The DOE requires its site operating contractors to follow RCRA section 6002 and EO 13101 requirements pertaining to waste prevention, recycling, and affirmative procurement. During Fiscal Year 1998, DOE sites reviewed additional internal specifications and standards and removed language requiring the use of virgin materials. Pollution Prevention staff at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed generic "green" construction specifications for use at sites across the DOE complex.
The data in the DOE RCRA/EO 13101 Agency Summary Report for Fiscal Year 1998 reflect purchases of EPA-designated items that were obtained only through non-federal sources. Because purchases from Federal sources of supply, such as GSA, GPO, or DLA, are not included in this report, the numbers shown here represent only a part of the progress DOE has made in achieving the goals of RCRA section 6002 and EO 13101. Based on Federal supply data provided in previous years, private sources supplied the great majority of DOE's purchases of EPA designated items in Fiscal Year 1998.
The Purchase Data is summarized in two ways (see the following table). First, purchases of EPA-designated items containing recovered materials are compared to total purchases of these items. This yields percentages that reflect the overall effect of federal purchasing on the recovered-content marketplace. In response to the higher price, lack of availability, or lower quality in some regions of the recovered-content versions of EPA-designated items, there is also a comparison of "justified" numbers.
In FY 1998, of the $ 31.7 million of EPA-designated items purchased by the DOE from non-Federal sources, 57 percent contained recovered content. When the virgin-content purchases allowable by RCRA are excluded from the calculations, the Justified Total drops to $ 21.3 million. The Justified percent of purchases containing recovered materials rises to 85 percent. For five different EPA-designated items, 99 to 100 percent of DOE non-Federal purchases were of the recovered-content versions in FY 1998 (see the following table ).
The DOE EO 13101 quarterly teleconferences have been renewed to expedite and simplify exchanges of important information between sites. This has been especially helpful in sharing both positive and negative experiences on a variety of performance and availability issues for certain EPA-designated items. DOE showed improvement in all areas except in the purchase of tires and floor tiles. The total purchases of these products represents almost 5 percent of DOE's total purchases of EPA-designated items during Fiscal Year 1998. More education will be done in these areas.
Date Due: April 12, 1999
Date Prepared: April 2, 1999
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA)
Agency Report for Fiscal Year 1998
| Agency or Department: |
|
Department of Energy |
| |
| Agency Contact: |
|
Dan Reicher |
| |
|
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy |
| |
|
Environmental Executive |
| |
| Staff Contact: |
|
Susan Weber |
| |
|
Office of Pollution Prevention (EM-77) |
| |
|
Office of Site Operations |
| |
| Telephone Number: |
|
301-903-1388 |
| |
| E-Mail Address: |
|
susan.weber@em.doe.gov |
I. EPA Guideline Items
- Cement and Concrete Products containing fly ash and cement and concrete products containing granulated blast furnace slag (slag).
* The DOE does not track cement separately from concrete.
- Total amount of cement purchased and/or used by your agency in FY 1998
Without fly ash or slag $___________ and/or ________ cubic yards
With fly ash or slag $___________ and/or________ cubic yards
- Total amount of concrete purchased and/or used by your agency in FY 1998
Without fly ash or slag $ 3,505,743 and/or 27,976 cubic yards
With fly ash or slag $ 2,929,203 and/or 29,659 cubic yards
- Were there technical impediments to increasing the amount of concrete and cement containing fly ash and granulated blast furnace slag purchased by your agency in FY 1998? yes (If yes, please attach an explanation of the technical impediment.)
HEADS UP: We are considering incorporating total number of contracts for construction and purchase of cement and concrete with fly ash or slag and without fly ash or slag into FY 99 reporting.
- Paper and Paper Products. GSA and GPO will provide data for agencies' purchases of paper products made through their retail and wholesale stock program. However, please provide amounts for agency purchases from any other sources.
