United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W) EPA530-N-97-008 December 1997 www.epa.gov/wastewise WasteWise UPDATE CLOSING THE LOOP Anyone involved with recycling programs, purchasing, or manufacturing these days has probably noticed an increase in attention paid to the issue of "Buying Recycled" as a companion activity to recycling collection. "Why is this important?" you ask. It's a simple lesson in economics: in order for the recovered material to have value and get used, there needs to be a demand. You create that demand by purchasing or manufacturing recycled-content products. Beyond economics are the environmental benefits associated with buying recycled. Purchasing products made from or packaged in recycled materials saves resources for future generations. Manufacturers then have an incentive to use recycled feedstock, which keeps a large quantity of materials out of landfills. This benefit goes right to the heart of eco-efficiency--extracting the maximum productive goods from resources with minimal waste or pollution--and helps create a sustainable resource-use system that benefits everyone. While WasteWise still encourages partners to prevent waste before recycling, this issue of the WasteWise Update examines the topic of "closing the recycling loop" by buying and manufacturing recycled products. This is a key component of the WasteWise program. After dispelling some common myths about buying recycled, this Update provides tips on getting started, from one of our leading partners, the Dow Corning Corporation. Some of our WasteWise partners, such as Aetna, Inc., go a step further by purchasing products made from their own collected recyclables. In May 1997, WasteWise welcomed government partners. A special feature in this Update covers government purchasing issues. We examine the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) used by federal and state governments in purchasing quality recycled-content products and why including recycled content in government specifications is important. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and King County, Washington, charter WasteWise government partners, have successfully developed recycled-content purchasing programs with assistance from the CPG. Once your organization decides to purchase recycled-content products, many WasteWise partners recommend tracking and monitoring the purchases. Northeast Utilities, who tracks recycled-content office supply purchases through its vendor, provides tracking tips. And finally, information needed to locate recycled products is included in the "Buy-Recycled Resources" insert. These resources are compiled for your reference and we recommend that you remove the section and keep it in a special binder. Buy-Recycled Resources is the second in a series of inserts that began arriving in the previous Update (Donation Programs: Turning Trash Into Treasure), and more are on the way. We hope that the information provided in this issue helps your organization choose to buy-recycled and close that loop! ------------------------------------------------------------ The mention of any company, product, or process in this publication does not constitute or imply endorsement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ------------------------------------------------------------ GETTING STARTED Have you considered starting a buy-recycled program, but found the challenge a little overwhelming? Have you established your program, but wonder how to make it even more successful? Perhaps WasteWise can help. We recently talked with Mr. Kim Hohisel, Senior Recycling Coordinator at Dow Corning Corporation in Midland, Michigan. Hohisel spearheads Dow Corning's successful Green Procurement Initiative. Dow Corning, a chemical manufacturer and Charter WasteWise Partner, launched its buy-recycled program in 1993 by becoming the first company in mid-Michigan to sign an agreement with the Michigan Recycling Coalition to voluntarily commit to purchasing recycled-content products. By employing some key development strategies, the company increased its recycled-content purchases $7 million in 1995 and 1996. Here are some valuable insights from Hohisel on planning and implementing a successful buy-recycled program. WasteWise: What motivated Dow Corning to start a buy-recycled program? Hohisel: Buying recycled products is a natural extension of recycling collection. A truly successful recycling program involves three steps--separation, collection, or recovery; reprocessing; and purchasing. If you're not buying recycled, you're not really recycling. WasteWise: How did your organization initially find recycled-content products? Hohisel: We looked at our purchasing records and found that we already purchased a number of recycled-content products. To increase purchases, we involved our suppliers. WasteWise: How did Dow Corning work with its suppliers in implementing its buy-recycled program? Hohisel: First, we developed a supplier environmental policy. Our suppliers must meet certain environmental criteria, one of which includes providing recycled-content options for products. In September 1995, we conducted a buy-recycled training session for key employees such as our purchasing personnel, engineering team, space planners, custodial staff, and a core group of our suppliers. We then kicked off a pilot project and each supplier submitted a list of our products that they offer with recycled content. With our suppliers' help, we were able to identify and add more than 200 recycled-content products to our purchasing initiative. Some of these products include packaging materials, steel drums, shipping containers, janitorial supplies, and numerous paper products. WasteWise: How did your suppliers react to the new policy? Hohisel: As a large customer, Dow Corning has a lot of leverage. Our suppliers share our belief in the value of buying recycled. They were very willing either to provide products already available or to research other alternatives. A buy-recycled program must be treated as a partnership between the customer and the supplier in order to be successful. WasteWise: How did you justify a buy-recycled program to upper management? Hohisel: Obtaining upper management support was very easy for us. Our management firmly believes that buying recycled products is a key component in an overall waste reduction program. WasteWise: What about purchasers? How did you obtain their support? Hohisel: We had a few difficulties in the beginning. To win their support, we explained the importance of buying recycled and demonstrated the performance of some recycled-content products. After they received this type of training at special seminars, the purchasers were quite enthusiastic. ------------------------------------------------------------ "You must realize that this is not an overnight process--I learn something new every day."