[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 217 (Thursday, November 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57760-57766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28735]
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 217 / Thursday, November 7, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 57760]]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[SWH-FRL-5628-5]
Recovered Materials Advisory Notice
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of draft document for review.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency today is providing notice
of the issuance of a draft Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN)
which provides guidance to procuring agencies for purchasing certain
items containing recovered materials. Under section 6002 of the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, EPA designates
items that are or can be made with recovered materials and provides
recommendations for the procurement of these items. Elsewhere in
today's Federal Register, EPA is proposing to designate 13 additional
items, including shower and restroom dividers; latex paint; parking
stops; channelizers; delineators; flexible delineators; snow fencing;
garden and soaker hoses; lawn and garden edging; printer ribbons; ink
jet cartridges; plastic envelopes; and pallets. Today's RMAN contains
draft recommended recovered materials content levels for these items.
In addition, today's draft RMAN clarifies recommendations previously
made for floor tiles on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21392).
DATES: EPA will accept public comments on the recommendations contained
in the draft Recovered Materials Advisory Notice until February 5,
1997.
ADDRESSES: To comment on this notice, please send an original and two
copies of comments to: RCRA Information Center (5305W), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC
20460. Please place the docket number F-96-CP2P-FFFFF on your comments.
If any information is confidential, it should be identified as
such. An original and two copies of Confidential Business Information
(CBI) must be submitted under separate cover to: Document Control
Officer (5305), Office of Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.
Documents related to today's notice are available for viewing at
the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Ground Floor, Crystal
Gateway One, Arlington, VA 22202. The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. The public must
make an appointment to review docket materials. Call (703) 603-9230 for
appointments. Copies cost $.15 per page.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact the
RCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810. For technical
information on individual item recommendations, contact the following
EPA staff: Construction, landscaping, transportation, and park and
recreation products--Terry Grist, (703) 308-7257; Non-paper office
products--Janice Johnson, (703) 308-7280; Vehicular and miscellaneous
products--Sue Nogas, (703) 308-7251; Paper and paper products--Dana
Arnold, (703) 308-7279. For all other technical information, contact
Terry Grist at (703) 308-7257.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Authority
The draft Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) is issued
under the authority of sections 2002(a) and 6002 of the Solid Waste
Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
of 1976, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6912(a) and 2962, and section 502 of
Executive Order 12873 (58 FR 54911, October 20, 1993).
II. Background
Section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
(RCRA) establishes a Federal buy-recycled program. RCRA section 6002(e)
requires EPA to (1) designate items that are or can be produced with
recovered materials and (2) prepare guidelines to assist procuring
agencies in complying with affirmative procurement requirements set
forth in paragraphs (c), (d), and (i) of section 6002. Once EPA has
designated items, section 6002 requires that any procuring agency using
appropriated Federal funds to procure those items. For the purposes of
RCRA section 6002, procuring agencies include the following: (1) Any
Federal agency; (2) any State or local agencies using appropriated
Federal funds for a procurement; or (3) any contractors with these
agencies (with respect to work performed under the contract). The
requirements of section 6002 apply to such procuring agencies only when
procuring designated items where the price of the item exceeds $10,000
or the quantity of the item purchased in the previous year exceeded
$10,000.
Executive Order 12873 (58 FR 54911, October 22, 1993) directs EPA
to designate items in a Comprehensive Procurement Guideline and publish
guidance that contains EPA's recommended recovered content levels for
the designated items in Recovered Materials Advisory Notices. The
Executive Order further directs EPA to update the CPG annually and the
RMAN periodically to reflect changes in market conditions. EPA codifies
the CPG designations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), but,
because the recommendations are guidance, the RMAN is not codified in
the CFR. This process enables EPA to make timely revisions to its
recommendations in response to changes in a product's availability or
recovered materials content.
EPA issued a CPG on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21370) designating 19 new
items and published an RMAN for the designated items on the same day
(60 FR 21386). These notices also consolidated the guidelines
previously issued for five items designated between 1983 and 1989.