- Total dollar amount of paper and paper products purchased by your agency from sources other than GSA and GPO in FY 1998: $ 15,310,692
- Total dollar amount of paper and paper products containing recycled material purchased by your agency from sources other than GSA and GPO in FY 1998: $ 10,466,440
- Motor Vehicle Lubricating Oils. DLA will provide data for agencies' purchases of oil through their program. However, please provide amounts for agency purchases from other sources.
- Total amount of motor vehicle lubricating oil purchased by your agency in
FY 1998: $ 311,994 (If your vehicle maintenance is accomplished
through service contracts that include a standard price for vehicle servicing,
report the total number of servicing(s) rather than the dollar value.)
- Total dollar amount of motor vehicle lubricating oils containing re-refined
oil purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 156,551 (If your
vehicle maintenance is accomplished through service contracts that include a
standard price for vehicle servicing, report the total number of services
where the vehicle was serviced with re-refined oil rather than the dollar value.)
- Were there any technical impediments to increasing the amount of motor vehicle
lubricating oils containing re-refined oil purchased by your agency in FY 1998?
Yes (If yes, please attach an explanation of the technical impediment.)
- Retread Tires. Refer to the Federal Supply Schedule for Pneumatic Tires, FSC Group 26, Part II, Section A for items covered by this guideline.
TACOM will provide data for agencies' purchases of retreads for tactical vehicles.
- Total dollar amount of tires purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 1,333,109
- Total number of tires purchased by your agency in FY 1998: 12,579
- Total dollar amount of retread tires purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 81,748
- Total number of retread tires purchased by your agency in FY 1998: 691
- Were there any technical impediments to increasing the amount of retread tires purchased by your agency
in FY 1998? Yes (If yes, please attach an explanation of the technical impediment.)
- Building Insulation Products.
- Total dollar amount of building insulation products purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 313,634
- Total dollar value of building insulation products containing recycled materials purchased by
your agency in FY 1998: $ 208,836
- Were there any technical impediments to increasing the amount of building insulation products containing
recycled materials purchased by your agency in FY 1998? Yes
(If yes, please attach an explanation of the technical impediment.)
HEADS UP: We are considering incorporating total number of contracts for construction and purchase of building
insulation products and building insulation products containing recycled materials into FY 99 reporting.
- Engine Coolants.
* DOE did not collect this data for FY1998. Data shown reflects FY97 data.
- For agencies that maintain fleet maintenance facilities, how many fleet maintenance facilities do you operate? 34
- How many vehicles are maintained? 9,450
- How many of your fleet maintenance facilities own and operate anti-freeze recycling equipment? 11
- Structural Fiberboard and Laminated Paperboard.
- Total dollar amount of structural fiberboard and laminated paperboard purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 73,180
- Total dollar amount of structural fiberboard and laminated paperboard containing recycled materials
purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 73,180
- Were there technical impediments to increasing the amount of recycled materials for structural fiberboard and
laminated paperboard purchased by your agency in FY 1998? No (If yes, please attach an explanation of
the technical impediments.)
HEADS UP: We are considering incorporating total number of contracts for construction and purchase of structural fiberboard and laminated paperboard and total number of contracts for construction and purchase of structural fiberboard and laminated paperboard containing recycled content material into FY 99 reporting.
- Carpet (low and medium wear polyester fiber only).
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment
to purchasing carpet (low and medium wear polyester fiber) in FY 1998. This
information could include dollars spent, number of contracts, policies issued,
pilot projects, etc.
Total dollars spent on carpet: $ 569,366
Dollars spent on carpet with recovered materials: $ 173,825
- Floor Tiles (rubber or plastic only)
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment to
purchasing floor tiles (rubber or plastic only) in FY 1998. This information could include
dollars spent, number of contracts, policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
Total: $ 244,236
Recovered-content: $ 37,175
- Patio Blocks (rubber or plastic only)
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment to
purchasing patio blocks (rubber or plastic only) in FY 1998. This information could
include dollars spent, number of contracts, policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
No Patio Block purchases reported.
