[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60976-60982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29733]



[[Page 60975]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Environmental Protection Agency





_______________________________________________________________________



Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II; Notice of Availability

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 60976]]



ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[SWH-FRL-5909-7]


Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Document.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is providing notice of the 
availability of the final Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II (RMAN 
II) and supporting materials. The final RMAN II contains EPA's 
recommendations for purchasing 12 items designated in the final 
Comprehensive Procurement Guideline II, which is published elsewhere in 
today's Federal Register. This action will promote recycling by using 
government purchasing to expand markets for recovered materials. Under 
section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, EPA 
designates items that are or can be made with recovered materials and 
provides recommendations for the procurement of these items. The 12 
items for which EPA is making recommendations are shower and restroom 
dividers/partitions, consolidated and reprocessed latex paint for 
specified uses, parking stops, channelizers, delineators, flexible 
delineators, plastic fencing for specified uses, garden and soaker 
hoses, lawn and garden edging, printer ribbons, plastic envelopes, and 
pallets. The final RMAN II contains recommended recovered materials 
content levels for these items and other purchasing recommendations. In 
addition, today's final RMAN II clarifies recommendations for floor 
tiles previously made in a May 1, 1995 RMAN (60 FR 21392).

EFFECTIVE DATES: The recommendations for purchasing the 12 newly-
designated items are effective November 13, 1998. The clarifications to 
the recommendations for purchasing floor tiles are effective upon 
publication.

ADDRESSES: The public docket for this notice is Docket F-97-CP2F-FFFFF. 
Documents related to today's notice are available for viewing in the 
RCRA Information Center (RIC), which is located at U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Crystal Gateway One, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Ground Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. To review 
docket materials, it is recommended that the public make an appointment 
by calling (703) 603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages 
from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies cost $0.15/
page. The index and some supporting materials are available 
electronically. See Section V of the ``Supplementary Information'' 
section below for information on accessing the documents 
electronically.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General procurement guidelines 
information: RCRA Hotline at (800) 424-9346, TDD (800) 553-7672 
(hearing impaired) or, in the Washington, DC area at (703) 412-9810 or 
TDD (703) 412-3323.
    Technical information on individual item recommendations: For paper 
and paper products, vehicular products, construction products, non-
paper office products, and pallets: Dana Arnold, (703) 308-7279; for 
landscaping products, transportation products, and park and recreation 
products: Terry Grist, (703) 308-7257.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Preamble Outline
I. Authority
II. Background
III. Definitions
IV. Agency's Response to Comments
    A. Ink Jet Cartridges
    B. Comments on Other Items
V. Supporting Information and Accessing Internet

I. Authority

    The Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II (RMAN II) is published 
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 (RCRA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6912(a) and 6962; and Executive 
Order 12873 (58 FR 54911, October 22, 1993).

II. Background

    Section 6002 of 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 an item, section 6002 requires that any 
procuring agency using appropriated Federal funds to procure that item 
must purchase it containing recovered materials to the maximum extent 
practicable. 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; and (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 a designated item where the 
price of the item exceeds $10,000 or when the quantity of the item, or 
functionally equivalent items, 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 (CPG) and 
publish guidance that contains EPA's recommended recovered materials 
content levels for the designated items in Recovered Materials Advisory 
Notices (RMAN). 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 the CPG I and RMAN I on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21370 and 
21386, respectively). CPG I designated 19 items and consolidated five 
previous item designations made in earlier EPA procurement guidelines, 
and RMAN I recommended purchasing practices for these 24 items. On 
November 7, 1996, EPA published CPG II (61 FR 57747), which proposed to 
designate an additional 13 items. EPA concurrently published a draft 
RMAN II (61 FR 57759). The 13 items proposed for designation were: 
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. The draft RMAN II also provided 
clarification of EPA's 1995 recommendations for purchasing floor tiles 
containing recovered materials. In today's final RMAN II, EPA is 
publishing recommendations for 12 of the 13 items, as well as the floor 
tiles clarification. For reasons discussed in subsection A below, EPA 
has decided not to designate ink jet cartridges and, therefore, is not 
publishing draft recommendations for purchasing this item.
    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

[[Page 60977]]

that is or can be manufactured with recovered materials and the 
inclusions of recommended content levels for an item in an RMAN do not 
compel the procurement of an item when it is not suitable for an 
agency's intended purpose. Section 6002 is explicit in this regard when 
it authorizes a procuring agency not to procure a designated item which 
``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, in the final CPG II published elsewhere in 
today's Federal Register, EPA is designating shower and restroom 
dividers/partitions as items that are or can be produced with recovered 
materials. The Agency's research shows that these items are available 
in either steel or plastic containing recovered materials. However, the 
mere fact that these items are available containing recovered materials 
does not require the procurement of steel or plastic dividers/
partitions 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/partitions made of materials other than steel 
or plastic (e.g., wood) where the design specifications call for other 
materials.