--Kim Hohisel, Senior Recycling Coordinator, Dow Corning Corporation ------------------------------------------------------------ WasteWise: Have you found recycled-content products to be competitively priced with respect to virgin products? Hohisel: Yes and no. The bottom line is this: if you are working with a supplier who cannot meet your pricing criteria, then you begin exploring other options. The price usually drops rather quickly. WasteWise: What employee education ideas work best for communicating the buy-recycled message? Hohisel: Dow Corning has several communication vehicles that work well for us. We have: * A quarterly employee newsletter, which discusses the recycled-content products purchased at Dow Corning, provides suggestions on how to find and purchase such products, and highlights recycling collections amounts, revenues, and expenditures. * Awareness seminars for employees. * Monthly communication meetings, where there are opportunities to present program information. * Green Procurement Guidelines, which provide a series of questions to consider when evaluating products to purchase. Guidelines are an essential tool to provide to employees. If you would like more information on Dow Corning's Green Procurement Initiative, please contact Kim Hohisel via phone at 517 496-5008 or fax at 517 496-5457. ------------------------------------------------------------ ADVICE FROM DOW CORNING: KEYS TO STARTING YOUR OWN BUY-RECYCLED PROGRAM Find your champion. You need someone in your organization who will be enthusiastic and push your objectives through. This is true for any type of waste reduction program. Obtain Support. You must obtain support from and involve management, employees, and purchasers. Establish Guidelines and Policies. It also is important to establish internal procurement guidelines and a supplier environmental policy. Set up a Green Procurement Team. Gather team members from your purchasing department, and possibly other areas, to generate ideas as well as develop and implement your game plan. Network and Educate Yourself. Hohisel and a purchaser participated in buy-recycled seminars sponsored by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and the U.S. Conference of Mayors when they first began developing Dow Corning's buy-recycled program. Opportunities to learn about other programs and network are invaluable. Offer Internal Training. Take what you've learned from outside sources and offer internal training seminars for key personnel such as engineers, space planners, custodial staff, purchasers, and safety staff. Work With Your Suppliers. Buying recycled is a partnership between you and your supplier. They should be able to support your efforts in locating high quality products at competitive prices. ------------------------------------------------------------ JUST THE FACTS Have you heard that recycled products are difficult to find, inferior in quality, or too high in cost? These myths are dispelled by the fact that during 1996, WasteWise partners purchased more than $3 billion dollars worth of products with recycled content. Don't let misconceptions about recycled-content products prevent your organization from investigating new opportunities--learn the facts that counter these myths. Buying recycled-content products will cost me too much. The truth is that many products with and without recovered feedstock will often have competitive prices; many variables--including feedstock availability, quantity produced, energy costs, distributor mark-up, transportation charges, quantity ordered, and geographic location--ultimately influence the price of both virgin and recycled-content products. In some cases, the recycled-content products will cost more; however, recycled-content products are not inherently more expensive. Take time to investigate prices and make a decision based on facts, not perceptions. NRC's Buy Recycled Business Alliance (BRBA), compared prices between recycled-content general use copier paper and virgin paper of the same grade. [National Recycling Coalition's Buy Recycled Business Alliance. Spring 1996. Are You Paying Too Much for Recycled Copier Paper? Buy Recycled Newsline.] BRBA asked several mills and retailers nationwide about the perception that recycled-content paper costs more--as much as 20 percent more--than virgin paper. Of the eight people interviewed, only one agreed that recycled-content paper can cost up to 20 percent more. Other respondents offered estimates closer to 5 percent. In fact, some of the retail representatives noted that recycled paper often costs the same or less than virgin paper. Furthermore, BRBA expects price differential to be less of a factor as manufacturers continue adding to their infrastructure and as paper recycling continues to grow throughout the country. To purchase recycled-content products, I will need to sacrifice quality. Again, recycled content is not the only factor in product quality. Often the engineering of the product and quality control are the crucial factors. In many cases, people have been using recycled products for years, even before recycling became popular, without any stigma. Most cereal boxes, for example, are manufactured from paper scraps. Current users of recycled-content products express satisfaction with product performance as well. In the BRBA 1996 Annual Buy Recycled Survey, nearly 97 percent of respondents reported being pleased with the overall performance of recycled products. According to William Meng of The Southern Company, a WasteWise charter partner, the company "purchases products on a competitive basis and still finds some recycled-content products of equal or better quality at equal or better prices." To help move beyond the misconception that recycled-content products offer inferior quality, investigate the results for yourself. Obtain samples of a desired product with recycled content and conduct a pilot test to see how the product meets your needs. Author of the Buy-Recycled Training Manual Richard Keller of the Maryland Environmental Services suggests, "Use blind tests for recycled products. Some users, jaded by a poor experience with recycled products in the past, may automatically think that recycled products are inferior. Give the products a fair test." Moreover, he continues, "Don't expect superior performance; only require that the products perform as well as nonrecycled products." My organization would never specify recycled-content products. It is a fact that some current procurement specifications preclude recycled-content products or supplies. Now may be the perfect time to review the product specifications, however, to find out why and how they can be modified to foster recycled-content products. Unless your process requires virgin materials, keep specifications language neutral. Be on the lookout for wording in your specifications that unintentionally precludes buying recycled products. Do your purchasing specifications require "virgin only" material or do they specifically prevent the use of recycled products? Do you allow substitutions that meet your needs without specifying the type of materials