California’s Buy Recycled Program assists state and local governments in establishing programs for buying recycled products. The State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign assists procurement and contracting officers with information on complying with the state requirements to buy products from 11 product categories. The program also offers the Recycled Content Product Manufacturers Directory, the RecycleStore (which lists California manufacturers of recycled products from California Market Development Zones), information on green building, and help with environmentally preferable purchasing, including a Buying Green Guide and sample ordinances. 

The Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Procurement Division supports sustainable purchasing through its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program. The program helps state agencies, municipalities, political subdivisions, and nonprofits use the state’s buying power to choose products and services that are better for the environment. The goal of the EPP Program is to reduce environmental impacts, protect human health, and save money over a product’s life cycle by selecting options with a smaller ecological footprint.

The Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) program encourages agencies to use products containing recovered materials. EPA has designated 61 products in eight categories. The program also includes Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMAN), which provide recommendations for recycled-content levels for various products. EPA also offers the CPG Product Supplier Directory and fact sheets on the product categories. While the guidelines’ requirements apply to agencies using federal funds, state, local, and private organizations can use the guidelines to set standards to buy recycled products. 

Signed on May 17, 2018, Federal Executive order 13834 directs federal agencies to manage their operations to optimize environmental performance and reduce waste. The executive order requires each agency to prioritize actions that reduce waste, cut costs, enhance the resilience of federal infrastructure and operations, and enable effective accomplishment of its mission. The order outlines goals that agencies must meet when implementing policy.  

GSA offers information to federal buyers on requirements and policies for recycled content products, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulation.  

King County encourages agencies to buy goods and services with positive economic, social, and environmental effects through its sustainable purchasing program. The county provides information on ecolabels, reports, policies, and other resources. The county’s Sustainable Purchasing Guide informs purchasers on products in the categories of construction, electronics, office products, operations and maintenance, and transportation. 

Massachusetts offers a comprehensive listing of environmentally preferable products and services available on the Operational Service Division’s statewide contracts.  

• Massachusetts Environmentally Preferable Products List 
• Massachusetts Environmentally Preferable Services List 

The Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) offers Information on Maryland’s green purchasing program, including specifications, a best practices manual, and annual reports. 

The NASPO Green Purchasing Guide gives buyers that are members an understanding of green purchasing and its benefits, recommended steps to implement a green purchasing program, and other resources.  

Executive Order 76 (EO 76) Issued January 2006 directs NJ State Agencies to purchase environmentally preferable cleaning products that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment, can use up existing inventories, encourages non-state agencies to do the same. Most importantly, green purchasing attempts to identify and reduce the environmental impact of an organization’s activities and maximize resource efficiency.

OGS Procurement Services is the state’s centralized procurement office. They solicit, administer, and manage approximately 1,500 contracts on behalf of authorized contract users including state agencies and authorities, local governments, school districts, colleges and universities, and other qualifying nonprofit organizations. Their contract offerings include a wide range of commodities, services, and technology available at competitive, volume discounted/reduced prices while maintaining statutory compliance. Procurement Services also educates vendors and public purchasers regarding how to participate effectively in the state’s procurement process.

The Office of Federal Sustainability, Council on Environmental Quality guides agencies on meeting Executive Order 13834 requirements, including purchasing recycled products. CEQ offers guidance on tracking, best practices, and implementation.  

APR PCR Certification is a full chain of custody, third-party assessment and verification that recycled content (whether plastic pellets or flake) comes from post-consumer sources. Companies choose from a selection of approved certification bodies to audit their process against APR’s PCR Standard, which was developed in coordination with EU RecyClass. The program helps meet legislative requirements, builds confidence with customers, promotes standardization and trust across the supply chain and stabilizes the PCR market. 

SCS informs purchasers on companies and organizations that are meeting high environmental standards. SCS offers verification and certification in a variety of environmental categories. The Certified Green Products Guide offers a directory of green products certified by SCS in various categories. The website’s Resource Center includes articles, webinars, and videos.  

GreenCircle certifies products for recycled content comprised of pre-consumer and/or post-consumer material that is used as a raw material in the manufacturing of products. They also offer product certifications for carbon footprint reduction, water savings, energy savings, dematerialization, closed loop product, product optimization, recyclable materials, sustianable energy practices, life cycle assessment optimized, and sustainable neergy practices.

Green Seal has developed 27 environmental leadership standards in more than 500 product categories. Green Seal offers information on their review process and listings of current certified products and services. 

Ecologo certifies products and services that have a lower environmental effect while providing quality product performance. They certify products through scientific testing and third-party evaluation. Ecologo certifies products in categories including building and construction, cleaning, high-tech and office products, mineral exploration, paper and plastic, personal care, and renewable energy.  

The Electronic Product Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is a green procurement standard for computers, monitors, servers, cellphones, imaging equipment, and televisions. You can search by product type, and select a search filter that only shows products with post-consumer recycled plastic content. 

Intertek’s Verified Recycled Content program includes an evaluation report, certificate and the use of an Intertek Sustainability Certification mark that can be used on products and packaging to effectively market recycled content claims.

The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council offers various programs such as the Strategic Program Planning Process, leadership guidance, webinars, and more. The Council’s Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing provides buyers with information on buying products that have a lower effect on the environment. 

The RIC provides information on remanufactured products, including standards and certified companies. Remanufactured products are available for a variety of products, including aircraft components, automotive parts, electrical and electronic equipment, engines and components, medical equipment, office furniture, printing equipment and restaurant and food-service equipment 

Recycled content certification from UL Solutions evaluates total recycled content, post-consumer, pre-consumer and closed loop recycled content in products. 

The Recycling Market Development Platform connects buyers with tools and resources for making sustainable decisions that stimulate a circular economy for recyclables. The platform includes information on quality feedstock, using recycled content, design for recycling, buying recycled products and recycle right. 

The Responsible Purchasing Network provides buyers with procurement tools and resources designed to save money, conserve resources, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. The Best Practices Guide helps states practice green purchasing in multiple product categories.