1 / 13

Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project

Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project. INFORM, Inc. http://www.informinc.org New York Headquarters: 212-361-2400. Our three main program areas are: Chemical hazards prevention Solid waste reduction Sustainable transportation For more information about INFORM, please visit:

fordon
Download Presentation

Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project INFORM, Inc. http://www.informinc.org New York Headquarters: 212-361-2400

  2. Our three main program areas are: Chemical hazards prevention Solid waste reduction Sustainable transportation For more information about INFORM, please visit: http://www.informinc.org/aboutinf.htm Founded in 1974, INFORM is an independent research organization that examines the effects of business practices on the environment and on human health. Our goal is to identify ways of doing business that ensure environmentally sustainable economic growth. Our reports are used by government, industry, and environmental leaders around the world. About INFORM http://www.informinc.org

  3. Project At a Glance Work with public entities to reduce the purchase of products that contain persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs). PBT-Free Products Goal: Buy Less Toxic Products http://www.informinc.org

  4. Why Focus on Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBTs)? • Persistentchemicals do not degrade but remain in the environment. • Bioaccumulative chemicals accumulate in tissue, increasing in concentration as they are carried up the food chain. • Toxic chemicals cause harm in minute amounts. http://www.informinc.org

  5. Most PBTs Leaving Manufacturing Plants End Up in Products Source: 1998 NJ Materials Accounting Data and MA Toxics Use Reductions Act Data http://www.informinc.org

  6. PBTs Are Also Produced When Products are Made or Discarded Examples: Paper bleached with chlorine can create dioxin during manufacture. PVC plastic bags may create dioxin when incinerated as waste. http://www.informinc.org

  7. What Products Are Being Targeted by INFORM? • Products that contain any of the 53 chemicals on EPA’s Draft RCRA Waste Minimization List of PBTs. • Products with readily available substitutes. • Contracts coming up for rebid by public entities in the coming year. http://www.informinc.org

  8. INFORM Assists Public Entities By: • Identifying products containing PBTs. • Researching safer alternatives. • Recommending purchasingspecifications. http://www.informinc.org

  9. INFORM has created Fact Sheets for: • Health Care Facilities • Building Construction and Maintenance • Public Works and Fleet Management • Schools and Colleges • Agencies Using Art Supplies http://www.informinc.org

  10. Health CareExample: Mercury-Free Equipment • As a result of Massachusetts purchasing specs, now only mercury-free products are available on the state’s medical equipment contract. • The state has tested vendors by trying to buymercury products. Their response: “We’re not supposed to sell that.” Bid solicitation: ftp://ftp.comm-pass.com/data/00972002.PDF Contract announcement:ftp://ftp.comm-pass.com/data/00972009.PDF http://www.informinc.org

  11. Building MaintenanceExample: Lighting • University of Minnesota solicited bids for low-mercury fluorescents and high-pressure sodium lamps. • The U of M selected a vendor that will stockonly low-mercury lamps where such applications exist. Low-mercury lights are marketed under such brands as: * GE Ecolux, * Philips Alto, and * Osram Sylvania Ecologic products. http://www.informinc.org

  12. Public WorksExample: Vehicles Bids are pending in several states. INFORM recommends: • Purchase of vehicles without mercury switches; • Replacement of mercury light switches in existing vehicles; • Requirement that manufacturers disclose use of mercury and vinyl and plans for phasing them out. http://www.informinc.org

  13. Schools and CollegesExample: Urinal Blocks • INFORM helped Erie County (New York) to identify safer urinal blocks that avoid the use of paradichlorobenzene. • County tested two alternatives in a high-traffic office building, library, and park. • Results led County to revise its janitorial contract to offer only “non-para” products. Toxicity Reduction: 2,000 lbs of paradichlorobenzene annually http://www.informinc.org

More Related