III. Definitions

    Today's final RMAN II recommends postconsumer or recovered 
materials content levels at which EPA believes the designated items are 
generally available. For shower and restroom dividers/partitions, 
plastic fencing, lawn and garden edging, and plastic envelopes, the 
RMAN II recommends two-part content levels--a postconsumer recovered 
materials component and a total recovered materials component. In these 
instances, EPA found that both types of materials were being used to 
manufacture these products. Recommending only postconsumer content 
levels would be contrary to the RCRA mandate to maximize the use of 
recovered materials because it would fail to acknowledge the 
contribution to solid waste management made by manufacturers using 
other recovered materials 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.

    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.

IV. Agency's Response to Public Comments

A. Ink Jet Cartridges

    EPA received comments opposing the proposed designation of ink jet 
cartridges. These comments raised solid waste, performance, quality, 
availability, and patent and trademark concerns. After considering the 
information submitted by commenters, EPA tentatively concluded that 
there was insufficient evidence to support a designation of ink jet 
cartridges at this time. On April 14, 1997, EPA published a Notice of 
Data Availability in the Federal Register (62 FR 18072) in order to 
notify interested parties of the tentative decision not to designate 
ink jet cartridges, summarize the information available to the Agency, 
and request further public comment.
    EPA received only two responses to the April 14 notice--one from a 
vendor of ink jet refilling equipment and additional information from 
one of the original commenters. The vendor appears to have promising 
technology for resolving many of the performance and solid waste issues 
raised by commenters. The vendor did not, however, submit sufficient 
information to change EPA's earlier conclusion that there is 
insufficient information to support designating ink jet cartridges at 
this time. Therefore, EPA is not designating ink jet cartridges in the 
final CPG II published elsewhere in today's Federal Register. EPA also 
is deleting the recommendations for purchasing ink jet cartridges from 
today's final RMAN II. EPA will continue to monitor developments in ink 
jet cartridge and refilling/remanufacturing technology and will 
consider designating ink jet cartridges in the future.

B. Comments on Other Items

    EPA received only a few comments on the draft RMAN II. One 
commenter recommended that EPA refer to shower and restroom dividers as 
``dividers/partitions.'' After researching common industry terminology, 
EPA revised the term in the final CPG II and is using the term 
``dividers/partitions'' in today's final RMAN II.
    Commenters also recommended revisions to the recovered materials 
content recommendations for steel shower and restroom dividers, white 
and other light-colored reprocessed latex paints, and plastic pallets. 
Based on the information provided by these commenters and additional 
research, EPA revised the recommendations for these items in today's 
final RMAN II. EPA revised the steel content recommendations, added 
content recommendations for white and other light-colored reprocessed 
latex paint, and distinguished between plastic lumber pallets and 
thermoset plastic pallets in recommending content levels for plastic 
pallets.
    In addition, in the final CPG II published in the final rules 
section of today's Federal Register, EPA revised the latex paint 
designation from the broad category ``latex paint'' to a more specific 
designation of ``consolidated latex paint used for covering graffiti 
and reprocessed latex paint used for interior and exterior 
architectural applications such as wallboard, ceilings, and trim; 
gutter boards; and concrete, stucco, masonry, wood, and metal 
surfaces.'' Because the more specific designation includes the 
applications that EPA previously had recommended in the draft RMAN II, 
EPA has deleted those recommendations from Section C-7 of the final 
RMAN II. EPA also added a note to the table of recommended content 
levels for reprocessed and consolidated latex paint informing agencies 
that the recommendations applied to reprocessed and consolidated latex 
paints used for the designated applications.
    Similarly, in today's final CPG II, EPA revised the snow fencing 
designation to ``plastic fencing containing recovered plastic for use 
in controlling snow or sand drifting and as a warning/safety barrier in 
construction or other applications.'' In the final RMAN II, EPA added 
information about specifications for plastic fencing used for warning 
and safety barriers.
    Commenters also provided additional information about 
specifications and available sources of the designated products. These 
comments have been incorporated into today's final RMAN II.
    A summary of all of the comments and the Agency's response are 
provided in the document entitled ``Final CPG II/RMAN II Background 
Document.'' A copy of this document has been placed in the docket for 
the final RMAN II. See ADDRESSES above for information

[[Page 60978]]

about reviewing documents in the public docket.