used? If you prefer to explicitly require recycled-content products, consider using contract language that "encourages the use of recycled or environmentally sound materials wherever practical" or "includes consideration of the use of recovered materials as a practical alternative to virgin materials." As alter-native sample language, create a policy that any reason for not procuring recycled products be submitted in writing to the purchasing manager. You also can help suppliers and purchasing agents if you define your terms (e.g., recovered material and postconsumer content) or offer minimum content standards whenever feasible. EPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) contains widely accepted definitions and recommends levels of recycled content. See the insert page for information on how to obtain it. I will have difficulty locating recycled-content products. It's time to start looking for the recycled-content products from your current suppliers. More recycled-content products enter the market every day, and a little encouragement to suppliers could help solve the problem of finding sources. Ask your suppliers to offer more recycled-content products or to clearly indicate in their catalogues which products contain recovered materials. Emphasize your commitment to purchasing recycled products, ask for their support, and explain your willingness to investigate other vendors if they are unable to cooperate. Then follow up with them to make sure you receive the most competitive price and the best quality product for your needs. Encourage service contractors, such as janitorial services, print shops, and maintenance contractors, to use recycled-content products as well. Additionally, you will find a variety of recycled product directories available to help you locate specific recycled products. Consult the resources insert in this Update to learn more about opportunities for buying recycled, such as the Official Recycled Products Guide, which includes more than 4,500 recycled product listings for a wide range of products, and The Harris Directory, which includes more than 4,000 recycled products for construction, gardening, home furnishing, and decorating. ------------------------------------------------------------ DEFINITIONS Preconsumer material refers to material such as trimmings, damaged or obsolete products, and overruns, generated by manufacturers and product converters. Postconsumer material refers to a material or finished product that has served its intended use and has been discarded for disposal or recovery, having completed its life as a consumer item. Recovered material refers to waste material and byproducts that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste, but the term does not include those materials and byproducts generated from and commonly used within an original manufacturing process. It includes both postconsumer and preconsumer waste. ------------------------------------------------------------ MOVING BEYOND PAPER PRODUCTS-- WasteWise PARTNERS BUY RECYCLED More than 4,500 products are available with recycled content. Here is a sampling of what some of our partners purchase. In a typical office setting, people often think of and notice recycled-content paper products, especially copier paper. What more offices are finding out every day is that there are many kinds of recycled-content products available. Some recycled-content items available include pencils, rulers, diskette mailers, padded mailer bags, Post-it notes, Post-it note trays, note organizers, legal pads, folders, hanging folders, tape dispensers, binders, and message books. This desktop features a range of recycled-content office supplies purchased by WasteWise partners. Sligo Adventist School, in Takoma Park, Maryland, constructed a new school playground using 100 percent recycled-content plastic playground equipment and rubber surfacing. The school uses recycled plastic lumber for structures as well as border materials. Recycled rubber matting and particles, made from shredded automobile tires, are used to inhibit soil erosion and as protective surfacing in the "fall zone" beneath the equipment. This project diverted approximately 86,000 gallon-size milk jugs and 4,250 automobile tires from the waste stream. The school has found the recycled play-ground equipment to be "far superior to other products." WMX Technologies, Inc., a leading environmental services company, spent $113,498,000 on recycled-content purchases for its corporate office and $100,000 on recycled-content materials for its Washington, DC, office build-out. In the Los Angeles, California, and Washington, DC, locations, 85 percent of the materials used for construction and furnishings are made from recycled and reused goods including carpet, Syndercrete flooring, and table and counter tops. The Chrysler Corporation purchases recycled plastic supply bins for use on their production floors. Additional information is forthcoming on the plastic bins and the savings found through reuse of these durable recycled-content containers. New York Life Insurance Company purchased outdoor furniture made from 100 percent recycled-content PET. The company purchased eight benches and three waste receptacles for use in three locations outside the company offices. Employees have commented favorably both on the quality of the furniture and on the company's commitment to buying recycled-content products. Johnston Industries, a textile manufacturer, composts waste fiber generated at its utilization plant in Valley, Alabama. The utilization plant recycles and reclaims textile wastes and byproducts, saving the company several hundred thousand dollars in avoided hauling and tipping fees annually. Johnston's Fiber Products Division is marketing the composted material locally as a soil amendment and conducting tests for other uses. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS LEAD BY EXAMPLE What's a better way to "practice what you preach" than by creating a proactive buy-recycled purchasing program? With a little help from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), government agencies who spend federal dollars are required to buy recycled products. Also, in October 1993, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12873, which calls for an increase in the federal government's use of recycled-content products. In response to these directives, and to assist governments and other interested parties in the procurement process, EPA developed the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) and Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMANs). Even if you are not required to purchase these products, the RMAN can help you identify sources for purchasing designated items. Through the use of CPG and RMAN, the federal government hopes to expand its use of products with recycled content and to help develop markets for the products in other sectors of the economy. As a result of the CPG, many state and local governments began to examine