BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: ELECTRONICS PURCHASING

State & City Action

Minnesota Export Exclusion

Minnesota has drafted purchasing language that requires proper, environmentally-sound end-of-life disposal.

2.2.5 All waste materials, components and residuals managed under this Contact will be restricted in international markets as follows:

All waste materials including processing residuals shall be processed, used, reused, reclaimed or disposed of only in Canada, Mexico or the United States.

2.2.5.1 The State reserves the right, solely at the State's option, after award of the Contract, to allow the management of waste materials, components and/or residuals outside of Mexico, Canada, of the United States. This allowance for the use, processing, reuse, reclamation, or disposal of waste materials overseas will only be made if the State can at reasonable cost assure itself of proper environmental management and limited environmental risk to the State and CPV members. Such overseas waste management shall be by approval of specific subcontractors and specific overseas locations and must be approved in writing by the AMS prior to management of the waste materials overseas.

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Seattle Contract Language

The City of Seattle used the following questions to assess vendors for a laptop computer bid. Answers were weighted evenly with price and performance information. For additional information, please contact Shirli Axelrod at 206-684-7804 or Shirli.Axelrod@ci.seattle.wa.us. 

City of Seattle Environmental Questions for Vendors
(from Laptops Purchasing Process 2001)

General

1. Which of your products meet General Environmental Standards / Labeling Requirements of the following? Pleas specify which products meet which standards / label requirements. (Euro EcoLabel; Environmental Choice Canada; TCO; Nordic Swan; Swedish IT Organization Eco-Declaration).

Energy Efficiency

2. Do your products meet U.S. EPA EnergyStar labeling requirements?

Toxic Materials

3. Do you provide products or packaging which were manufactured without using and/or do not contain the following toxic materials or concern: Mercury; Cadmium; Lead; Halogenated Flame Retardants; Chlorinated Solvents (manufacturing); Chlorine-based Plastics?

4. If your products or their packaging contain any of the above toxic materials, please indicate which toxins are in which part of the product(s), and in what quantity (In plastic parts >25 grams; in display; in batteries only; in packaging; in manufacturing):

5. Are your product parts containing mercury, cadmium, and/or lead (a) labeled and/or (b) removable? Indicate separately for each product.

Waste Reduction / Recyclability / Recycled Content Materials

6. Identify the recycled content materials in (a) your products and (b) your packaging. For each, distinguish the percent of post-consumer recycled content.

7. Identify what recyclable materials are in your products, what steps are necessary to separate those materials from the product in order to recycle them, and whether they are labeled to indicate recyclability (for example, plastics identified by resin).

8. Identify what re-usable and recyclable materials are in your packaging, and what your firm does to provide re-use and recycling of packaging.

Extending Product Life and End-of-Life Management

9. Are your products designed so they can be upgraded? If so, can your products be upgraded electronically?

10. Explain what your firm does to provide environmentally-sound methods for handling equipment at the end of its useful life (demanufacturing, re-building, recycling of component parts; note "donation" is not considered end-of-life management)?

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Massachusetts Bid Language

Massachusetts' "Request for Response" (OSD RFR No. ITCO5, April 1999) for computer equipment required Energy Star products and rated vendors on a full range of environmental features, including recycled content and recyclability; labeling plastic resins and non-welding parts; avoiding toxic substances; upgradability; taking back equipment and packaging for recycling at end of useful life; and ergonomics and reduced worker exposure to radiation or electromagnetic fields. The process also recognizes independent third-party certifications. http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/osd/enviro/products/computer.htm

For a PDF version of some of the Massachusetts bid language, please visit: Computer_EPP_Language.pdf.