V. Supporting Information and Accessing Internet

    The index of supporting materials for today's final RMAN II is 
available in the RCRA Information Center (RIC) and on the Internet. The 
address and telephone number of the RIC are provided in ADDRESSES 
above. The index and the following supporting materials are available 
on the Internet:
    ``Final CPG II/RMAN II Background Document,'' U.S. EPA, Office of 
Solid Waste and Emergency Response, September 1997.
    Copies of the following supporting materials are available for 
viewing at the RIC only:
    ``Ex Parte Meeting Notes, Meeting Between U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency and National Paint & Coatings Association, June 17, 
1997.''
    ``Letter to Dana F. Arnold, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
from National Paint & Coatings Association, July 28, 1997.''
    Follow these instructions to access the information electronically:

WWW: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/index.htm#procure.
FTP: ftp.epa/gov
Login: anonymous
Password: your Internet address
Files are located in /pub/epaoswer.

    Dated: October 8, 1997.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.

Recovered Materials Advisory Notice II

    The following represents EPA's recommendations to procuring 
agencies for purchasing the items designated today in the Comprehensive 
Procurement Guideline II 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 Products RMAN issued on May 29, 1996 
(61 FR 26985). Refer to the May 1, 1995 RMAN for definitions, general 
recommendations for affirmative procurement programs, and 
recommendations for previously designated items.

Contents

I. General Recommendations
II. 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/Partitions Containing 
Recovered Plastic or Steel
Section C-7--Reprocessed and Consolidated Latex Paints for Specified 
Uses

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--Plastic Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic for 
Specified Uses

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--Plastic Envelopes

Part H--Miscellaneous Products

Section H-1--Pallets Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or 
Paperboard

I. General Recommendations

(See the May 1, 1995 RMAN for EPA's general recommendations for 
definitions, specifications, and affirmative procurement programs.)

II. Specific Recommendations for Procurement of Designated Items

(See the May 1, 1995 RMAN and the May 29, 1996 Paper Products RMAN for 
recommendations for purchasing previously-designated items.)

Part C--Construction Products

    Note: Refer to Section E-2--Plastic Fencing Containing Recovered 
Plastic for Specified Uses and to Part F--Landscaping Products for 
additional items that can be used in construction applications.
Section C-5--Floor Tiles and Patio Blocks Containing Recovered Plastic 
or Rubber
    Note: Table C-5 contains a clarification of EPA's 
recommendations for floor tiles. Table C-5 originally was published 
in the May 1, 1995 RMAN and contained EPA's recommendations for 
patio blocks, as well as recommendations for floor tiles. For the 
convenience of procuring agencies and other interested parties, EPA 
is republishing all of Section C-5, including Table C-5, with both 
the floor tiles and patio blocks recommendations. Readers should 
note that no change has been made to the recommendations for patio 
blocks.

    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 purchasing floor tiles 
and patio blocks. The recommended use of floor tiles containing 
recovered materials is limited to the applications cited in Table C-5.

Table C-5.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Floor Tiles and Patio Blocks Containing Recovered
                                                Plastic or Rubber                                               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Total    
                                                                                   Postconsumer      recovered  
                  Product                                  Material               materials  (%)     materials  
                                                                                                   content  (%) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patio Blocks...............................  Rubber or rubber blends............          90-100            ----
                                             Plastic or plastic Blends..........            ----          90-100
Floor Tiles (heavy duty/commercial use)....  Rubber.............................          90-100            ----
                                             Plastic............................            ----          90-100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: 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.                                    
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 blocks 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 60979]]

Section C-6--Shower and Restroom Dividers/Partitions 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/partitions.

  Table C-6.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Shower 
 and Restroom Dividers/Partitions Containing Recovered Plastic or Steel 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Total recovered 
             Material                  Postconsumer    materials content
                                      materials  (%)           (%)      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steel.............................                 16              20-30
Plastic...........................             20-100             20-100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude agencies from purchasing   
  shower and restroom dividers/partitions manufactured from another     
  material, such as wood. It simply recommends that procuring agencies, 
  when purchasing shower and restroom dividers/partitions made from     
  plastic or steel, purchase these items made from 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/
partitions:
    (1) The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has issued guidance 
for specifying construction materials, including plastic and steel 
dividers/partitions. The AIA guidance is known throughout the 
construction industry as the ``Masterspec'' and is available through 
the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
    (2) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Guide Specification CEGS-10160, 
Toilet Partitions.
Section C-7--Reprocessed and Consolidated Latex Paints for Specified 
Uses
    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 reprocessed 
and consolidated latex paints.

