021 EPP J. Bruce Suits Pollution Prevention Manager City of Cincinnati Office of Environmental Management Environmentally Preferable Purchasing.

Documents

environmental attributes

preferable products

competing products

new contractseducate

preferable alternatives

everywhere10 steps

meeting schedule10 steps

epp guidespublicize