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Several actions you can take immediately to increase recycled-content product (RCP)
procurements are listed below.
- Ask your contractor and Department of General Services (DGS)
representatives whether the products you are currently buying are RCPs. You
may be purchasing RCPs and be unaware of it. Increase your use of the Postconsumer-Content Certification
form, CIWMB 74 (Adobe
PDF, 37 KB) so
that you can take credit for the RCPs you are purchasing.
- If the products you are currently buying are not RCPs, replace them with
RCPs. Many RCPs compare favorably to non-RCPs with respect to price,
quality, and availability. Switching from a non-RCP to an RCP, even when you
are already in compliance, is preferable. In fact, such initiative provides
security against a shortfall (a common problem) in RCP purchases and alerts
DGS to RCP demands.
- Request RCPs on all intraoffice requisitions, purchase orders, release
orders, purchase estimates, Cal Card purchases, and any other purchasing
documents.
- Specify RCPs in contract and grant language. RCPs purchased or used to
fulfill the terms of a contract or grant should be counted toward attainment
of the goals.
- Identify large quantity or large dollar amount purchases of RCPs that
you can make early in the fiscal year. This will allow you to attain the
goals in the least number of transactions possible and as early in the
fiscal year as possible.
- Establish "set-asides" and "recycled-only" contracts to ensure
contractors provide RCPs.
- Review, revise, and establish new procurement and purchasing
specifications in order to maximize RCP procurements.
- Establish a work group or task force of interested staff members in your
department to help promote State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC)
activities. This group should include all staff involved in the ordering and
procurement processes.
- Pursue the adoption of a department policy encouraging all staff to be
responsible for attaining the SABRC mandates and procurement goals.
- Conduct outreach and educational efforts to ensure all staff is aware of
the mandates and actively participate in the “buy recycled” efforts
throughout your agency. Ask your
SABRC staff contact to come out and
conduct your initial training or refresher training to educate new personnel
at your organization.
- Incorporate sustainable building practices into construction projects.
Visit the CIWMB’s Green Building website for
more information.
RCPs that generally cost less than or the same as non-RCPs include the following:
- Xerographic/copier paper
- Paper towels and tissue
- Corrugated boxes and packaging
- Envelopes and mailers
- Corrugated file boxes
- Plastic trash cans/liners
- Latex paint
- Re-refined automotive lubricants
- Compost/mulch
- Retreaded truck tires
- Writing tablets
- Continuous feed computer paper
- Laser toner cartridges
- Reformatted computer disks
Other great RCPs can be found by accessing our
recycled-content product database. Many products are noted to be as SABRC
compliant, but be sure to check the specifications for all products as there may
be others that are also compliant.
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