- Traffic Cones and Traffic Barricades (rubber or plastic only).
GSA will provide data for agencies' purchases of traffic cones and traffic
barricades and those with recycled materials. However, please provide amounts for
agencies' purchases from any other sources.
- Total dollar amount of traffic cones and traffic barricades purchased by your
agency in FY 1998: $ 52,950
- Total dollar amount of traffic cones and traffic barricades with recycled content purchased by your
agency in FY 1998: $ 45,118
- Playground Surfaces and Running Tracks (rubber or plastic only).
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment
to purchasing playground surfaces and running tracks (rubber or plastic only) in
FY 1998. This information could include dollars spent, number of contracts,
policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
No Recreational Product purchases reported.
- Hydraulic Mulch (paper-based and wood -based used for hydro seeding and over spray for straw) and compost (yard trimmings)
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment to
purchasing hydraulic mulch and compost in FY 1998. This information could include
dollars spent, number of contracts, policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
Total: $ 3,391
Recovered-content: $ 3,391
- Office Recycling and Waste Containers (plastic, paper or steel).
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment
to purchasing office recycling and waste containers (plastic, paper or steel) in
FY 1998. This information could include dollars spent, number of contracts,
policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
Total: $ 247,662
Recovered-content: $ 139,848
- Plastic Desktop Accessories
GSA will provide data for agencies' purchases of desktop accessories and plastic
desktop accessories. However, please provide amounts for agency purchases from any
other source.
Total dollar amount of desktop accessories purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 151,000
Total dollar amount of recycled content plastic desktop accessories purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 57,433
- Toner Cartridges
GSA and DLA will provide data for agencies' purchases of toner cartridges and recycled toner
cartridges. However, please provide amounts for agency purchases from other sources.
- Total dollar amount of toner cartridges purchased by your agency in FY 1998: $ 4,259,625
- Total dollar amount of recycled toner cartridges purchased by your agency in FY 1998:
$ 2,541,131
- Total number of toner cartridges: 54,748
- Number of cartridges containing recovered material: 34,465
- Binders (chipboard and plastic covered, not cloth)
GSA will provide data for agencies' purchases of binders and chipboard and plastic covered
binders. However, please provide amounts for agency purchases from any other source.
- Total dollar amount of binders purchased by your agency in FY 1998:
$ 1,166,926
- Total dollar amount of recycled content chipboard and plastic covered binders in FY 1998:
$ 378,971
- Plastic Trash Bags.
Provide any pertinent information to demonstrate your agency's compliance/commitment
to purchasing plastic trash bags in FY 1998. This information could include dollars
spent, number of contracts, policies issued, pilot projects, etc.
Total: $ 1,203,542
Recovered-content: $ 936,190
II. Specifications. RCRA, Section 6002 (d) requires that Federal activities that have responsibility for preparing specifications: review them to eliminate unnecessary requirements for the use of virgin materials and prohibitions against using recovered materials; and add preferences for recovered materials.
- Does your agency have responsibility or control over a particular Federal supply class or group of specifications or standards?
No
- How many product specifications, standards, Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs), product descriptions or similar documents does your agency control? Number 1056
- How many such documents have been reviewed in FY 1998?
Number 392
- How many documents were modified in FY 1998 to remove the requirements for the use of virgin materials? Number 13
- How many documents were modified in FY 1998 to remove references of language prohibiting the use of recovered materials?
Number 0
- How many documents were modified in FY 1998 to add preferences for recovered materials? Number 74
- Does your agency have a policy to remove the requirements for virgin materials and add preferences for recovered materials to these service contracts? (I.e. including the use of re-refined oil in your vehicle service contracts). Yes
- If your agency does have a policy like the above, please provide a copy to us.
* Please refer to DOE Acquisition Regulation, "Acquisition and Use of Environmentally Preferable Products and Services," (48 CFR Parts 923 and 970).
- If your agency does not have a policy, please provide an explanation.