Today, in a separate section of the Federal Register, EPA is proposing
to designate 13 new items. Today's draft RMAN recommends recovered
materials content levels and procurement guidance for these 13 new
items which include: (1) Shower and restroom dividers; (2) latex paint;
(3) parking stops; (4) channelizers; (5) delineators; (6) flexible
delineators; (7) snow fencing; (8) garden and soaker hoses; (9) lawn
and garden edging; (10) printer ribbons; (11) ink jet cartridges; (12)
plastic envelopes; and (13) pallets. This notice also provides
clarification on recommendations made in the previous RMAN for floor
tiles which was issued on May 1, 1995. Once finalized, today's RMAN
will serve as companion guidance to the original RMAN.
EPA, once again, wants to stress that the recommendations in its
RMAN are just that--recommendations and guidance to procuring agencies
in fulfilling their obligations under section 6002. The designation of
an item as one that is or can be produced with recovered materials and
the inclusions of recommended content levels for an item in the RMAN
does not compel the procurement of an item when the item is not
suitable for its intended purpose. Section 6002 is explicit in this
regard when it authorizes a procuring agency not to procure a
designated item where the item
``fails to meet the performance standards set forth in the
applicable specification or fails to meet the reasonable performance
standards of the procuring agencies.'' Section 6002(1)(B), 42 U.S.C.
6962(c)(B).
Thus, for example, elsewhere today, EPA has proposed to designate
shower
[[Page 57761]]
and restroom dividers as items that are or can be produced with
recovered materials content. The information the Agency has developed
shows that these items are available in either steel or plastic with
recovered materials content. However, if EPA adopts the proposed
designation and recommendations for shower and restroom dividers, the
mere fact that these are available with recovered materials content
does not require the use of such items in every circumstance. The
choice of appropriate materials used in construction remains with
building engineers and architects. The effect of designation (and
section 6002) is simply to require the purchase of items with recovered
materials where consistent with the purpose for which the item is to be
used. Procuring agencies remain free to procure dividers of materials
other than steel or plastic where the design specifications call for
other materials.
A. Methodology for Recommending Recovered Materials Content Levels
In providing guidance in the RMAN, the Executive Order directs EPA
to present ``the range of recovered materials content levels within
which the designated recycled items are currently available.'' Based on
the information available to the Agency, EPA recommends ranges that
encourage manufacturers to incorporate the maximum amount of recovered
materials into their products without compromising competition or
product performance and availability. EPA recommends that procuring
agencies use these ranges, in conjunction with their own research, to
establish their minimum content standards. In some instances, EPA
recommends that procuring agencies establish a specific level (e.g.,
100 percent recovered materials), rather than a range, because the item
is universally available at that recommended level. EPA recommends
ranges rather than minimum standards for several reasons:
First, the Executive order directs EPA to develop ranges, not
minimum content standards or specific recovered materials levels.
Second, EPA has only limited information on recovered materials
content levels for the new items proposed for designation. It would
not be appropriate to establish minimum content standards without
more detailed information because the standards may be treated as
maximum targets by manufacturers and may stifle innovative
approaches for increasing recovered material use. EPA hopes that the
use of ranges will encourage manufacturers producing at the low end
of the recovered materials range to seek ways of increasing their
recovered materials usage. Minimum content standards are less likely
to encourage such innovation.
Third, many items are purchased locally rather than centrally.
As a result, the recovered materials content of the items are likely
to vary from region to region depending on local cost and
availability of recovered materials. Minimum content standards are
unlikely to be effective given the regional variance in recovered
materials content because minimum content levels that are
appropriate for one region, may be excessively high or low for other
regions. A recovered materials content range gives regional
procuring agencies the flexibility to establish their own recovered
content standards and to make them as high as possible, consistent
with the statute, given local product availability and market
conditions.
EPA reviewed publicly-available information, information obtained
from product manufacturers, and information provided by other Federal
agencies regarding the percentages of recovered materials available in
the items proposed for designation in the CPG. Based on this
information, EPA established ranges of recovered materials content for
each of the proposed designated items. In establishing the ranges,
EPA's objective was to ensure the availability of the item, while
challenging manufacturers to increase their use of recovered materials.
