EPA Proposes Updates to Recommendations for Sustainable Purchasing: A Game Changer for Federal Buyers

On September 10th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a significant update to its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations).

These updates aim to assist federal government buyers and other purchasers in selecting more sustainable, climate-friendly products that contain safer chemical ingredients. This marks the first comprehensive evaluation of these standards and eco-labels by the EPA in nearly a decade.

Why These Updates Matter

The Recommendations serve as a crucial guide for identifying thousands of environmentally preferable products and services across 35categories. These products conserve energy, save water, include recycled content, and minimize the use of harmful substances like PFAS and single-use plastics. By enabling federal buyers to procure such products, the Recommendations not only reduce environmental impacts but also offer the potential to save taxpayers money and prevent pollution.

This update aligns closely with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to sustainability, as outlined in the Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. The Executive Order mandates that federal agencies prioritize the procurement of sustainable products and services, specifically those meeting the EPA’s Recommendations.

What’s New in the Proposed Updates?

The proposed update includes the addition of 14 new standards and ecolabels across three new product categories: healthcare, laboratories, and clothing and uniforms. Additionally, it proposes an expansion of the existing food service ware sub-category, which currently includes only one recommended ecolabel for compostable products. If finalized, the updated Recommendations would incorporate three more standards and ecolabels, covering reusable, certified compostable, and certified recyclable products.

EPA is also introducing a new resource on its website that outlines best practices for procuring food service ware, offering further guidance to buyers. This is part of the EPA’s broader effort to ensure that federal procurement, which exceeded $700 billion in annual spending last year, continues to support the purchase of sustainable and climate-friendly products.

A Rigorous Assessment Process

To ensure that the products recommended are truly sustainable, the EPA assessed the environmental sustainability of third-party standards and ecolabels under its Framework for the Assessment of Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels. Additionally, each standard and ecolabel was evaluated for third-party certification programs that verify product conformance.

In April 2022, the EPA introduced stricter eligibility criteria for the inclusion of standards and ecolabels in the Recommendations. These criteria require that each standard or ecolabel have a competent third-party verification program and an up-to-date directory of qualifying products and services. As part of the proposed updates, the EPA is also considering removing seven standards or ecolabels that no longer meet these requirements, are discontinued, or are no longer mandated by regulation.

Public Input Invited

The EPA is seeking public comments on these proposed updates for 30 days following their publication. Stakeholders can submit their feedback via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0835 on Regulations.gov. The feedback received will be instrumental in shaping the final version of the Recommendations.

These proposed updates represent a significant step forward in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainability at scale. By cutting through the clutter of hundreds of ecolabels in the marketplace, the EPA’s Recommendations provide federal purchasers and other sustainability-conscious consumers with the confidence to make informed, environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.