III. Solid Waste Prevention
Please report solid waste prevention efforts for facilities for which your agency is responsible.
- Did you institute new solid waste prevention practices in FY 1998?
Yes
- If the response is Yes, please provide an explanation of those practices.
Pollution Prevention staff at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory developed generic "green" construction specifications during FY 1998. Training has been provided to other DOE sites on the new green Master Specifications.
- If the response is No, please provide an explanation of why not.
IV. Recycling.
- What percentage of the offices/sites operated by your agency have an active
office products recycling program? 50 Percent
- What percentage of residential housing operated by your agency have an
active household products recycling program? Not applicable
- What percentage of demolition projects managed by and/or contracted by your
agency includes the recovery of construction materials? 74 Percent
- What is the total dollar value of all recycled materials recovered by your
agency in FY 1998?
$ 1,964,842
- How were those dollars captured and utilized?
Numerical data not captured for FY 1998. However, revenue from recycling
and waste prevention programs were used for employee training, recycling
programs, and other on-site and community outreach programs.
- What percentage of your total solid waste was diverted to recycling?
Calendar year 1997: 44 Percent
- What savings were realized through cost avoidances, i.e. hauling, tipping, and landfill.
Numerical data not captured for FY 1998.
Technical Impediments
Cement and Concrete
"Engineering assessments concluded that concrete with flyash/blast furnace slag does not meet organizational requirements due to its slow setup and/or curing time during inclement weather months."
"Site engineering determined that concrete with flyash can only be used for non-structural purposes."
"Our local supplier does not have access to flyash."
Re-refined Oil
"Re-refined lubricating oil does not meet warranty/specifications for fork lifts and electric and gas carts."
"Re-refined oil is not available for several of the oil products currently in use. In addition pricing for re-refined oil substitutes available under the current (small business) contract were substantially higher than virgin oil prices. Certain vendor/manufacturer recommended only virgin oil."
"Not all types if lubricating oils/products were available with the required recovered material content."
"Certain equipment supporting nuclear facility vital safety systems required specialty oil not available as recycled material."
"Certain equipment (i.e., heavy duty, compressors, etc.) require virgin products."
"In some cases, the re-refined product was not available in required (bulk) quantities or the specific oil grade required was not available."
Retread Tires
"Retread tires for passenger vehicles are not cost effective."
"Retreads were not available for many types of industrial vehicles."
"Restrictions on the use of retreads on certain vehicles have been established by site personnel."
"The tires were purchased for fork lifts, and electric and gas carts. Retread tires are not available for these vehicles."
"75% of the procurement cost of these tires are purchased for use on the Safe Secure Trailers for the Transportation Safeguards Department (TSD) Due to the nature of their cargo, TSD has refused to accept retread tires as a viable alternative. This meet the justification checked above for $124,677."
"Majority of the vehicle fleet is governed by GSA regulations, often prohibiting the use of retreads. The influx of metric sizes has also hindered the procurement of retreads."
"Majority of vehicles are passenger and light truck, the market in Las Vegas area does not provide retread tires for those types of vehicles. The cost to go outside our market area would cost more than purchasing new tires."
"Retreaded tires were not available in the required size, ply, load size, and tread type for the forklift (NRF)."
"This continues to be a major issue at Southwestern. Both our safety personnel and the IBEW Union object to the use of anything but virgin materials because of the amount of work performed by our crews in rural, unpopulated areas in very rugged terrain."
Building Insulation
"Architectural and Structural Standard Specifications do not specify the use of building insulation with recycled content. Several manufacturers are listed in the Specifications. Unable to determine whether insulation with recovered content was used."
"Insulation is normally required for quick repairs to LBNL facilities and there is insufficient time to formally solicit for products containing recovered material."
"Until this year, there was no specification at LBNL for the use of designated EPA items for construction projects. There is now a specification in place which will be used for future purchases of insulation and other EPA items."
"Building insulation did not conform to specifications."
"Materials not suitable for use in the installation."
Structural Fiberboard and Laminated Paperboard