By recommending ranges, EPA believes that sufficient information will
be provided to enable procuring agencies to set appropriate procurement
specifications when purchasing the newly designated items.
It is EPA's intention to provide procuring agencies with the best
and most current information available to assist them in fulfilling
their statutory obligations under RCRA section 6002. To do this, EPA
will monitor the progress made by procuring agencies in purchasing
designated items with the highest practical recovered materials content
level and will adjust the recommended content ranges as appropriate.
For some items, EPA recommends 100 percent recovered materials content
levels because the items are already universally available at that
level. EPA anticipates that other recommended ranges will narrow over
time as other items become more available, although for technical
reasons, many may never be available with 100 percent recovered
materials content levels.
Under RCRA section 6002(i), it is the procuring agency's
responsibility to establish minimum content standards, while EPA
provides recommendations regarding the levels of recovered materials in
the designated items. To make it clear that EPA does not establish
minimum content standards for other agencies, EPA refers to its
recommendations as ``recovered materials content levels,'' consistent
with RCRA section 6002(e) and Executive Order 12873.
More information on EPA's methodology for recommending recovered
materials content levels for designated items is contained in
``Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) II--Supporting Analyses,''
located in the RCRA public docket for this notice.
B. Definitions
Today's draft RMAN contains recommendations on the recovered
materials content levels and postconsumer materials content levels at
which the designated items are generally available. For several items
being proposed for designation, this RMAN recommends two-part content
levels--a postconsumer recovered content component and a total
recovered materials component. In these instances, EPA found that both
types of materials were being used to manufacture a product.
Recommending only postconsumer content levels would fail to acknowledge
the contribution to solid waste management made by manufacturers using
other manufacturers' byproducts as feedstock. The terms ``recovered
materials'' and ``postconsumer materials'' are defined in the CPG at 40
CFR 247.3. These definitions are repeated in this notice as a reference
for the convenience of the reader. The Agency is not proposing to
change these definitions and will not consider any comments submitted
on these terms.
Postconsumer materials means a material or finished product that
has served its intended end use and has been diverted or recovered
from waste destined for disposal, having completed its life as a
consumer item. Postconsumer material is part of the broader category
of recovered materials.
Recovered materials means waste materials and byproducts which
have been recovered or diverted from solid waste, but such term does
not include those materials and byproducts generated from, and
commonly used within an original manufacturing process.
C. Request for Comments
EPA requests comments, including additional supporting
documentation and information, on the draft RMAN regarding the types of
recovered materials identified in the item recommendations, the
recommended recovered and postconsumer materials content levels, and
procurement methods for each of the items. Requests for specific
comments and information
[[Page 57762]]
are included in the narrative discussions for each of the items.
III. Supporting Information and Accessing Internet
The index of supporting materials is available in the RIC and on
the Internet. The address and telephone number of the RIC are provided
in ADDRESSES above. The following supporting materials are available on
the Internet:
``Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) II--Supporting
Analyses,'' August 1, 1996.
``Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) II--Supporting
Analyses,'' August 1, 1996.
Copies of the following supporting materials are available for
viewing at the RIC only:
``Recovered Materials Product Research for the Comprehensive
Procurement Guideline II,'' prepared for U.S. EPA by Eastern Research
Group, July 24, 1996.
``Research on Items for Designation in the Comprehensive
Procurement Guideline,'' December 19, 1995.
``Summary of Information Submitted in Response to EPA's Request for
Information on the Designation of Items for the CPG,'' prepared for
U.S. EPA by Eastern Research Group, April 12, 1996.
Follow these instructions to access the information electronically:
Gopher: gopher.epa.gov
WWW: http://www.epa.gov
Dial-up: 919 558-0335
The materials can be accessed off the main EPA Gopher menu, in the
directory EPA Offices and Regions/Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (OSWER)/Office of Solid Waste (RCRA)/[Non-Hazardous Waste--
RCRA Subtitle D/Procurement/RMAN].
