IGPN - International Green Purchasing Network

Global Activities

US Environmental Protection Agency

URL : http://www.epa.gov/

Contents:

Organization Information

Contact information:  
Location: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (7409M) Washington DC  20460
Number of members: n/a
Number of Non-members: n/a
Organizational Structure: Number of employees: EPA has approximately 16,000 employees across the United States.  The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program has 5-6 people working in it.
Sources of funding: National Body
Type of Organization: National Government Organization
WWW pages: http://www.epa.gov/
Year established: US EPA was established in 1970; also EPA has had an environmentally preferable purchasing program since about 1995.

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Activities

Checklist/Guidelines and Specifications/Criteria: This program generally does not establish product criteria.  Other parts of EPA establish criteria (Energy Star for energy use criteria and the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines program for recycled content criteria for federal purchasing. Other federal agencies also establish criteria including the US Department of Agriculture for bio-based content in products for federal purchasing.
Education Materials/Tools (non-professional): Training is intended primarily for purchasers from federal agencies in the US
Environmental Label (ISO),
Other (Energy Star, etc.):		  
Events: Seminars and workshops are conducted on product-specific basis.
General Guidelines or Principles for Green Purchasing (which apply to overall activities):  
Good Practices/Case Studies for Purchasing:  
Market Research and Awareness Surveys:  
Newsletter: approximately 2-3 times per year here. Circulation: approximately 5,000
Product List/Database: Our database contains environmental information for approximately 650 products and services, in over 50 broad categories.  Also in the process of developing a database for the federal building/construction community with model green construction specifications (not yet complete).
Program Name/Main Activity:  
Related Laws/Regulations,
(i.e. “Green Purchasing Law”): 		The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program is mandated by a Presidential Executive Order (Executive Order 13101).  In addition, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act mandates that Federal purchasers buy designated products with recycled content.  The Farm Bill (2002) directs federal purchasers to consider purchasing items with bio-based content.  The Federal Acquisition Regulation requires federal purchasers to consider the environmental impacts of products and services purchased.
Suppliers List/Database:  
Training Course/Tools (market related): Focus work on particular products including electronics (through the Federal Electronics Challenge), building products, cleaning products and services, partnerships with other federal agencies (including the National Park Service and the General Services Administration), and greening EPA’s own facilities which provide a model for other agencies.

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Other

Concerning social aspects: n/a
Measurement/Evaluation Method:  
Publications: n/a
For more information, please address your concerns to Ms. Julie Shannon
US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (7409) Washington, DC 20460
202-564-8834
202-564-8901 (fax)
Shannon.julie@epa.gov

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