their purchasing practices. King County, Washington, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, WasteWise charter government partners, are part of a large number of governments who are on the cutting edge of buying recycled. Each partner has an innovative program that focuses on the employee or "the user" of the products, not just on the products themselves. ------------------------------------------------------------ CPG DESIGNATED PRODUCTS The CPG has designated some 24 products in 7 product categories: Construction products: structural fiberboard, laminated paperboard, carpet, floor tiles, patio blocks, building insulation products, cement and concrete containing coal fly ash or granulated blast furnace slag, latex paint, and shower and restroom dividers. Landscaping products: hydraulic mulch, yard trimmings compost, garden and soaker hoses, and lawn and garden edging. Miscellaneous products: pallets. Nonpaper office products: office recycling containers, office waste receptacles, plastic desktop accessories, toner cartridges, binders, plastic trash bags, printer ribbons, and plastic envelopes. Park and recreation products: playground surfaces, running tracks, and plastic fencing. Transportation products: traffic control cones, traffic barricades, parking stops, and traffic control devices. Vehicular products: re-refined motor oil, retread tires, and engine coolants. ------------------------------------------------------------ KING COUNTY In 1989, King County's local solid waste officials and its citizen's solid waste advisory committee established a policy requiring all agencies to use recycled-content products whenever practical. But instead of carrying a big stick and mandating that employees purchase unfamiliar recycled-content products, King County procurement officials decided to work closely with employees through creative education and incentive programs, resulting in successful institutional purchasing practices. "The first links in the chain are the users," says Eric Nelson, the county's Recycled Product Procurement Coordinator. "We realized early on that the employees needed to make these purchasing decisions, not the administration. If you take away purchasing decisions, you generate resistance to change." So, in order to fulfill their quest for employee input into purchasing decisions, the procurement office went to 23 of the county's agency managers and asked that they identify a recycled product procurement liaison. "The liaisons are our eyes and ears in each department. They know what types of materials their divisions need. And the employees are very proactive--they want to do the right thing. If we provide them the opportunities, our employees are delighted to participate. Most of the time, employees will come to us asking if we can find a product made with recycled-content material." In 1997, the county spent more than $1 million on recycled paper purchases alone. Of the paper purchased, 93 percent was recycled-content paper. But the education process does not stop there. The county's staff has several other tools at their fingertips. For example, departments, can budget to "experiment" with recycled-content products. Last year, a landscape architect worked very closely with a nearby wood processing plant to perfect a wood mulch to be used in a county park project. "We encourage employees and the manufacturers to work on a product until it's right for them and us," Nelson added. "This way, not only are we motivating people to be more environmentally aware, we are also creating an economic foundation for companies to manufacture a product that other organizations may want to purchase as well." Other educational tactics include site visits to facilities that manufacture recycled-content products, and a bimonthly bulletin that highlights new recycled-content products. "Overall, this is a very exciting program," Nelson added, "we are succeeding because our employees make it work." For more information on King County's recycled product procurement program or for a copy of the King County Recycled Product Procurement 1997 Annual Report, contact Eric Nelson at 206 296-4324 or e-mail eric.nelson@metokc.gov, or visit the website at . COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS On the other side of the country, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is also leading the way through the Commonwealth's Solid Waste Master Plan. The plan outlines three programs: state agency governmental purchasing, local municipality purchasing, and the state's buy-recycled business alliance. "As a government, we have incredible purchasing power and can leverage that power toward purchasing recycled-content products," says Scott Cassel, Director of Waste Policy for the Executive Officer of Environmental Affairs. "We want to make the best use of this influence and develop successful programs throughout all levels of government." Internally, the Commonwealth has a 3-year old grants program that funds departments to purchase, test, and evaluate products for a year. Recently, the Commonwealth purchased plastic lumber picnic tables for park areas. "By using the product, the managers can see first hand how a plastic picnic table performs under the same circumstances as a wooden picnic table," stated Cassel. The Commonwealth also purchases more common products, such as re-refined motor oil and copier paper, and performs the same kind of testing. At the local level, recycled product procurement is linked to the Municipal Recycling Incentive Program, in which the Commonwealth provides local municipalities with annual performance-based grants. The municipalities must meet a set of eligibility criteria designed to increase access and participation in recycling programs and to stimulate the demand for recycled products. After a buy-recycled policy is implemented, a municipality must add another component every 6 months to continue to receive funding. These next steps could include establishing a procurement tracking system, testing and evaluating two recycled-content products, or adopting the federal 20 percent minimum recycled-content paper standard. "With this type of incentive program, we hope that we are helping municipalities stay on track," Cassel says. For more information on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts procurement program, contact Scott Cassel at 617 727-9800, Extension 291. ------------------------------------------------------------ BUYING RECYCLED PAYS OFF! Since the inception of the buy-recycled program in 1994, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has boosted its purchase of recycled products from $8.2 million to $34 million in fiscal year 1997. In addition, Massachusetts estimates that secondary materials manufacturers directly employ nearly 12,000 people, ranging from small companies to large-scale manufacturers, which use at least 20 different recycled feedstocks to create a multitude of products. These manufacturers create an additional 50,000 