Particularly in rural communities, local government is often one of the largest employers and purchasers in the area, and as such has significant ability to help shape the values and standards serving the community as a whole. Federal and state guidelines may require local government to implement policies for the purchase of recycled content and environmentally preferable products in contracts or grants involving state and/or federal dollars.

Not only does local government have the ability to impact the community through the implementation of buy-recycled, waste prevention and recycling programs for its own offices and departments, it can participate in creating change at the local level by establishing similar standards for the businesses and individuals with whom it does business.

Because local government is charged with the responsibility to reduce waste and to preside over the management of local resources, it must find ways to motivate participation in these programs by all segments of the community.

The appeal of zero waste will be found not in the message that waste is bad, or that we should ban particular products and materials, but rather in the thought that waste is a waste. Waste in government is widely recognized as a bad thing. “What a waste!” is a phrase that recognizes our distress when we see material or human resources not put to their best use. If we begin to view waste as a challenge to our human ingenuity, as individuals, businesses and government agencies, then we can begin to rise to the challenge of designing more efficient systems, materials and products to recover the resources currently wasted. As local governments commit themselves to this challenge, they enhance their ability to play a positive role in the future of the communities they govern, by helping to create a positive vision to manage change as it occurs, and to direct that change for the positive benefit of the community as a whole.

Purchasing policies can cover an even broader array of products and materials, whether purchasing occurs primarily through a central agency or through individual departments. All paper purchases should conform to state and federal guidelines mandating a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content, and 100% content whenever possible. Access to bulk purchasing in order to minimize cost may be available through a City or County purchasing or general services department, or through cooperative agreements with other governmental or non-governmental organizations.

In addition, public works departments should regularly evaluate the availability and suitability of such products and materials as:

Ø Re-refined motor oil

Ø Recycled anti-freeze

Ø Re-capped tires

Ø Recycled road materials

Ø Rubberized asphalt

Ø “Glasphalt”

Ø Recycled glass in place of aggregate and rock

Ø Recycled plastic parking bumpers, dividers and signs

Parks departments also provide an opportunity to incorporate recycled-content products and materials into park structures, picnic tables and benches, signs and parking equipment

Seven Steps to Coordinate Government Procurement:

1. Review existing conditions;

2. Coordinate meetings with local procurement agencies;

3. Adopt local ordinances and policies;

4. Identify and compile a resources catalogue;

5. Present options to local government purchasing agents;

6. Prepare model procurement recommendation for local government agencies;

7. Identify locally produced recycled-content products for increased use by county agencies.

From the Del Norte-Humboldt Cooperative Regional Plan; pp. 85-88, and Appendix 7. September 2001, CEED. Prepared with grant funding from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

Support for Reusability and Durability:

Including language in government procurement policies to address reuse and durability in addition to waste prevention and recycling helps to increase understanding of zero waste as a resource-based rather than a waste-based concept. Just as we consider issues of quality and durability as individuals when purchasing lasting items such as furniture, vehicles, and electronics, such purchases by local government agencies should include a consideration of the management of these items at the end of their useful lives. This presents a mechanism to introduce and consider “life-cycle costing” as part of the economic equation. For example, the purchasing department issues a bid for twenty new office chairs. The true cost of the chairs includes not only the purchase price to the agency, but other economic and environmental factors as well. What material are the chairs made from, and how was it obtained? Are they made from a renewable or non-renewable material? Were they made locally? If not, how much additional resource cost was involved in transportation? What is the expected life span of the chairs, under normal use? What will happen to the chairs once that life span is completed? Can they be reused, repaired, re-sold or recycled?

Providing procurement preferences for items produced locally, as well as for items that are durable and reusable, or made from recycled-content and recyclable materials, helps to conserve local resources, to minimize waste and other costs to the local economy. Existing models for procurement policies that specifically address reusability and durability are more difficult to obtain than those adopted by numerous agencies addressing recycled content, but some links to some examples may be found in the “Policy” folder of the Zero Waste Resources file, on the CD-Rom, and in this unit.

Recycling and Composting Policies:

Local government not only has the ability to provide recycling and composting opportunities for its staff, it can also adopt policies encouraging or requiring recycling and composting at public events, and at private events required to obtain operating permits through a local government agency. Particularly in the case of small communities that depend on seasonal events and festivals to bring tourist dollars into the local economy, a single parade, concert, or sporting event may produce as much waste as the entire community generates in several months. Requiring event organizers to provide for the reduction, recycling and composting of materials from the event will ultimately enhance the event experience, provide opportunity for public education, and ensure that money raised by such events does not come at the cost of increased waste and other environmental penalties.

Examples of plans and policies for event recycling may be found at: Venues, at: crra.com, under the Venues and Special Events Technical Council, and are also included in the “Policy” folder of the Zero Waste Resources file, on the CD-Rom.

Local Government Contracts and Sustainable Jobs:

Public agencies set conditions when granting contracts in order to protect the public interest. These agencies are responsible to protect a wide variety of community interests, including the economy and local jobs, public health and safety, resources and the environment. Often these decisions require an intricate balancing act between opposing groups of citizens, businesses, and other special interest organizations. The best approach to encouraging the participation of local contractors in implementing waste reduction, recycling and composting programs must be determined by the local community. This approach may range from education and encouragement to voluntary compliance with financial incentives to preferences to mandatory compliance.

Resources:

passing resolutions * local government internal policies * creating change within the community * working for change in the larger community * building blocks for zero waste and maximum recycling * incentives and disincentives *