Green Purchasing & Zero Waste

Boulder County is committed to Sustainability and has created Green Purchasing and Zero Waste policies to ensure all our efforts are sustainable.

Green Purchasing & Zero Waste Subcommittee

This group consists of staff from various departments who meet on a monthly basis to recommend policies and explore opportunities to expand green purchasing and zero waste efforts.

Mission

Our green purchasing and zero waste practices ensure a sustainable future for the County organization and provide a model for the community.

Goals

Improve our Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) policy through education and creating additional standards and requirements.
Approach zero waste (or darn near) through education and enhanced reduce, reuse, recycle and composting opportunities.
Model, promote and facilitate environmental sustainability in the community.
Provide education and leadership for county employees to take personal responsibility for the environment

Actions by Department

Purchasing

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy
100% recycled paper policy
Electronic invoicing procedures to reduce paper consumption
Minimal packaging and Energy Star compliance requirements in bids / RFPs; bids can now be submitted electronically
Vehicle replacement criteria includes fuel economy & GHG emissions, age, mileage

Resource Conservation – Zero Waste

In-house recycling program: 129.8 tons of single-stream recycling in 2013
In-house composting program: 149.3 tons of food waste and other compostables in 2013
In-house Hazardous waste roundups: 1.9 tons in 2012
In-house electronic-waste roundups: 6.26 tons in 2013
In-house book collection (for paperback & hard cover books): 1.55 tons in 2013
Community Outreach Program Funding offered for waste reduction infrastructure and Zero Waste education through the Resource Conservation Division (1997 – 2013: $989,987)

Resource Conservation – Education and Outreach

Recycling Center tours. Over 4000 people tour the Boulder County Municipal Recycling Facility (MRF) each year.
5 drop-off recycling centers
County Fair recycling
Boulder County Fair, a Zero Waste event for 8 years running, as of 2014

Building Services

LEED EB purchasing guide established for EB buildings
Use chemicals with the lowest HMIS rating possible and go beyond biodegradability and phosphate free as environmentally friendly standards
Use local compost on grounds
Efficient 4-cycle mowers used
Use reusable and rechargeable batteries
Recycle/reuse construction scraps
Use long life-cycle and recycled content materials
Low water-use fixtures and landscapes

Information Technology

Trade-ins
All printers specified as duplexers
Long-life, energy saving flat-screen monitors purchased for staff
E-waste recycled
State Electronics Challenge Partner

Parks and Open Space

Bio-fuel system at new parks building
Recycling at some trailheads
Recycled plastic wheel stops in parking lots
Recycling abandoned tires found on Open Space to be turned into fuel
Wood waste, brush, and limbs, chipped or mulched for reuse

Printing and Mailing

Low VOC vegetable inks
Hazardous waste management
Reuse and recycling

Sheriff’s Office

Rechargeable batteries
Long life-span equipment
Donate outdated equipment
Jail Battery Recycling

Roads

Gravel, dirt, concrete, and asphalt recycling

Fleet

Car and truck batteries, oil, antifreeze recycling

DMV

License plate recycling