associated jobs and contribute $600 million to the Massachusetts economy. ------------------------------------------------------------ BRINGING WASTE FULL CIRCLE All WasteWise partners commit to "closing the loop" by purchasing or manufacturing products with recycled content. Some partners, however, go the extra mile by initiating programs that make them directly accountable for the waste they generate--the company agrees to purchase products manufactured with the company's own materials collected for recycling. Through these cooperative agreements, partners guarantee the creation of end markets for the recyclables they generate. DEJA VU AT AETNA Employees at WasteWise charter partner Aetna, Inc., who thought they had washed their hands of scrapped documents months ago, are getting a sense of d‚j... vu as they dry their hands now. They may indeed be holding the remnants of old briefs and memos in the paper towels they are using. In late 1996, the company demonstrated its support for the wise use of resources when it entered into an agreement initiating closed-loop paper product purchases. Ever since, recyclable mixed paper generated at Aetna's offices has found a second life at the company in the form of bathroom paper products. The establishment of Aetna's closed-loop purchasing program involved multiple steps and required coordination with many vendors. The company began with the collection of office paper for recycling. According to Aetna's Contract Manager Fran Hubeney, the key was to successfully track the paper's trail from the collection point all the way to its final destination. This entailed pick-up and transport by a waste hauler via a paper broker to a paper mill, which treated and reprocessed the paper scraps into hygienic paper products. Ultimately, a distributor sold the bathroom products containing the postconsumer recycled content back to companies like Aetna. Having ensured the availability of a recycled-paper end product, Hubeney worked with Aetna's purchasing department to arrange for the procurement of these products made from its own recycled materials. Because 1997 will be Aetna's first full year of implementation of this closed-loop program, the company does not yet have any figures for the annual amount of closed-loop recycled-content product purchases. The company estimates, however, that it supplied approximately 7 million pounds of mixed office paper for recycling in 1996 and expects a similar contribution this year. Taking environmental responsibility for the high rate of paper generation inherent to the insurance industry, Aetna is doing its part to ensure that there is a market for its office paper waste. While certainly prompted by the environmental benefits of its actions, Aetna's primary motive for initiating a closed-loop purchase program was financially based. Vendor discussions conducted as Aetna considered implementing the program revealed that Aetna could reap impressive cost savings. "By preplanning and making all employees aware of Aetna's environmental initiatives, the purchasing department was able to put this knowledge to use to attain a reduced-rate contract for these items," says Safety and Environmental Consultant Jim Woods. In fact, the company estimates that it is realizing some $15,000 to 20,000 savings per year in paper products as a result of its closed-loop purchases! As is often the case, open communication, both internally and externally, proved to be the way to success. ------------------------------------------------------------ For more information on Aetna's program, contact Jim Woods at 860 273-7357. ------------------------------------------------------------ JTR PROGRAM AIDS WISCONSIN TISSUE AND NATURE'S FIRE Manufacturers of recycled-content products are receiving a big helping hand from EPA's Jobs Through Recycling (JTR) program. Through its state partners, JTR connects these businesses with agencies that provide technical assistance, financing, and marketing support. In the process, the JTR program stimulates local economic growth and overall recycling market development. The success of manufacturers of recycled-content products guarantees demand for recycled materials and makes it easier for consumers to find recycled-content products on store shelves. As consumers become more aware of the importance of buying recycled, they will increasingly demand such products. We note here two recycled-content products manufacturers assisted by JTR grantees: WasteWise partner Wisconsin Tissue, a paper and paper products maker, and Nature's Fire, a manufacturer of organic fire starting products. Wisconsin Tissue was looking to expand its operations into the Southwest when the Arizona Recycling Economic Development Advocate (REDA), a JTR grantee, first offered the company its assistance. The REDA lined up site visits and tours of Arizona localities, helped the company apply for an environmental technology tax credit, and assisted the company in preparing its bid for site locations. By 1996, the REDA had helped Wisconsin Tissue open a pair of facilities in Flagstaff, Arizona, that turn recycled material into quality recycled products. The first, a paper mill, processes polycoated paper, window envelopes, and higher grade mixed waste paper into white feedstock. A second facility uses this feedstock, along with recovered corrugated cardboard, to create finished products ranging from restaurant and food service napkins to bathroom tissue. The Flagstaff operation converts 40,000 tons of waste paper into 30,000 tons of tissue products each year. Mike Graverson, the converting facility general manager, and Mike Bogenschutz, the tissue mill plant manager, noted that "the REDA was very helpful to Wisconsin Tissue in locating our Southwest operation." Nature's Fire, based in Ellsworth, Minnesota, produces fire starters for campfires, grills, and fireplaces. The company began production in 1988 and steadily increased its output until sales opportunities forced the company to expand its original facility. The increased product demand strained the company's resources and technical knowledge. In fact, Nature's Fire was close to shutting down when it first met with the staff of the Minnesota Recycling and Reuse Business Assistance Center (RBAC), also a JTR grantee. The RBAC assisted Nature's Fire with a variety of technical and financial issues. When Nature's Fire's only vendor of 100 percent recyclable and biodegradable packaging trays discontinued their product, for example, RBAC staff conducted Internet and telephone research to locate alternative packaging vendors. According to Leonard "Lindy" Stoltz, president and CEO of Nature's Fire, "We never would have been able to afford the services provided by RBAC staff if they had been private consultants. Without their assistance, we would have had to close our doors." With the RBAC's help, however, Nature's Fire has added 14 new employees to the original 6 employees on its payroll. In 1996, Nature's Fire diverted more than 400,000 pounds of