     Table C-7.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for     
                Reprocessed and Consolidated Latex Paints               
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Postconsumer 
                         Product                            latex paint 
                                                                (%)     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reprocessed Latex Paint.................................                
White, off-white, and pastel colors.....................              20
Grey, brown, earthtones, and other dark colors..........           50-99
Consolidated latex paint................................            100 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: EPA's recommendations apply to reprocessed latex paints used for 
  interior and exterior architectural applications such as wallboard,   
  ceilings, and trim; gutter boards; and concrete, stucco, masonry,     
  wood, and metal surfaces, and to consolidated latex paints used for   
  covering graffiti, where color and consistency of performance are not 
  primary concerns.                                                     
EPA's recommendation does not preclude agencies from purchasing paints  
  manufactured from other, non-latex materials, such as oil-based       
  paints. It simply recommends that procuring agencies, when purchasing 
  latex paints, purchase these items made from postconsumer recovered   
  materials when these items meet applicable specifications and         
  performance requirements.                                             

    Reprocessed and consolidated latex paints are available to Federal 
agencies through the GSA Federal Supply Service by ordering the 
following stock numbers:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Colors  FEDSTD 595B  Color 
         National Stock  Numbers                        No.             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Semi-gloss                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8010-01-380-2400.........................  Beige #27769                 
8010-01-380-2405.........................  Blue-gray #26420             
8010-01-380-2438.........................  Sand-green #26307            
8010-01-380-2382.........................  Sand-gray #26306             
8010-01-380-2331.........................  Gray #26134                  
8010-01-380-2429.........................  Dark gray #26081             
8010-01-380-2338.........................  Green #24491                 
8010-01-380-2379.........................  Sand #23690                  
8010-01-380-2332.........................  Tan #23617                   
8010-01-380-2417.........................  Tan #20372                   
8010-01-380-2353.........................  Sand-yellow #20318           
8010-01-380-2363.........................  Dark brown #20140            
8010-01-380-2447.........................  Red brown #20100             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Flat                                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8010-01-380-3293.........................  White #37886                 
8010-01-380-2425.........................  Beige #37769                 

[[Page 60980]]

                                                                        
8010-01-380-2442.........................  Blue-gray #36650             
8010-01-380-2381.........................  Gray #36134                  
8010-01-380-2367.........................  Dark gray #36081             
8010-01-380-2396.........................  Blue #35526                  
8010-01-380-2366.........................  Green #34491                 
8010-01-380-2421.........................  Sand #33690                  
8010-01-380-2351.........................  Tan #33617                   
8010-01-380-2416.........................  Dark brown #30140            
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The GSA Federal Supply Service has a free paint brochure available by 
calling 1-800-241-RAIN or FAX requests to (206) 931-7544.
    Specifications: (1) EPA recommends that procuring agencies use GSA 
specification TT-P-2846, Paint, Latex (Recycled with Post-Consumer 
Waste). This specification applies to interior, exterior, and interior/
exterior latex paints intended for use on wallboard, concrete, stucco, 
masonry, and wood.
    (2) GSA specification TT-P-2846 requires high content levels (50-
90% postconsumer paint). EPA recommends that procuring agencies refer 
to the requirements and quality assurance provisions in TT-P-2846 when 
purchasing reprocessed latex paint containing lower levels of 
postconsumer paint (e.g., whites, off-whites, and pastel colors).

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 levels shown in Table D-2, procuring agencies 
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing parking 
stops.

 Table D-2.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Parking 
   Stops Made from Concrete or Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Recovered  
                Material                   Postconsumer      materials  
                                            content (%)     content (%) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plastic and/or rubber...................             100           -----
Concrete containing coal fly ash........           -----           20-40
Concrete containing GGBF slag...........           -----          25-70 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: 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 parking     
  stops.                                                                
ASTM specification C595M-95 Standard Specification for Blended Hydraulic
  Cements specifies the appropriate mix design, including recovered     
  materials content, for concrete containing coal fly ash and GGBF slag.
                                                                        
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 concrete parking    
  stops or parking stops made with plastic or rubber, purchase these    
  items made with recovered materials when these items meet applicable  
  specifications and performance requirements.                          

Section D-3--Channelizers, Delineators, and Flexible Delineators 
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.