FTP: ftp.epa.gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet address
Files are located in /pub/gopher/OSWRCRA.
Dated: November 1, 1996.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
Draft Recovered Materials Advisory Notice
The following represents EPA's draft recommendations to procuring
agencies for purchasing the items proposed today for designation in the
CPG in compliance with section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA). These recommendations are intended to be used in
conjunction with the RMAN issued on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21386) and the
Paper RMAN issued on May 29, 1996 (61 FR 26985). Refer to the May 1,
1995 RMAN or the Code of Federal Regulations at 40 CFR Part 247 for
definitions, general recommendations for affirmative procurement
programs, and recommendations for previously designated items. Acronyms
used in this RMAN are defined in the document entitled ``Recovered
Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) II--Supporting Analyses,'' located in
the public docket for this notice. Table C-5 of this draft RMAN repeats
the recommendations made for patio blocks in the May 1, 1995 RMAN. The
Agency is not issuing any changes to these recommendations. The
recommendations for patio blocks are repeated here for the convenience
of procuring agencies and readers, since patio blocks were included in
the same table as floor tiles for which a clarification is being issued
today.
Contents
I. Specific Recommendations for Procurement of Designated Items
Part C. Construction Products
Section C-5. Floor Tiles and Patio Blocks Containing Recovered
Plastic or Rubber
Section C-6. Shower and Restroom Dividers Containing Recovered
Plastic or Steel
Section C-7. Latex Paint
Part D. Transportation Products
Section D-2. Parking Stops Made from Concrete or Containing
Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Section D-3. Channelizers, Delineators, and Flexible Delineators
Containing Recovered Plastic, Rubber, or Steel
Part E. Park and Recreation Products
Section E-2. Snow Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic
Part F. Landscaping Products
Section F-3. Garden and Soaker Hoses Containing Recovered Plastic or
Rubber
Section F-4. Lawn and Garden Edging Containing Recovered Plastic or
Rubber
Part G. Non-Paper Office Products
Section G-6. Printer Ribbons
Section G-7. Ink Jet Cartridges
Section G-8. Plastic Envelopes
Part H. Miscellaneous Products
Section H-1. Pallets Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or
Paperboard
I. Specific Recommendations for Procurement of Designated Items
Part C--Construction Products
Note: Refer to Part F--Landscaping Products for additional items
that can be used in construction.
Section C-5--Floor Tiles Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table C-5, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in floor tiles and patio
blocks. The recommended use of floor tiles containing recovered
materials is limited to the applications cited in the table. The Agency
requests additional information on floor tiles made with recovered
materials in other applications such as standard office flooring.
Table C-5.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Floor
Tiles and Patio Blocks Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Postconsumer recovered
Product Material materials materials
(%) content (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patio Blocks................ Rubber or 90-100 ...........
rubber blends.
Plastic or ............ 90-100
plastic blends.
Floor Tiles (heavy duty/ Rubber......... ............ ...........
commercial use) \1\.
Plastic........ ............ 90-100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The use of floor tiles with recovered materials content may be
appropriate only for specialty purpose uses (e.g., raised, open-web
tiles for drainage on school kitchen flooring). Such specialty purpose
uses involve limited flooring areas where grease, tar, snow, ice,
wetness or similar substances or conditions are likely to be present.
Thus, EPA has no recovered materials content level recommendations for
floor tiles made with recovered materials for standard office or more
general purpose uses.
Note: The recommended recovered materials content levels are based on
dry weight of the raw materials, exclusive of any additives such as
adhesives, binders, or coloring agent. EPA's recommendation does not
preclude agencies from purchasing floor tiles or patio manufactured
from other materials. It simply recommends that procuring agencies,
when purchasing floor tiles or patio blocks made from rubber or
plastic, purchase these items made from recovered materials when these
items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
[[Page 57763]]
Section C-6--Shower and Restroom Dividers Containing Recovered Plastic
or Steel
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table C-6, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing shower and
restroom dividers.