material from the land-fill to make its products. The company expects to more than triple that amount for a 1997 total of 1.5 million pounds: a 300 percent growth in production. While help is not available in every state, some states have resources to help businesses involved in collecting, processing, and remanufacturing recovered materials. For more information, please call 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473) or visit the Jobs Through Recycling web site at . WasteWise PAYS OFF NORTHEAST UTILITIES' TRACKING PROGRAM IS AS SIMPLE AS 1-2-3 "Setting up a buy-recycled tracking program took just 15 minutes--the length of time it took for me to make a phone call to our supplier," said Richard Larsen, Pollution Prevention Coordinator at WasteWise partner Northeast Utilities Service Company. By tracking recycled-content purchases, Northeast Utilities demonstrates its commitment to protecting the environment and closing the recycling loop to customers, stockholders, EPA, and other interested parties. Given that setting up the system takes so little time, Larsen wonders why more companies aren't tracking. Since the company has one major vendor that provides all of its office supply products, Larsen determined that the easiest way to create a buy-recycled tracking program would be to work with this vendor. To set up the system, the vendor added the word "recycled" as a search criterion for the computer program already used to track products purchased and dollars spent. Now when the vendor conducts computer searches to locate products that Northeast Utilities is interested in purchasing, the computer flags the word "recycled" in product descriptions. Since 1995, when Northeast Utilities began tracking, it annually receives from the vendor a detailed report of products purchased with recycled content, percentage recycled content, and the dollars spent. The reports show that in 1996 alone, the company bought more than 70,000 pounds of recycled-content products, spending $300,000. Products purchased range from envelopes, brochures, and catalogs made with 50 to 100 percent recycled content to 100-percent recycled-content paper towels. For more information on Northeast Utilities' buy-recycled tracking program, please e-mail Richard Larsen at: larsera@nu.com or call him at 860 665-5326. WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you are not yet a WasteWise partner and would like to join, please let us know. All partners are eligible to subscribe to the WasteWise list server. Contact us at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473), or by email at ww@cais.net, for more information. Or visit our web site at . BUY RECYCLED Resource Listing PUBLICATIONS Obtain other documents by contacting the organizations listed. General Guide to Buying Recycled Products for Consumers and Small Business, 1996. This guide lists nearly 400 products made from recycled materials, shows their post-consumer and total recycled content, and tells where to buy them: 44 pages, $3 postage paid for Pennsylvania residents, $4 postage paid for out-of-state residents. For more information, contact the Pennsylvania Resources Council, 3606 Providence Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073. Phone: 610 353-1555. Internet: . "Close the Loop. Buy Recycled." Community Education Kit. Created by Keep America Beautiful and EPA, this kit allows your organization to educate others about the importance of "buying recycled." Useful for businesses, schools, and government agencies to educate employees. Includes a manual, video, and camera-ready brochure: $40. For more information, contact Keep America Beautiful, Inc., 1010 Washington Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901. Phone: 203 323-8987 Fax: 203 325-9199. Internet: . 10 Easy Ways to Buy Recycled. This guidebook, published by the California Department of Conservation and California Integrated Waste Management Board, includes useful tips, resources, and product information for consumers and businesses alike. To order a copy, contact the California Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling, 801 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Phone: 916 445-1490. The Official Recycled Products Guide. This directory lists manufacturers and distributors for more than 5,000 recycled products. For more information, contact the Recycling Data Management Corporation, P.O. Box 577, Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Phone: 800 267-0707. Buy-Recycled Training Manual. Provides general information on developing a buy-recycled program. For more information, contact the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, 25 South Charles Street, Suite 2105, Baltimore, MD 21201. Phone: 410 333-2730. Paper 1996 Buy-Recycled Series: Paper Products (EPA530-F-96-014). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled paper products through the Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG). Products designated through this program include printing and writing papers, newsprint, tissue products, and paperboard and packing products. Mills That Manufacture Printing and Writing Paper, Computer Paper, Office Paper, Envelopes, Bristols, and Coated Printing and Writing Papers Using Recovered Paper (EPA530-B-97-008). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of paper products containing recovered materials. Mills Which Manufacture Newsprint Containing at Least 40 Percent Postconsumer Recovered Paper (EPA530-B-95-009). Tissue Mills Which Use Postconsumer Recovered Paper (EPA530-B-95-008). Paper Matcher, 4th Edition, 1996. Contains hundreds of recovered paper dealers throughout the United States sorted by state. It also contains listings for paper and paperboard mills using recovered paper. For more information, contact the American Forest & Paper Association, 1111 19th Street, NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: 800 878-8878. Internet: . National Office Paper Recycling Project. The National Office Paper Recycling Project maintains a list of recycled-content paper producers and has published several guidebooks on setting up and promoting office buy-recycled and recycling programs. For more information, contact the National Office Paper Recycling Project, 1620 Eye Street, NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006. Phone: 202 223-3088. Fax: 202 429-0422. Jaakko Poyry Recycled Gradefinder. This quarterly publication provides a comprehensive, up-to-date directory of almost 1,000 brands of recycled-content paper. Entries include brand name, manufacturer, grade, postconsumer content, brightness, and basis weight. The entries are organized alphabetically by brand name, manufacturer or distributor, and grade. A 1-year subscription costs $90. To order, contact Ronni Schram, Jaakko Poyry Consulting, Inc., 580 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591- 5183. Phone: 800 872-5792. Fax: 914 332-4411. Guide to Purchasing and Using Recycled Content Paper. This guide includes grades, brand names, and specifications as well as contact information for the paper merchants and vendors. To order, contact Recycled Pulp and Paper Coalition, 241 Dechert Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Phone: 800 845-3207. Nonpaper Office Products 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Non-Paper Office Products (EPA530-F-97-003). