It is the policy of the City of Los Angeles to:
(a) Specify and purchase environmentally preferable products and services where criteria have been established by governmental or other widely recognized and respected third-party authorities (e.g., Energy Star, Green Seal, EPA Recycled Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) Purchasing Guidelines, Federal Electronic Product Environment Assessment Tool (EPEAT) program guidelines for electronics, State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC)).
The following environmental attributes should be considered in making a determination of whether a product is environmentally preferable:
1. Whether the product minimizes the usage of virgin materials for its production;
2. The percentage of recycled-content materials it contains;
3. Is the product re-usable;
4. Ease of recycling the product;
5. The amount of packaging material for the product;
6. Whether the product is bio-based (e.g. corn or soy-based) as opposed to petrochemical or synthetically based;
7. Whether the product is biodegradable;
8. Whether the product is made of carcinogen-free materials;
9. Whether the product is Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free;
10. Whether the product is compostable;
11. Whether the product is durable, rather than single-use or disposable;
12. Whether the product is energy efficient;
13. Whether the product is less hazardous than similar products;
14. Whether the product contains low amounts of volatile organic compounds (low VOC content);
15. Whether the product has low toxicity levels;
16. Whether the product is mercury-free or free from other heavy metals;
17. Whether the product is free of persistent bio-accumulative toxics (PBT-free);
18. Whether the product is made of rapidly renewable materials;
19. Whether the product is refurbished;
20. Whether the product is water-efficient;
21. Whether the product is upgradeable;
22. Whether the product reduces greenhouse gas emissions;
23. Whether the ultimate disposal of the product at the end of its life cycle is safer compared to similar products;
24. Whether the product is recyclable and therefore can be kept out of the landfill.
(b) Incorporate environmental factors into the City’s product specifications, including but not limited to:
1. Minimization of virgin material use in product or service life cycle;
2. Maximization of recycled products used in product or service life cycle;
3. Environmental cost of entire product or service life cycle;
4. Reuse of existing products or materials in product or service life cycle;
5. Recyclability of product;
6. Minimization of packaging;
7. Reduction of energy and/or water consumption;
8. Toxicity reduction or elimination;
9. Elimination of uncertified hardwoods in product or service life cycle;
10. Durability and maintenance requirements;
11. Ultimate disposal of the product; and
12. Use of re-refined oil.
(c) Raise staff awareness of environmental issues affecting City product lifecycles through outreach, and by providing relevant information and training.
(d) Encourage suppliers and contractors to offer environmentally preferable products and services at competitive prices.
(e) Encourage providers of services to consider environmental impacts of service delivery by using environmentally preferable products and delivery methods whenever possible.
(f) Require any City department responsible for establishing contracts for landscaping maintenance, renovation, or construction to require its Direct Service Provider to procure, as necessary, Compost and SB 1383 Eligible Mulch produced from recovered organic waste for landscaping maintenance, renovation, or construction, as practicable, whenever available and capable of meeting specified quality standards and criteria. SB 1383 Eligible Mulch used for land application must meet or exceed the physical contamination, maximum metal concentration, and pathogen density standards specified in 14 CCR Section 17852(a)(24.5), Subsections (A)(1) through (3).
(g) Require the Awarding Authority to procure Compost and SB 1383 Eligible Mulch produced from recovered organic waste for landscaping maintenance, renovation, or construction, as practicable, whenever available and capable of meeting specified quality standards and criteria. SB 1383 Eligible Mulch used for land application must meet the physical contamination, maximum metal concentration, and pathogen density standards specified in 14 CCR Section 17852(a)(24.5), Subsections (A)(1) through (3).
(h) Require the Awarding Authority to procure renewable gas derived from Organic Waste that has been diverted from a landfill and processed at an in- vessel digestion facility that is permitted or otherwise authorized by 14 CCR to recover Organic Waste, or as otherwise defined in 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(62), for transportation fuel, electricity, and heating applications to the degree that it is appropriate and available.
(i) Require any vendor providing printing services to the City to use Printing and Writing Paper that consists of at least 30 percent, by fiber weight, Post-consumer material or as amended by California Public Contract Code Section 12209.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 180,751, Eff. 8-4-09, Oper. 11-4-09.
Amended by: Subsecs. (f) through (i) added, Ord. No. 187,711, Eff. 1-18-23.