School District Diversion Report 2000: Appendices

Model Board of Education Waste Reduction Resolution and Environmental Purchasing Policy

Model Resolution

[Name of School District]

WHEREAS, the District recognizes the need to manage resources efficiently and cost effectively, and

WHEREAS, the integrated waste management principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are consistent with principles of good management and environmental stewardship, and

WHEREAS, the integrated waste management principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle save energy and resources that will directly benefit our communities, and

WHEREAS, the integrated waste management principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are necessary to reduce the impact on landfill capacity, and

WHEREAS, District staff should serve as positive role models to students and the community concerning environmental issues:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the [Name of School District] will implement a comprehensive and integrated waste management program that will include:

• Waste prevention practices such as material reuse, double-sided copying, e-mail, and electronic purchase orders.
• Recycling of corrugated cardboard; white and mixed paper; aluminum, glass, plastic, and metal containers; and landscape trimming.
• Reuse and recycling of construction and demolition materials to the greatest extent possible.
• Purchase of products containing the highest amount of post-consumer material practicable.
• Annual assessment of each department’s effectiveness in applying this policy.

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: The Superintendent shall adopt school and departmental procedures that implement and support this integrated program.

Adopted: [Date]

Signed: [President of Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools]

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Model Environmental Purchasing Policy

[Name of School District]

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to support the purchase of recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products in order to minimize environmental impacts relating to our work. The [Name of School District] recognizes our employees can make a difference in favor of environmental quality. The District prefers the purchase of environmentally preferable products whenever they perform satisfactorily and are available at a reasonably competitive price.

All District departments and schools shall adopt and promote the use of recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products as a department/school priority. In doing so, the department/school shall:

1. Encourage waste prevention, reuse, recycling, market development, and use of recycled-content, recyclable and other environmentally preferable products through lease agreements, contractual relationships, and purchasing practices with vendors, contractors, businesses, and other government agencies.
2. Adopt waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and use of recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferred products as a department/school priority.
3. Generate less waste material by reviewing how supplies, materials, and equipment are manufactured, purchased, packaged, delivered, and used, and the manner of their disposal.
4. Serve as a model for the District and our community to influence waste prevention, recycling, and procurement efforts.

Definitions

"Environmentally Preferable Products" means products that have a lesser impact on human health and the environment than competing products. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation and/or disposal of the product.

"Recycled-Content Products" are products manufactured with waste material that has been recovered or diverted from the waste stream. Recycled material may be derived from post consumer waste (material that has served its intended end use and been discarded by a final consumer), industrial scrap, manufacturing waste and/or other waste that otherwise would not have been utilized.

Policies

1. All District personnel will specify recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable.
2. The District shall solicit the use of recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products in its procurement documents as appropriate.
3. District department/schools shall practice waste prevention and recycling whenever practicable.

Responsibilities of [Name of Purchasing Department]

The [Name of Purchasing Department] shall be responsible for coordinating the implementation of this policy and shall:

1. Develop and maintain information about recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products to be purchased by the District, departments, and schools.
2. Inform other departments/schools of their responsibilities under this policy; provide departments/schools with information about recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable product procurement opportunities.
3. Seek to participate in material exchanges and joint powers authorities to negotiate prices that are more competitive.
4. Reuse materials whenever possible.
5. Inform vendors of our Environmental Purchasing Policy.
6. Restrict contracts to only recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products whenever possible (e.g., office supplies, lubricating oils, and janitorial supplies).
7. Review specifications used in public bidding to eliminate barriers to recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products, such as outdated or overly stringent product specifications and specifications not related to product performance. All requests for proposals shall require vendors to offer recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable.
8. Provide the District Superintendent and Board of Trustees with an annual report on the status of key benchmark commodities.

Responsibilities of All Departments/Schools

Each department/school shall:

1. Practice waste prevention, reuse, and recycling whenever possible.
2. Continue to utilize recycling programs and expand where possible.
3. Procure recycled-content, recyclable, and other environmentally preferable products whenever practicable.
4. Evaluate each designated product to determine the extent to which departments/schools may practicably use it.
5. Ensure that procurement documents issued by the department/school require environmentally preferable purchasing wherever possible.

Exemption

Nothing in this policy shall be construed as requiring the purchase of products that do not perform adequately or are not available at a reasonable price.

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Last updated: September 18, 2008