Alison Kinn [email protected]. EPA
An Update of EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program Pilot
#SB16SD #ActivatingPurpose
Federal Environmentally Preferable Purchasing:Leveraging $270 billion to define environmental sustainability via marketplace standards and ecolabels
Alison Kinn BennettUS Environmental Protection Agency
Chemistry, Economics, and Sustainable Strategies
“Our acquisition of goods and services creates a carbon footprint nine times that of our buildings and fleet, put together.”
--Former GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini
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HabitatAlteration
EmbodiedResources
WaterEfficiency
ResourceExtraction
Packaging
GlobalWarmingPotential
Transport
Saferchemicalalternatives
Corporate/EnterpriseSocialResponsibility
MaterialOptimization
Biodegradability AirEmissions
Durability Reuse/recycleOptions
OzoneDepletionPotential
HumanHealth
WHAT MAKES A PURCHASE “ENVIRONMENTALLY
PREFERABLE” OR “SUSTAINABLE”?
The Story of EPA’s EPP Program
1970s
1990sEnvironmentally
Preferable = Considering multiple
impacts over the lifecycle
2000s
2011-15EPA Draft GuidelinesWhat is “credible” and
“effective”?
2015
2016EPP Pilot findings;
finalization of Guidelines; next steps?
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Mine is effective.
Mine is greenest.
Mine is credible.
The Problem we are trying to solve –
– it’s a good problem to have! 5
EO 13693:3(i) Sustainable Procurement Requirements
(i)St
atut
ory
Man
date
sRecycled content (CPG)EnergyStar, FEMPBioPreferred
(ii) E
PA p
rogr
ams WaterSense
Safer ChoiceSNAPSmartway
(iii)
Env.
Pref
erab
leMeet or exceed specs, standards, or labels recommended by EPA
https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement7
90-DAY APPROACH TO INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS
Universe of Ecolabels & Standards
EPA Recommended Standards & Ecolabels
DOE & GSA Lists
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EPA Interim Recommendations – September 2015
Cafeteria Construction Custodial Electronics
Grounds/ Landscapin
gOffice
Operations/ Fleet/
Shipping/ Shop 9
APPROACH TO FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS? PILOTING NOW
Guidelinesfor
Standards & Ecolabels
Criteria Development
EPA Recommended Standards & Ecolabels
üIndependen
t Assessment
Universe of Ecolabels & Standards
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Guidelines for Assessing Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels
•• Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence
Section I -Standard
Development Process
•• Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence
Section II -Environmental
Effectiveness of the Standard
•• Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence
Section III -Conformity
Assessment Procedures
•• Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence
Section IV -Ecolabel Program
Management 11
Key Questions for the Pilot & EPA in 2016…
■How to improve the Guidelines and the criteria?
■How to communicate the results?
■What are some post-pilot scenarios?
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2017 and beyond…Making the “Recommendations” Standard Operating Procedure in Federal Purchasing…Category
Management Consolidated
Vehicles
Contract Writing
SystemsOMB
Scorecards
Federal Procurement Data System
Training
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• Spend analysis & prioritization• More standards to fill priority gaps• More transparency tools • Buying used instead of new • Increase in buying services instead of products• Improved measurement of environmental outcomes• International collaboration & convergence
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Emerging Trends
EPA’s “Sustainable Marketplace: Greener Products & Services”: http://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts
EPP Guidelines Pilot: http://www.resolv.org/site-guidelines/
U.S. policy and information resources on standards:http://standards.gov
Alison Kinn Bennett – [email protected] 202-564-8859
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