Module 2: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)

Options for Action: The Purchasing Process

« Previous | 1 | 2 | Next »

The purchasing process consists of four elements:

Deciding what to purchase
Deciding who to purchase from
Negotiating an exchange rate
Exchanging resources for goods or services

The purchase specification

Whether we’re buying on very short demand or developing a tight performance specification, the first step in a purchase is to define the product or service required. Several factors are usually examined, including quality, cost, availability, and familiarity with the supplier. Ultimately, the decision to buy is based on how well the purchased item or service meets with expectations. The description of expectations is called a purchase specification. The specification can be developed for a ready-made item or for a yet-to-be-designed item.

A specification may also include the parameters for delivery, such as routine periodic shipments or shipment on an as-needed basis. The purchase often includes shipping and handling.

Identifying a green purchase

A product designed around a single attribute such as recycled content, energy efficiency, or bio-based materials may not “make the grade” as a green purchase. A green purchase usually requires an evaluation based on multiple, diverse attributes such as chemical composition, toxicity, and biodegradability. One way to make a green purchase is to use tools that identify and label materials as green. But if you do not have access to such a tool, a simplified method would be to look at product or service characteristics with an eye to issues identified before—pollution prevention, resource efficiency, and life-cycle perspectives as suggested in the following table:

Product/Service Characteristics	Pollution Prevention	Life Cycle	Resource Efficiency
Material composition	Non-toxic, biodegradable, bio-based	Recycled, reusable, renewable resource	Consumes less water or energy, contains recycled content
Transport	Produced locally, non-petroleum-fueled transport	Administrative or logistical costs	Fewer shipments, shipped by rail or boat, larger quantities, backhaul
Manufacturing	Uses best practices, continuous improvement	Environmental Management System, improved compliance	Reduced material waste
Packaging	None or reusable	Requires no special handling	Thinner packaging, recycled content
Product Use	Repairable, reusable, upgradeable, safe, non-polluting	Long life, durable, reusable	Low energy demand, easy to use efficiently
End of Life	Re-useable, fewer incidents	Disposal without long-term liability	Fuel blend

The supplier should be able to help you find sufficient information for making an informed decision, but as always, caveat emptor, or “let the buyer beware,” still applies to any buying decision. The Federal Trade Commission has developed guides to aid the supplier in determining how to substantiate their claims, and a fact sheet to help the purchaser determine the validity of the claims.

« Previous | 1 | 2 | Next »