     Table D-3.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for     
Channelizers, Delineators, and Flexible Delineators Containing Recovered
                        Plastic, Rubber, or Steel                       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Postconsumer 
            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 channelizers, delineators, or flexible delineators         
  manufactured from another material. It simply requires that a         
  procuring agency, when purchasing these items made from rubber,       
  plastic, or steel, purchase them 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 channelizers, delineators, and 
flexible delineators:
    (1) The Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic 
Control Devices contains specifications 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

[[Page 60981]]

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--Plastic Fencing Containing Recovered Plastic for Specified 
Uses
    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 plastic 
fencing for use in controlling snow or sand drifting and as a warning/
safety barrier in construction or other applications.

 Table E-2.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Fencing 
                      Containing Recovered Plastic                      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Total    
                                           Postconsumer      recovered  
                Material                    content (%)      materials  
                                                            content (%) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plastic.................................          60-100         90-100 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency from    
  purchasing fencing manufactured from another material, such as wood.  
  It simply requires that a procuring agency, when purchasing plastic   
  fencing, purchase this item made with recovered materials when this   
  item meets applicable specifications and performance requirements.    

    Specifications: The State of New York developed a specification for 
orange-colored plastic fencing used for snow barriers, warning 
barriers, and safety barriers, but discontinued its use because the 
state did not purchase enough fencing to warrant maintaining the 
specification. Height varied, depending on application, from four to 
six feet. Weight varied from 17 pounds per 100 foot section for warning 
barriers to 48 pounds per 100 foot section for snow fencing to 66 
pounds per 100 foot section for six-foot safety barrier fencing. The 
New York specification also addressed mesh size, porosity, service 
temperature range, and strength for each application. A copy of this 
specification is available from the RCRA Hotline by calling 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 hoses.

  Table F-3.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Garden 
         and Soaker Hoses 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 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: 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.                          
The Green Seal specification for watering hoses includes a 50 percent   
  postconsumer content level. However, 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 hoses:
    (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. EPA recommends 
that, when purchasing garden hoses, procuring agencies reference the 
technical requirements of this specification but set a higher content 
standard. 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.

 Table F-4.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Lawn and
          Garden Edging Containing Recovered Plastic or Rubber          
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Total    
                                           Postconsumer      recovered  
                Material                    content (%)      materials  
                                                            content (%) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plastic and/or rubber...................          30-100         30-100 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: EPA's recommendation does not preclude a procuring agency 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.          


[[Page 60982]]

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. GSA offers remanufactured printer ribbons on 
the New Item Introductory Schedule (NIIS).
    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--Plastic Envelopes
    Preference Program: EPA recommends that, based on the recovered 
materials content levels shown in Table G-7, procuring agencies 
establish minimum content standards for use in purchasing plastic 
envelopes.

                Table G-7.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Plastic Envelopes                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 Total recovered
                                  Material                                      Postconsumer        materials   
                                                                                 content (%)       content (%)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 with recovered materials when these items meet applicable             
  specifications and performance requirements. Procuring agencies should note, however, that paper envelopes    
  fall within the scope of EPA's previous designation of paper and paper products. EPA issued postconsumer and  
  recovered materials content recommendations for paper products, including envelopes, in the Paper Products    
  RMAN, which was issued in the Federal Register on May 29, 1996 at 61 FR 26985. A copy of the Paper Products   
  RMAN is available from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 and electronically via EPA's Public Access Server at
  http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/search.htm.                                                                       

    Specifications: (1) GSA, the Government Printing Office (GPO), and 
the 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.'' 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.''
    (2) The Navy requests that plastic envelopes not be sent to ships 
in order to minimize onboard disposal of plastic.

Part H--Miscellaneous Products

Section 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.

 Table H-1.--Recommended Recovered Materials Content Levels for Pallets 
            Containing Recovered Wood, Plastic, or Paperboard           
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Postconsumer 
            Product                      Material           content (%) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wooden pallets.................  Wood...................          95-100
Plastic pallets:                                                        
    Plastic lumber.............  Plastic................             100
    Thermoformed...............  Plastic................           25-50
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.                                             

    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. Contact NWPCA 
at (703) 527-7667 for current information about the availability of 
this standard.
    (3) U.S. Postal Service specification USPS-P-1108, ``Pallet, 
Nestable, Plastic, Thermoformed (Item No. 3919B)'' is for thermoformed 
HDPE pallets. A copy of the current version, USPS-P-1108E, is available 
from the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346.

[FR Doc. 97-29733 Filed 11-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P