Table C-6.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Shower
and Restroom Dividers Containing Recovered Plastic or Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Postconsumer recovered
Product Material content (%) materials
content (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shower/Restroom Dividers.... Steel.......... 10-15 27-100
Plastic........ 20-100 20-100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude procuring agencies from
purchasing shower and restroom dividers manufactured from another
material, such as wood. It simply recommends that a procuring agency,
when purchasing shower and restroom dividers made from plastic or
steel, purchase these items made with recovered materials when these
items meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the
following specifications when procuring shower and restroom dividers:
(1) The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has issued guidance
for specifying construction materials, including plastic and steel
dividers. The AIA guidance is known throughout the construction
industry as the ``Masterspec'' and is available through GSA.
(2) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Guide Specification CEGS-10160,
Toilet Partitions.
Section C-7--Latex Paint
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table C-7, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing latex paint.
EPA recommends the use of consolidated paint in limited applications,
such as covering graffiti, where color and consistency of performance
are not primary concerns. The Agency recommends the use of reprocessed
paint for interior and exterior architectural applications.
Table C-7.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Latex
Paint
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postconsumer
Product Material content %
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consolidated latex paint........... Left-over latex paint 100
Reprocessed latex paint............ Left-over latex paint \1\ 50-99
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Based on comments received from its interagency workgroup, EPA
believes that the content levels recommended in this table may
represent a limited range of colors, such as gray, brown, and other
earthtones, and requests comments on the availability of paint with
postconsumer content in white and lighter colors.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the
following specifications when procuring reprocessed latex paint:
(1) GSA specification TT-P-2846 covers three types of latex paint
(interior, exterior, and interior/exterior), three classes (flat,
eggshell, and semigloss) and three grades (A: 40 percent minimum volume
solids, B: 30 percent minimum volume solids, and C: utility paint for
graffiti abatement). GSA requires 50 percent postconsumer content for
Grades A and B and 90 percent postconsumer content for Grade C. GSA
specifications also require that recycled latex paint contain no more
than 200 grams per liter of VOCs.
(2) EPA further recommends that procuring agencies refer to
performance requirements in the GSA specification when purchasing
reprocessed latex paint made from less than 50 percent postconsumer
content.
Part D--Transportation Products
Section D-2-Parking Stops Made from Concrete or Containing Recovered
Plastic or Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content ranges shown in Table D-2, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use when purchasing parking
stops.
Table D-2.--Recommended Materials Content Levels for Parking Stops Made
from Concrete or Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postconsumer
Product Material content (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parking stops...................... Plastic \1\ and/or 100
rubber.
Concrete containing (\2\)
fly ash or GGBF.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Parking stops made with recovered plastics may also include other
recovered materials such as sawdust, wood, or fiberglass. The
percentage of these materials contained in the product would also
count toward the recovered materials content level of the item.
\2\ See recommendations for cement and concrete containing recovered
materials issued in Section C-3 of the May 1, 1995 RMAN (59 FR 21390).
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from
purchasing parking stops manufactured from another material. It simply
requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing parking stops made
from rubber, plastic, or concrete, purchase these items made with
recovered materials when these items meet applicable specifications
and performance requirements.
Specifications: EPA is not aware of any national specifications for
parking stops and requests information on this topic.
Section D-3--Temporary Traffic Control Devices Containing Recovered
Plastic, Rubber, or Steel
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table D-3, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing channelizers,
delineators, and flexible delineators.
[[Page 57764]]
Table D-3.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for
Channelizers, Delineators, and Flexible Delineators Containing Recovered
Plastic, Rubber, or Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-
consumer
Product Material content
(%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Channelizers......................... Plastic................ 25-95
Rubber base only....... 100
Delineators.......................... Plastic................ 25-90
Rubber (base only)..... 100
Steel (base only)...... 25-50
Flexible Delineators................. Plastic................ 25-85
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from
purchasing temporary traffic control devices manufactured from another
material. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing
channelizers, delineators, and flexible delineators made from rubber,
plastic, or steel, purchase these items made with recovered materials
when these items meet applicable specifications and performance
requirements.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the
following specifications when procuring temporary traffic control
devices, including channelizers, delineators, and flexible delineators:
(1) The Federal Highway Administration publishes the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which contains specifications used by
most States for the size, shape, mounting, and placement of temporary
traffic control devices.