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled nonpaper office products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include recycling containers and waste receptacles, plastic desk-top accessories, binders, trash bags, toner cartridges, plastic envelopes, and printer ribbons. Non-Paper Office Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97- 011). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of nonpaper office products containing recovered materials. Resource Guide to Business Products Manufacturers' Recycling Products and Programs. Provides information on how to purchase recycled-content office products. The guide costs $20 for members and $40 for nonmembers. To obtain a copy, contact the Business Products Industry Association, 301 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria VA 22314. Phone: 800 542-6672 or 703 549-9040. The Essential Guide to Recycled Office Products, King County Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials. This catalog includes a range of paper and nonpaper products made from recycled materials. Copies of the catalog are available from the King County Commission for Recyclable Materials, 400 Yester Way, Room 200, Seattle, WA 98104. Phone: 206 296-4439. Fax: 206 296-4366. King County Recycled Procurement 1997 Annual Report. This report summarizes King County's recycled product procurement policies and 1997 purchases. It is available from the King County Procurement Services Division, Room 620, Seattle, WA 98104. Phone: 206 296-4210. Plastics Recycled Plastic Products Source Book. Provides information on various recycled-content plastic products. To order, contact the American Plastics Council, 1275 K Street, NW., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005. Phone: 800 2-HELP-90 (243-5790). Directory of Companies Manufacturing Products From Recycled Vinyl. Contains listings for companies manufacturing products from recycled vinyl. To order, contact the Vinyl Environmental Resource Center, One Cascade Plaza, 19th floor, Akron, OH 44308-1121. Phone: 800 969-8469. Fax: 330 376-9379. Rubber and Tires Recycled Rubber Products Catalog. This catalog contains listings of companies making products from scrap tires (about 100 listings). To order, contact the Scrap Tire Management Council, 1400 K Street, NW., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. Phone: 202 682-4880. Construction, Demolition, and Landscaping 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Construction Products (EPA530-F-97-035). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled construction products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include construction board, thermal insulation, floor tiles, carpeting, shower and restroom dividers, and reprocessed and consolidated latex paint in specific applications. Construction Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97- 014). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of construction products containing recovered materials. 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Landscaping Products (EPA530-F-97-034). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled landscaping products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include hydraulic mulch, yard trimmings compost, garden and soaker hoses, and lawn and garden edging. Landscaping Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97- 012). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of landscaping products containing recovered materials. The Harris Directory. This computer database for Windows lists construction products made with recovered materials in a Construction Specifications Institute format. Contact B.J. Harris, 508 Jose Street, Suite 913, Santa Fe, NM 87501-1855. Phone: 505 995-0337. Fax: 505 820-1911. The Green Pages: The Contract Interior Designer's Guide to Environmentally Responsible Products and Materials. To order, contact: Andrew Fuston, 45 East 25th Street, Eighth Floor, New York, NY 10006-2003. Phone: 212 779-3365. A Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements. In addition to tips on efficient design and job-site recycling, this guide lists several manufacturers that make products using recovered materials. To order, contact the Center for Resourceful Building Technology, P.O. Box 100, Missoula, MT 59806. Phone: 406 549-7678. The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design, 1992. This directory of environmentally responsible materials and processes contains listings of over 100 recycled products used in construction applications. Sorted by CSI division. To order, contact the Boston Society of Architects, 52 Broad Street, Boston, MA 02109-4301. Phone: 617 951-1433. Internet: . National Park Service's Sustainable Design and Construction Database. The product listing portion of this database has approximately 1,300 entries from over 550 manufacturers; listings of over 7,000 recyclers of construction debris nationwide; and expanded listings of books, periodicals, organizations, and online (Internet) sources of sustainable information. The database can be searched by manufacturing plant location, CSI division, or product type. For more information, contact Roberta Bear, National Park Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225. Phone: 303 969-2959. Internet: . Building for Tomorrow: Buy Recycled Guidebook for the Commercial Construction Industry. This booklet describes construction materials available with recycled content and includes a resource list. In addition, National Recycling Coalition developed a series of case studies on buildings that have used recycled content products in construction. To order, contact the Buy Recycled Business Alliance, 1727 King Street, Suite 105, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: 703 683-9025. Environmental Building News. This bimonthly newsletter on environmentally sustainable design and construction includes articles on new products and materials, technologies, and construction methods. Contact: R.R. 1 Box 161, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Phone: 802 257-7300. E-mail: . Directory of Recycled-Content Building and Construction Products. This regional directory includes 500 construction and building products manufactured with recycled content. To order a copy, contact the Clean Washington Center, First Interstate Center, 999 Third Avenue, Suite 1060, Seattle, WA 98104. Free to Washington residents, $20 for others. Phone: 206 464-7040. Fax: 206 464-6902. Internet: . Transportation 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Transportation Products (EPA530-F-97- 036). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled transportation products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include traffic cones and barricades, parking stops, and traffic control devices. Transportation Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97- 013). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of transportation products containing recovered materials. 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Pallets (Miscellaneous Products) (EPA530-F-97- 031). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled pallets through the CPG. Miscellaneous Products (Pallets) Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97-007). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of pallets containing recovered materials. Parks and Recreation 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Park and Recreation Products (EPA530-F-97- 032). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled park and recreation products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include playground surfaces, running tracks, and plastic fencing. Parks and Recreation Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97-006). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of park and recreation products containing recovered materials. Vehicular 1997 Buy-Recycled Series: Vehicular Products (EPA530-F-97-037). This fact sheet provides details on EPA's efforts to promote buying recycled vehicular products through the CPG. Products designated through this program include re-refined oil, retread tires, and engine coolants. Vehicular Products Containing Recovered Materials (EPA530-B-97- 005). This list identifies manufacturers and suppliers of vehicular products containing recovered materials. Environmental Fact Sheet--Purchasing and Maintaining Retread Passenger Tires (EPA530-F-95-019). This fact sheet provides information on waste prevention, proper tire maintenance, and tire retreading for fleet managers and vehicle operators. Contact the Buy Recycled Campaign for automobile manufacturers' warranty statements on the use of re-refined oil. Also available are fact sheets on purchasing re-refined oil and retreaded tires. Call the Buy Recycled Training Institute, 1620 Eye Street, NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006. Phone: 202 293-7330. Fax: 202 429-0422. Textiles 1995 Council for Textile Recycling Buyers Guide and Directory. Lists contact information for companies that make products from recycled textiles. To order, contact the Council for Textile Recycling, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1212, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: 301 718-0671. Current Web Sites King County, Washington, has placed a variety of information about its recycled product procurement program online including manufacturers and specifications for office, construction and landscaping, and automotive products, among others. The site also lists other major Internet sources of information about recycled products including publications, associations, and other Internet sites. GreenSeal maintains a list of its certified products including cleaning products, paint, paper, and re-refined oil. The products featured are those GreenSeal has found to be environmentally preferable. The Waste Less Trade Show maintains a list of recycled-content and environmentally friendly products including recycled plastic lumber, office furniture, paper products, plastic bags, hardwood flooring, and recycling receptacles. The American Plastics Council makes it easy to shop for recycled-content plastic products ranging from pencil cups to foam packaging. Just take a stroll through its "Shop Recycled Mall." The mall lists manufacturers of recycled plastic products in five main categories: office and warehouse, auto and home, fashion, toys and sports, and general. The Official Recycled Products Guide is available on the Internet and updated on a regular basis. In order to access the guide, users will need to order a subscription that ranges from $69 to $295 depending on the type of subscription. For more information, call the Recycling Data Management Corporation at 800 267- 0707. The Global Recycling Network web site is dedicated to providing recycled-content product information and recycling related information. The United States Environmental Hotline has put geographically specific information at your fingertips nation-wide. The site can help you locate important environmental information and recycling centers for all types of recyclables by typing in your zip code. In a special buy-recycled section of the web site, the Hotline discusses buy-recycled issues and gives examples of products available for each of four groups: home (interior and exterior), auto, office, and industrial. Pennsylvania Resource Council, has placed a listing of links to Recycled Products Directories including: national, association, building and construction, green products, and state and regional directories. This is your link to the California Integrated Waste Management Board's Recycled-Content Product (RCP) Database. The RCP Database has information on RCPs as well as manufacturers, distributors, reprocessors, mills, and converters who procure or produce these products or the recycled materials needed to make them. The result is a growing list of over 10,000 materials, products, and businesses. This is the web site of the Buy Recycled Business Alliance. By joining, your organization can gain valuable knowledge on buying recycled products and materials. The Alliance provides a forum for member companies to share success stories and other information. As an Alliance member, you will receive a 30-page guidebook binder on how to implement a recycled product purchasing program in your company; a quarterly newsletter, the Buy Recycled NewsLine, with information on recycled products and tips on buying recycled; important discounts on recycled product guides and publications; and industry-specific guides and briefs that will save you time and resources. There is no cost to join the Alliance. All that's required is a commitment to increase your purchases of recycled products. Future Web Sites The Environmental News Network is busy creating its Marketplace. To be completed by spring 1998, the center will offer databases of recycled products. Currently, you can look at product floors, how to build your store, and the advertiser index. WasteWise Helpline The WasteWise Helpline--800 EPA-WISE (372-9473)--has additional resources available. These resources include: Buy Recycled Guidebook. This guidebook, developed by the Buy Recycled Business Alliance, is designed to help companies begin or expand a recycled products purchasing program. It includes sample policy statements, a notice for vendors, and other resources. State Buy-Recycled Contacts. The Helpline can refer you to a contact in your state. We also have information on a number of state directories. Corporate Policy Statements. The Helpline has sample policy statements from other WasteWise partners.