(2) The States of Florida and North Carolina have specifications
that require the use of recovered materials in their flexible
delineators. The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) has
specifications for ``Drivable Flexible Plastic Guide Marker and
Clearance Marker Posts.'' A copy of these specifications are available
from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
Part E--Park and Recreation Products
Section E-2--Snow Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table E-2, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing snow fencing.
Table E-2.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Snow
Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Post- recovered
Product Material consumer materials
content content
(%) (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snow fencing................... Plastic........... 60-100 90-100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude procuring agencies from
purchasing snow fencing manufactured from another material, such as
wood. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing snow
fencing made from plastic, purchase this item with recovered materials
when this item meets applicable specifications and performance
requirements.
Specifications: The State of New York developed a specification for
snow fencing containing 50-100 percent recovered material, but
discontinued its use because the state did not purchase enough fencing
to warrant maintaining the specification. New York required orange-
colored snow fencing four feet high and 100 feet long. Weight was
specified at 48 pounds per 100 foot section, with porosity at 50
percent. Temperature tolerance ranged from -50 to +180 degrees F.
Strength specifications required machine direction breaking loading of
1,210 pounds per foot-width and a transverse direction breaking load or
340 pounds per foot-width. A copy of this specification is available
from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
Part F--Landscaping Products
Section F-3--Garden and Soaker Hoses Containing Recovered Plastic or
Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table F-3, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing garden and
soaker hose.
Table F-3.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Garden
and Soaker Hose Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postconsumer
Product Material content (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Garden Hose........................ Rubber and/or plastic 60-65
Soaker Hose........................ Rubber and/or plastic 60-70
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from
purchasing garden and soaker hoses manufactured from another material.
It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing garden and
soaker hoses made from plastic or rubber, purchase these items made
with recovered materials when these items meet applicable
specifications and performance requirements.
Note 2: While Green Seal's specification includes a 50 percent
postconsumer content level for watering hoses, all companies from
which EPA obtained information, manufacture garden and/or soaker hoses
with at least 60 percent postconsumer content.
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the
following specifications when procuring garden and soaker hose:
(1) ASTM D3901: Consumer Specification for Garden Hose. The
specification addresses physical and performance characteristics
(pressure, tensile, and ripping strength tests) and states that the
material components are to be agreed upon by the purchaser and seller.
(2) Green Seal GC-2: Watering Hoses. The standard calls for the use
of 50 percent postconsumer rubber material in garden hoses and 65
percent postconsumer rubber material in soaker hoses.
Section F-4--Lawn and Garden Edging Containing Recovered Plastic or
Rubber
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table F-4, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing lawn and
garden edging.
[[Page 57765]]
Table F-4.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Lawn and
Garden Edging Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Post- recovered
Product Material consumer materials
content content
(%) (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lawn and garden edging......... Plastic and/or 30-100 30-100
rubber.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude procuring agencies from
purchasing lawn and garden edging manufactured from another material,
such as wood. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when
purchasing lawn and garden edging made from plastic and/or rubber,
purchase these items made with recovered materials when these items
meet applicable specifications and performance requirements.
Specifications: EPA is not aware of any national performance
specifications for lawn and garden edging and requests information on
this topic.
Part G--Non-Paper Office Products
Section G-6--Printer Ribbons
Preference Program: Minimum content standards are not appropriate
for remanufactured items, such as printer ribbons, because a core part
of the item is reused in the new product, even though certain
components of a printer ribbon may contain recovered materials. In lieu
of content standards, EPA recommends that procuring agencies adopt one
or both of the following approaches: (1) procure printer ribbon
reinking or reloading services or (2) procure reinked or reloaded
printer ribbons. EPA further recommends that procuring agencies
establish policies that give priority to reinking or reloading their
expended printer ribbons. If reinking and reloading services are
unavailable, procuring agencies should attempt to purchase reinked or
reloaded printer ribbons.
Specifications: The State of Alabama has a specification for
reinked ribbons which requires the ribbons to be vacuum cleaned,
reinked, and rewound to proper tension. A copy of this specification is
available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.
Section G-7--Ink Jet Cartridges
Preference Program: Minimum content standards are not appropriate
for remanufactured items, such as refilled ink jet cartridges, because
a core part of the item is reused in the new product, even though
certain components of an ink jet cartridge may contain recovered
materials. In lieu of minimum content standards, EPA recommends that
procuring agencies adopt one or both of the following approaches: (1)
procure ink jet cartridge refilling services or (2) procure refilled
ink jet cartridges. EPA further recommends that procuring agencies
establish policies that give priority to refilling their ink jet
cartridges. If refilling services are unavailable or impractical, then
procuring agencies should attempt to purchase refilled ink jet
cartridges.
Specifications: EPA is not aware of any national specifications for
refilled ink jet cartridges. The Agency identified a number of
procuring agencies that have purchased these items. For example, the
Internal Revenue Service of South Florida has purchased the items for
the past five years for use in the majority of that agency's ink jet
printers and facsimile machines. A copy of the specification used by
the Internal Revenue Service is available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-
800-424-9346.
GSA made ink jet cartridges available under the Multiple Award
Schedule and the Special Item Number Schedule in 1995.
Section G-8--Plastic Envelopes
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table G-8, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing plastic
envelopes.
Table G-8.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Plastic
Envelopes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Post- recovered
Product Material consumer materials
content content
(%) (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plastic envelopes.............. Plastic........... 25 25--35
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from
purchasing envelopes manufactured from another material, such as
paper. It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing
envelopes made from plastic, purchase these items made from recovered
materials when these items meet applicable specifications and
performance requirements. When purchasing envelopes made from paper,
procuring agencies should consult the Paper Products RMAN which was
issued in the Federal Register on May 29, 1996 at 61 FR 26985.
Specifications: The General Services Administration (GSA),
Government Printing Office (GPO) and U.S. Postal Service (USPS) all
currently purchase plastic envelopes made from Tyvek
containing recovered HDPE. GSA specifies ``DuPont Tyvek or
equal.'' USPS requires ``DuPont Tyvek,'' and GPO requires
``white spunbonded polyethylene with the characteristics of DuPont's
product no. 1073.'' The title of the solicitation, however, states
``Tyvek envelopes or similar.''
The U.S. Navy requests that plastic envelopes not be sent to ships
in order to minimize onboard disposal of plastic.
Part H--Miscellaneous Products
Part H-1--Pallets Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or Paperboard
Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered
materials content levels shown in Table H-1, procuring agencies
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing pallets. EPA
requests additional information on the performance of virgin versus
recovered content plastic pallets for non-military Federal agency use
and military applications.
Table H-1.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Pallets
Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or Paperboard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-
consumer
Product Material content
(%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wooden pallets....................... Wood................... 95-100
Plastic pallets...................... Plastic................ 100
Paperboard pallets................... Paperboard............. 50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from
purchasing pallets manufactured from another material. It simply
requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing pallets made from
wood, plastic, or paperboard, purchase these items made with recovered
materials when these items meet applicable specifications and
performance requirements.
[[Page 57766]]
Specifications: EPA recommends that procuring agencies use the
following specifications when procuring pallets:
(1) The Grocery Manufacturers of America issued a widely used
standard for 48 by 40-inch stringer pallets known as the ``GMA spec.''
A copy of this specification is available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-
800-424-9346.
(2) The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association is
developing a standard through the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) for repairable 48 by 40-inch lumber-deck pallets. The ANSI
standard is scheduled for release in Fall 1996.
[FR Doc. 96-28735 Filed 11-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P